Absolut Weasels
- February 13, 2003
- 4 comments
Rachel Lucas has found some new Absolut posters that are very appropriate. Click on the thumbnails for larger versions. The links open new windows.
For my German friends (Daniel W., Daniel E., Silke, Anna, Ben, Susanne, Hannah, Doris, Andrea, Samuel, Horst, Claudia, Martin, Christoph, Joseph, Holle)… this isn’t meant as a jab at you. This IS meant as a jab at your government. Feel free to speak your minds on this. Kieran, Neil… you guys can speak up too if you want to.
Hi Andy,
I’m glad you responded. I know these posters are a bit much. That’s the whole point! The point of putting a swastika on the French flag is to stir up emotions and remind them of what could have been had it not been for the Allies. To many Americans, both Germany and France (especially France) seem to be a bunch of ingrates. The French political strategy has been to disagree with the US on just about everything since WWII.
A large percentage of the French are completely against war with Iraq and support a plan that essentially leaves Saddam in power indefinitely. I personally believe that the French who actually DID live under Nazi rule support the US’ position. The ones who don’t have never had to deal with a situation like that.
In terms of the German one… take a look at all of the anti-American posters and propaganda going around during the “anti-war” protests over the weekend anywhere in the world including Germany. Many people feel it’s quite alright to compare Bush to Hitler, put Bush’s likeness in front of a swastika, give Bush a Hitler moustache, etc. and expect Americans to pay attention and change their evil ways! Yet when Americans retaliate in turn, they get all puffed up and feel insulted. This is hypocritical. I’m glad you’re getting sick of it. That’s how Americans feel about Europeans CONSTANTLY whining about the US. That’s all we hear in the main stream news. It gets old, doesn’t it?
In terms of having opposition in the UN… there’s a difference between healthy, constructive debate and stonewalling. When the Germans have said they won’t support a war with Iraq EVEN IF IT’S SUPPORTED BY THE UN, then that’s not opposition. That’s stonewalling. When the French secretly create an alternate UN proposal to allow for many more inspectors for an indefinite period of time, then that’s not opposition, that’s backstabbing. Plus, the French plan doesn’t even have the support of Blix! Blix already said that more inspectors wouldn’t be a solution. In fact, he said it would be an irritant and could cause more problems.
Chris, as I said I haven’t followed the events enough to get into a political discussion on who is right or not – I would believe that there is truth and error on both sides. Fact is that America is the superpower of today and will have to endure a bunch of crap just like all the superpowers before them.
If I’d find images like this putting America down and I could post my opinion next to it then I would do the exact same thing there. All it really does is make people react and usually people who are reacting don’t really think straight anymore but act out of emotions. Do you think that’s constructive? I don’t and don’t believe it has been. And because Germans are carrying posters around picturing Bush as Hitler does that mean that America has to do the same thing? Reminds me a bit of Kindergarten: “They started it so we’ll just do the same thing in return!”.
I’m not taking sides here – just criticising the form of communication – on both sides!
Hey Andy,
I was hoping you’d respond. I’m glad you did.
You’re correct in saying there’s truth and error on both sides, but in this issue, Germany and France have truly isolated themselves. Germany looks like it could be pulling itself out of it though, while France continues to dig itself into a deeper hole.
Posters (especially political ones) have ALWAYS had a purpose, whether they were right or wrong. People are emotional beings. But behind all emotional responses are beliefs. When a poster causes an emotional response, it’s hitting on an underlying belief. Many times, posters have caused political or social discourse simply because they pissed off the other side. You and I discussing this is a great example. Of course no poster can completely summarize a position or accurately portray a nation or movement. But it can capture an emotion or thought about a nation or movement, which in turn leads to other thoughts and emotions being expressed on both sides. There is nothing wrong with this, if it leads to open discussion about the issues at hand. If it’s simply done out of hate or evilness, then that’s a different story. Americans don’t hate the Germans or French. We just think they’re being ridiculous given what they know about Iraq and their histories.
Hey Chris…
I must say that I think that this is a bit much. I have to admit I don’t really know what has been going on with this whole Iraq thing lately(even though this is the APC base). But I can’t really see the use of pictures like this. Alone the fact of the swastica on a French flag must make a lot of French people plainly angry as thy where the victims of that regime – that is a no go for me. Put yourself into a Frenchmans shoes who has lived through WWII for a second – now tell me what impact this poster would have on you.
Yes – Germany has had a pretty bad past when it comes to World Wars and I do think that it was caused by most people being passive. But do you really think posters like this are very appropriate? They will get more people angry at the makers then getting them to really think about what their Government is doing which should be the goal or not? Quite frankly I’m getting sick of it – the German people have had enough to suffer from their past and still do. If people have different opinions then why take it out on the past? I’m not saying forget about the past – I’m just saying stop rubbing it in. It’s not constructive at all and will only make people mad – not at what their Government is doing but at the people that made these posters.
It had one good affect – it got me interested in what is going on in Iraq. It didn’t make me want to find out what France or Germany are saying though just because I think they are a very INappropriate way of convaying a message and because I like a bit of opposition (without supporting what any of these coutries have said or done). What would the UN be without opposition – just another dictatorship?
Andy
(an American who grew up in Germany)