There seems to be some misunderstanding here. The Berlin Film Festival has never not gotten off to a political start.
It moves on from there to a politcal midway point and then to a political end, for some political end, politically. It’s never been any different. That’s why the films they show here are always so crappy.
Berlin Film Festival Off to a Political Start as Three Protests Precede Opening Ceremony – After kicking off with a feisty press conference, the Berlin Film Festival got even more political as three groups of protesters descended on Potsdamer Platz before the start of opening night festivities.
They reflect the widespread nervousness caused by the somewhat older new measures created to increase this widespread nervousness, a widespread nervousness that was increased by other new measures before them that much, much older new measures created in the first place.
You know the routine. Ritual, actually. “Right-wing extremism” is on the rise in Germany. It’s always been on the rise, of course. It’s been on the rise for decades and decades yet it never seems to rise quite high enough to satisfy those worrying about its rising. These are, at the moment, those politicians in the established parties being threatened by the AfD, a party that actually claims to be interested in addressing the migrant madness German voters want them to address, something these established parties refuse to do. They’re plotting to ban the AfD, in other words, because they are incapable of addressing the problems the electorate wants them to address.
Germany bolsters gun curbs, financial policing to rein in far right – German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Tuesday unveiled measures ranging from stronger financial policing and earlier detection of so-called botnets to tightened firearms controls to tackle a far-right surge that has spooked the country.
The measures reflect widespread nervousness that the far-right Alternative for Germany party could end up the largest party in several state parliaments later this year, propelled by a gloomy economy and overburdened public services.
Co-head of the Berlinale justifies the cancellation with high pressure – The managing director of the Berlinale, Mariette Rissenbeek, has defended the decision to exclude AfD politicians from the opening gala. In the face of widespread criticism, it was “a very difficult gesture to say: ‘You are welcome!
AfD parliamentary group leader Brinker criticizes Berlinale decision as “exclusion.”
Beer, bratwurst and conspiracy: Inside a meeting of Germany’s far-right AfD – … They came for an evening of conversation with the Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), Germany’s leading far-right party.
To one camp, this meeting represented a call for political change; to the other, a risk to German democracy. That vehement disagreement is one being played out across the nation as it heads towards regional elections in September.
After far-right gains in several European countries, most notably in the Netherlands and Italy, Germany may follow suit.
PS: Sign in the photograph: “How many more Hitler documentaries do you need?”
I was really worried for a while there that the Berlin Film Festival was going to say it supports right-wing extremism.
But now it’s official. The Berlin Film Festival says it stands against right-wing extremism. Whew. Thank goodness. You just never know these days.
What a clown show.
“Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections. Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies. That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such,” the festival said. “Both the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Berlin Senate receive invitation quotas for the Berlinale, which are allocated to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and House of Representatives. It was against this background that the AfD representatives were invited to the Berlinale.”
Similar to the way the dirty tricks played on Donald Trump in the Banana Republic only make him more popular, German anti-AfD protests are only increasing its popularity.
Anyone paying attention here sees this for what it is: An orchestrated attempt by the established parties and their state media hacks to either 1) weaken the far-right party at the polls or 2) foster the atmosphere in which they can attempt to ban the party. You know. If you can’t beat them, ban them?
Germans Protest Far-right AfD for Third Straight Week Amid Its Spike in Popularity – After a meeting took place to discuss ‘re-migration’ of immigrants from Germany, protesters have taken to the streets to voice their opposition to the rising far-right nationalism in Germany. Chancellor Olaf Scholz applauded the demonstrations.
Always on the rise. For as long as I or anyone else here can remember, on the rise.
Right-wing extremism. It’s always on the rise. Everywhere, but in Germany in particular. Geez. You’d think they would have finally risen to the top by now already. Good thing these warnings are not a classic political/journalistic device used to generate alarm for votes and higher ratings.
Germany’s Scholz says dark neo-Nazi networks are on the rise – Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday voiced concern over the rise of extreme-right tendencies in his country 79 years after the Auschwitz extermination camp was liberated.
It’s not an “on the rise” problem in Germany. It’s an “on the run” problem. The established political parties are slowly getting choked to death. Or, more accurately, slowly choking themselves to death.
Just look at all the “ban Trump” moves in The Banana Republic.
“Germans seeking to ban democracy to save democracy.” They’re planning the banning of the AfD. Why? Because their ranks keep growing with disguntled voters from the established parties that refuse to give these voters what they want. An end to the migrant madness, for example. The Germans have this saying: “Wer nicht hören will, muss fühlen.” That means “he who will not hear must feel.” It’s clear that the established parties’ necessary pain threshold has not yet been reached but try to avoid this pain they must.
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said this months ago. He has always been ahead of his time, I guess.
That’s why the current fabricated frenzy about the AfD party allegedly planning the same thing doesn’t make much sense. But Scholz is a social democratic (socialist) goody-two-shoes kinda guy so the mass deportation he is demanding must be a nicer and more “social” kind. If he says “we have to deport people more often and faster,” nobody cares. That it’s all talk and no walk and none of these deportations will ever take place in Germany is another story altogether.
Funny what a few months and the continued success of of the AfD at the polls can make. But nothing has been orchestrated here, folks. Just move along please.
You know. That tired old German ritual of “fighting the Nazis of 1933 today?”
Certainly is a convenient backdrop if you’re a government quietly approving a law that would ease dual citizenship in the background. The public debate of which would otherwise be quite controversial. It almost seems as if these protests are being used as a distraction. It almost seems as if the whole thing was planned.
Germany’s parliament approves easing dual citizenship – German lawmakers have voted in favor of changing the law, which would open up the possibility of dual citizenship to swaths of the population. The bill would also reduce the time needed to qualify for naturalization.
Observing Hermann 