Kowabunga

The Stars and Stripes European edition is running an article on the recent address made by Detlef Junker at the Univerisity of Maryland University College Europe commencement ceremony. This address took place at the Patrick Henry Pavilion in Germany. The UMUCE serves the U.S. Armed Forces community serving throughout Europe.

Thus far, I am unable to find a transcript of the address, however, based on the article, it sounds as though Junker does not know his audience very well.

A local expert on German-American relations recently gave new University of Maryland graduates something to talk about - and, in some cases, chant about - with a commencement address some thought bashed America.

"He starting talking about [President Bush's] 2002 State of the Union address, the axis of evil, you're either with us or against us - and that's when it started going downhill," said Cheryl Atwood, a commissary technology specialist who received her Bachelor of Science degree at the May 29 ceremony.

"At first, I thought, "I'm being overly sensitive.' Then I heard somebody in the back shouting 'USA! USA!' and I thought, 'Maybe I'm not taking it wrong.' Several people got up and left and people stood up waving, telling him to sit down."

And then later in the article:

While he was speaking - about the "almost free fall of the reputation of the U.S.," which he credited to several Bush administration policies, foremost, the "unilateral self-empowerment of the United States through the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike" - Junker wasn't sure what was happening with the crowd of more than 1,000 people.

Did he forget he was delivering this address to a largely military graduating class and audience, and not the kind of people that attend U.C. Berkeley, where this speech, based on what I know, would have been well received.

Most military members (past and present), and their families, are strong supporters of the current administration, and the leadership that led us into the Middle-East to remove a mass-murdering dictator that had overseen the brutal execution of over a half-million Iraqis; the fight against terrorists; and the understanding that the "Blame America First" crowd have got everything wrong.

This is one more instance that shows that the Germans still don't get it, and it isn't America's fault that relations between the two countries is at an all time low, but the fault of the Germans, who just don't get it, and, I am beginning to think, are destined to repeat the mistakes of their own past as they look at Hussein as another "victim" of "American aggression."