Monday, November 22, 2010

Thinking of Fear of Fear

Well, we're supposed to be afraid, shivering in our boots, trembling every time we see a backpack, suitcase, briefcase on the bus, subway, tram, train. There are machine-gun toting policemen roaming the central train station, the Christmas markets that just opened today, the major squares in town. They have closed access to the dome of the Reichstag for visitors. And they keep telling everyone not to panic.
Today, they say, is the day when the danger of a terrorist strike in Berlin (and Germany on the whole) becomes REAL. So they hike up the threat level and the police presence, and the police union has already said they are over the limit, can't manage any more, need help. And the Innenminister call for just-in-case storage of online and phone and mobile data, again, even though there last effort to enact such was struck down by the Constitutional Court.
A train has been evacuated, a couple of railway stations, and who knows what else by now, because the citizens, not in a panic, are reporting everything they see standing around anywhere.
And this is the day on which JFK was assassinated in 1963; I'm still waiting for the conspiracy theory that links today with that.
Anyhow, I've ridden bus, tram, subway already today, and now I'll just stay in, not for fear of terror, but because it's a nastily rainy day outside.
Have they checked the contents of those Xmas trees on the markets? and the ginger bread? and the stockings and wool hats? What about those Xmas caroussels? all that Glühwein (spiced wine)? And those candied nuts, apples, hearts? There may be a Scrooge at work here somewhere.

"Oder ist die Versagung das verborgenste Wort? [...]
Und doch sind wir die Brücke selbst zwischen dem Seienden und dem Seyn."
[MH:GA Bd.74, I, Die Sage, §9, S.11]

Meanwhile, over in the US, they're patting everyone down for their trip home for Thanksgiving!

Lets just tell those against our way of life that we have no intention - ever - of giving it up!

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