Werte Freunde from abroad - Was auch mal gesagt werden muss

Ihr seid uns jederzeit willkommen.Ein wenig Achtung dem Gastgeberland und seinen Bewohnern gegenüber kann dennoch nicht schaden. Fördert ausserdem die Bereitschaft, sich den neuen Mitbürgern gegenüber freundlich zu verhalten, und hilft, Reaktionen wie die unten zu vermeiden.

Brussels Bubble’s Belgium-bashing is rude and revolting

By James Crisp

It’s time for the Brussels Bubble to stop the Belgium-bashing. The latest outbreak of this unsightly epidemic came last week, after the Walloons blocked the CETA trade agreement with Canada.

Some turned their impotent rage on Belgium itself. This contempt comes out every now and again, most memorably and sickeningly after the terrorist bombings in March.

“Belgium is a failed state,” Brussels Bubblers whined, “the escalator at my subway never works.”

“I saw some soldiers smoking in the metro,” they bawled, ignoring the fact that guard duty is tedious, worthy work that more than deserves a crafty cigarette.

Expats here have a long list of pathetic complaints they are all too ready to wheel out.

“The shops are closed on Sunday...it’s too bureaucratic....what is with the customer service?”, they mewl and quail.

“There are too many strikes,” the spoilt whingers lament, “the sun isn’t shining.”

This self-obsessed attitude is shared by some in the EU institutions, and many lobbyists, journalists and other assorted hangers-on and parasites in Brussels.

Even if they all paid their taxes in Belgium (they don’t), it would still reek of a revolting sense of entitlement and elitism.

Belgium is not here for your convenience, you odious fools, it is a country that has offered you a home and place of work.

Most importantly, Belgium-bashing is just plain bad manners. What guest walks into a home, sits down and starts criticising the curtains?

There are great things about Belgium. The beer, the food, the vertical archery, statues of massive ducks in scuba gear, the generosity of its people and their tolerance of ungrateful expats.

Try this moaning in France or Britain and you’d rightly end up in hospital.

The Belgians are too polite and patient to say it. But I will.

If you don’t like Belgium, why don’t you go back to your own country?

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Aus EurActiv vom 24.10.2016