www.kolbenguss.de - Page 3

My loyalty to my countryfolk brought me to my post. Whether we like it or not years of conditioning do shape who we become and how we treat the outside world. My own personal heritage is irrelevant I could be black, Asian and of European decent and I'm still an American. This kennel has had people step up to report 1st hand info. Sounds like they are very dedicated. I also think as an open forum, we all have the right to know how one of us was treated by this kennel, even if it was 10 years ago. The opening page of the website shows the American flag. Do you see the insult and my compulsion to report a fact? No BS in that. If we were talking about a US kennel saying they HATED Germans, even 10 years ago, would you say BS to that person today? 10 years isn't really so long ago. Prejudism has deep implications. DH, if this were an American website, with a German flag on the 1st page, and the kennel was here pushing advertising at you... if I knew they had prejudice against you based on your country of origin I would speak up then as well. It's prejudism that is wrong. If there is a genuine respect and acceptance of Americans in the Kolbenguss kennel I am thrilled. Prior to the opening of international websites, there was not.

Sue-Ann, the kennel did not have people step up. People stepped up on their own. Please do not dimish their efforts. And no, I would not hold someone by what they said 10 years ago, providing they are a different person today. You even commented to a recent post where someone had changed their opinion in a mere 4 years and very strongly so. So which is it? People and opinions can change? Or they can not? And you don't even know *what* the opinions of the sons are. You only spoke with the dad. There are plenty of US based breeders of DDR lines who display the old East German Flag. Does that mean they are Communists? Or that they want to push any buttons? Its just a part of someones personal design on a website. Not a pledge of allegiance, nor a mockery. Its a design element. Some breeders of West lines even have that flag up and probably don't even know that its the wrong flag. Just gets a chuckle. That little US flag is placed on the Kolbenguss site to alert to the English pages they have put up. Its done on millions of sites. The kennel is not pushing advertising, they are posting like hundreds of other sites, free for all to see, or free for all to ignore. You have the choice to go look, or leave it be. Stop being such a hypocrite! Otherwise one would have to assume that you are someone that still thinks african-americans should be called by a different name and sit in the back of the bus, that communists need to be nuked, that "gooks" should go back to where they came from, should I go on? I would guess (or at least like to believe) that that is a very unlikely picture of you. Though it was not all that long ago that these influences, and many others, were very strong in US households. We are not our parents! We have also grown up in a generation where we are encouraged to form our own opinions and not just be the little ant in the ant hill. Are you an ant, Sue-Ann? Are you saying the Langs are? Sue-Ann, I have NOT seen you speak up yet in other topics when there was some obvious prejudice. Lets take the recent Quando post. I have not seen your posts there. So lets get back to reality for a moment. You have a personal issue about something that has been left unresolved for over a decade, has been eating away at you since, yet you simply never bothered to follow up personally. That is the actual state of the current situation. You can either dwell on it from afar, bitch and rant and become a hate-monger. Or you can be a bit more proactive about that whole situation. The old man is long gone. Whatever his motivation for his little speach its no longer an issue. Perfect opportunity to turn a new leaf. I deal or rather am confronted with Anti-German sentiment all the time. Some people think I should be personally punished for deeds that happened before my time, or that being German makes be a bad person or a N... by default. Trust me, I see what deep implications prejudism can bring forth. I also know from first hand experience how opinions and attitudes can change. And that it take one thing: effort! Which is not always the most comfortable route. And that also takes time. The world evolves. Constantly and these days at breakneck speed. People do. Opinions do. Catch up! Call that kennel again. Might be an eye opening experience. If you let it. And if call with an open mind and are willing to have a sincere conversation. Now that would be a start of something different, wouldn't it? One person at a time. That is how the world is changed.

Sue-ann........Thank you

DH, The quote, " The kennel had people step up..." does not mean in the literal sense that they called people and asked them to defend them. It means that the kennel had people *willing* to step up. In fact my very next sentence is that they are very DEDICATED. They can be very dedicated, have excellent dogs, and be still having prejudice. It is up to Langs to relay their sentiment towards people in the USA, or not. As I closed with, in my last paragraph..."IF THERE IS A GENUINE RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE OF AMERICANS IN THE KOLBENGUSS KENNEL I AM THRILLED." I don't make an assumption about where the mindset of a new generation is. DH, isn't it a little much to assume I can read and comment on every thread here? The Quando thread is one I have never even opened. Most of the threads I do read that I don't have a strong opinion or 1st hand knowledge of, I stay out of. I leave the bickering to those who are best at it. In this case, I had 1st hand experience with the founder of Kolbenguss. With regard to the thread on Molly, I have 1st hand knowledge of her as well (going back to the early 90's). After asking a significant question, offering what I saw as a useful solution, my mouth is once again CLOSED on that subject. I didn't make a difference so no need to add to the mounting comments. I'd like you to reread my posts, try a neutral objective while doing so, and see if you read something more than your 1st gut reaction was? You'll find I'm talking about a personal experience that I find extremely distasteful. After seeing several posts directed at sales to Americans... I feel compelled to alert others. I let many posts go unhindered, holding my experience...certainly not guilty of the bitching, ranting or hate mongering. It takes some guts to come forward with the things I did. I don't deserve an attack especially if you know prejudism as you say you do. You certainly would not make a phone call to someone, after they reception I got. The respectful thing to do is NEVER call them back and that's what I did then and will continue to do. You are out of line with your comments to me and it makes you look pretty silly. I am happy to talk with Langs about my experience and am willing share or not share anything they may relay to me personally, as they desire. As for this post. I am also closing my comments. Sue-Ann...with one American flag flying proudly!

While everyone feels the need to be "right" and have a conorstone on the "truth". I need to make this minor correction/observation. It's African-Americans, not african-americans. Now that injected minutia is about as important as this entire thread. Stephen

Just for the record: My post re: Kolbengruss/Familie Lang was entirely unsolicited. My words and opinions are my own, as are my sentiments surrounding this entire issue. Disrespect for the deceased, man or beast, is NEVER in good taste.

In talking with Christian Lang, I discovered Fredreich Lang, now deceased, did not have good command of the English language. His comments were unintended. Apologies for bringing this conversation forward. Sue-Ann Best Wishes to Kennel Kolbenguss, and much prosperity to you.