I just had a deutsche europlate made "Luftwaffe"

[ChrisM135i]

Originally Posted by ages944

As for your point of not being directly involved, I disagree. Not to sound preachy, but being Polish, I have immediate family that was, ahem, 'directly' involved, and they sure as hell were affected by it. My grandfather was a Polish partisan in the war, my uncle was an ammunition runner during the Warsaw uprising, and I never had the chance to even know at least a couple members of my family because of Lebensraum. Yes, it was 60 years ago, I wasn't there personally, and I obviously don't avoid all things German, but it still happened, and there are still people around who might find it somewhat offensive. Again, not trying to preach, but just trying to give perspective.

First of all Ages, thanks for your posting and answering on my post! I can understand your point of argumentation.. and it is all right, what you said. I´m with you, when you are saying that it happend and that you can offend people with such plates...

BUT, let me ask you... which families from the european countries werent directly or indirectly involved?! I guess there you will find not as much... Just when i look to my own family, i can count about 10 people, which lost their life.

I just can say, that I wasnt directly involved.. so i am not going to think about any apologize or something like that, when i may offend someone with the word "Luftwaffe" for example.
I was born in the year 1984! :rocks:

[spydrz]

Originally Posted by ages944

Please, you know as well as I do that you never make it to WWII in HS history. Always spend too much time yammering about everything else in Western Civ, lol <tongue firmly in cheek>

I know, I know...that's why I don't teach! I'd get too mad for not being able to do what I want...

[ages944]

Originally Posted by ChrisM318ti

BUT, let me ask you... which families from the european countries werent directly or indirectly involved?! I guess there you will find not as much... Just when i look to my own family, i can count about 10 people, which lost their life.

Yep... But exactly all the more reason that the plate is not in the best taste.

Originally Posted by ChrisM318ti

I just can say, that I wasnt directly involved.. so i am not going to think about any apologize or something like that, when i may offend someone with the word "Luftwaffe" for example.

Totally agree with you, never insinuated that you personally should have to apologize for anything. Like you said, you weren't there. I know how you feel actually. Every so often in this country, someone proposes that white people should apologize for African slavery. Now, that too was a terrible chapter in US history, but I personally am not apologizing for it simply because I'm Caucasian. My family didn't get to this country until the early 1970's! lol.

[Fraggy]

All branches of most any nations military, including our own has killed people, its kinda their job in a weird sort of way...

We have a member who has his car parked next to a US fighter jet in his sig, should that be offensive? Should any reference to any military be offensive?

I think consistency is important and that we should not single out any nation or any branch of theirs, or our own military. Either its all offensive or none of it is, there cant be an in between.

[BMW2006]

I don't find it offensive myself. The thing is, here is the U.S. in history shows, and in our high school classrooms you'll contantly hear phrases or see things attaching the name to the Nazi war machine. Whether it's right or wrong, I can see how people would misinterpret the meaning.

Stuff Like "the germans launched thier attack against Poland using a new tactic Blitkrieg or 'lightning war", (Sinister music, pictures of fast moving tanks, exploding vehicles), Instrumental to this was the air raids of the German Luftwaffe (clips of bombs beign dropped, cars exploding) etc...

They will always point out that Blitzkrieg means "lightning war' but won't translate Luftwaffe back to english, or it's phrased correctly, but easily misinterpreted.

Or you may see in a book,.... "they were able to achieve this with the support of the German Air Foce, the Luftwaffe." Which technically I guess would read. "The German Air Force, the Air Force." Which is silly but makes it look like there is a Nazi propaganda name attached to the benign word they use for "Air Force".

as for the morality of it all, we drive German cars here, get the hell off the soapbox as far as wartime deeds go. The Enola Gay Dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese CITIES, not military bases or on thier navy, obliterating thousands of civilians instantly. And we put that s*** in a Museum 50 years later.

don't confuse now with 60 years ago, buying a Sony HDTV isn't support for Imperial Japan, driving a BMW isn't tacit support for Nazism, , and neither is a liscense plate that states "luftwaffe". Although I just wouldn't expect everyone to know or understand that.

The US is also kind of WW II obsessed right now. I can see why we like it so much. It was a big war, we were on the "right" side in a simple equation, US = Good, Nazi = bad, as opposed to our current involvement in Iraq, in which our morality and involvment is a very complicated affair. "The greatest generation" book, the Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Medal of Honor video games, Call of Duty, we just can't absorb enough of it or shoot enough virtual Nazis.

I often wonder why there aren't any WW1 games , or Korean War movies coming out, we didn't have any heroes or decorated units from those conflicts? When they pushed the North Korean lines almost to the edge of the border, there weren't any noteworthy military manuevers, or medal earning acts of heroism worth making a movie or video game about?

but i'm getting off topic a little there. Just my opinion

[Greeney]

I wish that plate was available in NY, thats a great one IMO... Im a jew so its okay .

[DLJJ3399]

Double entendres are really a source of misunderstandings.

Choose your words wisely, if you no not to whom you are speaking to. IMHO

[ab00578]

I think it's hilarious. Beware British people with keys.

While I can understand why the word 'Luftwaffe' may offend some people, the term itself has been used for the German air force long before WWII and is still in use today.

Since the original poster is located in Alamogordo, I guess he's somehow connected to the German unit in Holloman. In this area, most people will probably associate the term 'Luftwaffe' with the Tornados at Holloman AFB and not WWII.

Even the USAF uses the Luftwaffe logo on their websites.
http://www.holloman.af.mil/units/gaf/index.asp

I guess it will at least lead to some interesting conversation in the parking lot at 'Shooters'