What We Need Now Is Compassion-Some Lessons From The End Of World War II

 

       Today I want to share with you a story about compassion and decency that is very relevant today. In April of 1990, I moved from Pasadena, California, to Johannesburg, South Africa. I had a job offer. I went to see my employer. The job fell through. I was in a strange city halfway around the world with many people who spoke strange languages. This was before internet job searches. I did it the old-fashioned way. I got in the Yellow Pages and found "Import/Export Firms." There were 150 in Johannesburg. I called all 150 companies. I got a bunch of turn downs. I did get an interview with Bahmann International Trading in the Johannesburg suburbs.

      I borrowed my landlord's car. I drove out to the interview in the suburd of Midrand. I was brought into the office of Ulli Bahmann. He was German. He had built quite a company importing truck and auto parts for Mercedes. He was also a defense contractor for military vehicles. Uli told me that he wanted to start an export division. At the end of the interview, I was hired and given a decent job offer that included a company car (3-series BMW.) I got a work permit and a residence permit for South Africa.

        South African companies had a unique aspect to their culture. A pub (drinking establishment) was always on the company property. At the end of the workday, employees were allowed to go to the pub and have a drink or two. It was a time to relax and compare notes on what had happened at work that day.

    As I enjoyed these pub meetings a fascinating story emerged about my fellow employees. All had been young boys at the end of World War II. They were occupied by the US Army. To the last man, these people praised the US soldiers for their kindness and generosity. These invaders kept people fed, rebuilt schools, fixed roads, and got people back to work. The US Army provided health care to the German population. All these men had deep admiration for Americans.

         In 1998, I was dating a woman from Tokyo, Japan. She lived at a hotel for Japanese women on Sutter Street in San Francisco. Several of the women told me similar stories about how the US Army had treated their families when they occupied Japan. These women had deep admiration for Americans.

       Right now, we are in the middle of a disaster. We must keep in mind the lessons learned from the end of World War II. Instead of hate and division, we need kindness and compassion. This is not a political matter or socialism. We need to:

1) Get people vaccinated.

2) Get people fed.

3) Get money in people's pockets by getting them back to work. There are roads, bridges, airports, and electronic infrastructure that need to be rebuilt.

       The list could go on. Give people hope and dignity. Then hate and violence will decline.