Responses to the Charlemagne Award for Clinton
Aachen, Germany
dates ending March 20, 2000
Aachen Newspaper
http://www.aachener-zeitung.de/eigen/az/forum/leserforum/index.html
Tanja Goebels: Looking at two side of the medal
Erwin Kneip: comparison to clinton
Norbert Schunck: Norbert Schunck
Walter von den Driesch: Time for an emergency escape
Christian Mertens: Yes, so where is he?
Tanja Goebels ( 24 February 2000 )
Looking at two side of the medal
Surely Bill Clinton's accomplishments have contributed to unity in
Europe,
but it is questionable as to whether he was the chief initiator. Wouldn't
it have
been more fitting to have chosen one of the force commanders of the UNO
troops
or a person from among the large first aid teams like the Red Cross or
Maltese
Assistance. The bombs ended the media effectiveness of the war. But what
is now
going on in the areas of crisis is almost even worse. People are still
dying there,
be it of hunger, cold, exhaustion or crimes of all sorts. Where is America
now?
Erwin Kneip ( 24 February 2000 )
Comparison to clinton
Advertisement for Aachen is good and is needed. But who will the
Charlemagne
Award directorate be able to nominate for the 2001 Charlemagne Award once
they
have already given it to Clinton?! Despite common sense, the Charlemagne
Award
has unfortunately degenerated into a a floor show for super celebrities.
My request:
grant the awards to those who are really involved!
Norbert Schunck ( 08 March 2000 )
Concerning the decision on this year's winner of the Charlemagne Award,
I would
like to add the following comment:
In my opinion the Dutch official who discovered the embezzlement of
tax monies
by the last European Commission in Brussels last year, thereby redeeming
this
EU Commission, would have been a basically much better suited award
winner. This
man, presumably, did Europe a basically much greater service than the
American
President Bill Clinton could ever do. An American President is bound by
his own
Constitution to pursue American interests. As far as he is concerned,
developments
in the European unification process play a role in his decisions only in
so far
as they conform to American interests. That Dutch official, however, put
his personal
career on the line for the future of Europe. By granting this year's award
to
him, it would have been a sign that the European state of mind is the
mission
of all Europeans and not just of politicians. At the same time the people
in Europe
would have been encouraged in that they would have been shown that it
still pays off to put
personal awareness above career considerations today. Unfortunately, the
Charlemagne Award
Committee passed up this chance in its search for models of the great and
powerful in this world.
The chief mayor's statements about granting the prize to Clinton brought
Aachen into extra-
regional consciousness: the Charlemagne Award as a marketing tool for
Aachen. That may fit today's
trend of functionalizing everything and anything, but it fundamentally
contradicts what the Award
was originally meant for. It would be good for the esteem for the
Charlemagne Award and
its roots in Aachen and in Europe if at some time in future years a "
little" European man (or woman) would be honored for having
demonstrated something big for
Europe even though his area of influence was only small.
Walter von den Driesch ( 20 March 2000 )
Time for an emergency escape
I think it is a sign from heaven, and a whim from those politically in
charge to make an emergency escape. IMO it is high time to consider
diversity in
giving the prize in Aachen.
Christian Mertens ( 20 March 2000 )
Yes, so where is he?
Mildly put, I find it an act of impudence to accept the time-honored
Charlemagne Award on the fringe of some other event. And then to simply
refuse the
award if the other event is cancelled. Naturally, Good Ole Bill is an
Important
Person (even creating peace in Pakistan and, while he's at it, doing away
with
world hunger besides). But enough of the sarcasm: if Bill Clinton thinks
the
Charlemagne Award is so insignificant that he does not even think it is
worth a visit
to one of the most beautiful German cities, then surely it wouldn't bother
him if
somebody else got it. With all the special things he has, that would be
just one
more something special...
Christian
German Scientology News
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