Using that logic, the US should steer clear of British cars, television and such. We were your enemy once.
In fact, I think you lot have raised an interesting point. My landlord and landlady here in former east German territory were born in the 1940s and grew up in the GDR; communist/super socialist Germany. And you know something? They liked it. Socialism worked perfectly for them and anybody who has ever spoke to east German citizens will know that the people weren't as oppressed as we're led to believe. Yes, the politicians were crooked and yes, there was a 17 year waiting list for a car. But everything worked like clockwork; trains and buses went everywhere and everybody had a job. It was dirt, dirt cheap to live too. It cost my landpeople 70 Marks to buy their house. Childcare was 16 pence. Less than a Mark to travel pretty much anywhere on public transport. They're used to capitalism now, but they say, and it's true, that capitalism has ruined East Germany over the last 20 years. As soon as the wall came down, the nationalised industries were closed down and almost everybody was out of a job.
To most Westerners, we imagine the old East Germany as being communist hell but for some people it worked. It just did. There were issues politically, clearly, but they openly admit that they enjoyed successful, happy lives. Just thought I'd raise that issue, because they have also gone on to say that they, as Germans, still feel immensely guilty about the war. They weren't even alive when it happened but they feel guilty about it whenever we talk about the war. They know they shouldn't feel this way, but say that the Germans should not gloss over and erase their past. Pay for their mistakes and make sure they never happen again. And look at Germany now, the largest, most prosperous economy in Europe. And us Brits certainly don't have problems driving German cars.
