A Bit of Warning Might Have Helped

In the early spring of 1977....when I was getting to the point of seriously thinking of joining the Air Force....the recruiter had this 15-minute video to orientate and ensure that I understood what boot-camp was all about.  It was an honest portrayal of the six week episode and what I should expect.  It kinda spelled out that you wouldn't have much free time.....there's no alcohol....hot meals were the norm.....it would be kinda hot there in Texas....and you were expected to participate.

I've come to the opinion that Germany should have had an orientation type program/video.....back in 2014 and ensured that folks coming up for immigration, asylum or migrant status.....knew what they were getting themselves into.

For example, if you explained what the cost of living was for the average German, and what the wage typically equaled.....I think forty-percent of folks who were thinking about walking into Germany would reconsider their action.

For example, if you explained the taxation business and how near half of what you were making for an income.....was going toward income tax, health insurance or pension tax.....I think forty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you explained what a car cost, the yearly cost of mandatory insurance, and gasoline cost (with the tax business).....I think twenty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you explained the thousand-odd rules of driving and how difficult it is to get a drivers license.....I think twenty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you laid out the progressive and liberal side of society that exists in Germany.....I think forty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you explained dress and attire of German women....I suspect that forty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you showed the refugee compounds and camps as the Germans have established them, and been fair in admitting that some folks might be there for ten months, and STILL not pass the visa test....I suspect that forty-percent of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

For example, if you showed general acceptance of marijuana and it was a problem for your conservative lifestyle....I suspect that forty-percent of of folks would reconsider their walk into Germany.

Oh, this probably would have to be a four-hour DVD introduction and it'd lay out the great positives of the Basic Law (Constitution), jobs for people with craftsmanship background or college degrees, and professional police.  But the negatives would have been there and been something that would have made people ask questions.  If you lived your entire life in some Islamic homeland with some tough rules and expectations.....well....it won't be the same in Germany.  A German boss won't have sympathy for you and Ramadan.....so if you dehydrate yourself and can't deliver at the business.....the German boss will let you go.

I'm guessing that at least one out of every three migrants or immigrants who hiked into Germany in 2014 and 2015.....are sitting there now and asking themselves some tough questions.  Maybe they expected more.....maybe they thought it would be easy.....but things probably didn't turn out the way that they thought.  And for some.....it's exactly what they wanted and desired.