Day of German Unity

Photo by Ingo Joseph from Pixels

 Tag der deutschen Einheit

Today is the Day of German Unity. It's the national holiday of Germany. It celebrates the reunification of East and West Germany after being separated for several years during the Cold War.

In 1997 I served with the Missionsteam Hamburg with The Salvation Army. They were made up of mostly young Germans doing their mandated civil service (if they were men) or doing a gap year. I knew that holiday was approaching. So I asked a friend of mine how Germans celebrated this day. He looked at me puzzled for a few seconds. Then he said, "All Germans stand naked at their front doors, wrapped in a German Flag, with a beer in the hand and singing the national anthem."

I knew he was joking. Germans don't really celebrate on this day. There might be some official event in Berlin, but other than having the day off, they don't celebrate it at all. Germans have an understandably difficult time with patriotism. I remember when the World Cup was in Germany in 2006, commentators actually discussed whether or not it would be appropriate for Germans to finally be proud to be German.

Returning to the US

When I returned to the United States, I came at a very interesting time. I left before the attacks on the 11th of September. When I returned, I came back to a place filled with American flags. In Germany, one would only see German flags at Federal or State buildings or at soccer matches involving the German team. Seeing American flags at gas stations and restaurants seemed absurd and over the top. It reminded me of the Nazi propaganda from the 1930's and 40's. I even saw tattered plastic fags, fluttering from car windows.

Then I remembered that just like Germany, America was guilty of genocide:  the Native Americans here. Just like Germany, America had concentration camps for Japanese-Americans. Just like Germany, Americans conquered countries not their own. Even worse, America set up puppet regimes around the world when governments appeared to be "too communist," settling for dictators (Guatemala, Iran, Grenada, Vietnam, etc).

I became uncomfortable with the nationalistic jingoism that came from all politicians. 

Even worse . . . 

Americans have incorporated worship of America with worship of God. They worship their country during their church services, including their patriotic songs in their hymnals.

This was one terrible thing I could never ever sing in Church. I still remember as a teenager having the song, "I'm Proud to be an American" during church services around the Fourth of July.

Renunciation

So much to the chagrin of most of my family members, I refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance. When I was married, my vows meant more to me than my country, but I never said my vows every day. I don't like singing the national Anthem, especially when one of the verses glorifies repressing slaves.

I love the beauty of my country. I do not despise the people in it. I will not leave it because of the terrible politics here and the syncretism that exists with the Christian Nationalism. I will struggle to make it a better place to live, putting my faith in God, but not this country.