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Europe
Unemployed German Man Stirs Debate
2006-12-17
Classic Socialist Nanny-State story.
Henrico Frank went from being just another of Germany's 4 million unemployed people to a media celebrity overnight. All it took was a haircut and a shave.

Now, Frank may even have landed himself a steady job, thanks to an unexpected run-in this week with a politician in central Germany.

Beck, Capitalist Pig
Frank's luck began to change on Tuesday, when he was cruising through a Christmas market in the city of Wiesbaden, wearing grubby clothes, a pair of nose rings and a thatch of partially bleached, punk-inspired hair. The 37-year-old, who has been without work for six years, chanced upon Kurt Beck, chairman of the Social Democrats - the center-left half of Chancellor Angela Merkel's federal coalition.
Six YEARS.
Gee. Golly. Shucks. Y'think the nose rings and the partially bleached, punk-inspired hair mighta had something to do with it?
Beck was a perfect target for Frank's frustration, and he harangued the politician for what he saw as the failure of economic reforms aimed at lifting people like himself - a construction worker - out of unemployment and into a better life.

Beck's retort? 'If you would just wash and shave, you'd find a job, too.'
"And maybe you want to do something about that tatoo on your neck."
Two days later, Frank lopped off his locks, shaved his dark beard and removed his nose rings. Then he organized a news conference. 'I am ready to change,' Frank told reporters, saying he was fed up with living off handouts from the unemployment office. 'I'll take any job.'

Frank instantly became the talk of German media, with one newspaper splashing his before-and-after photos on its front page Friday.
Slow news day. Like every other day in Socialist Europe.
And his makeover seems to have worked. Beck plans to present Frank with several job offers next week from construction, house painting and cleaning companies.
Lol.
"Okay, biatch, now work for your daily bread."
"But you have a beard!"
"Yeah, but I don't look like a scum-sucking punk bitch crybaby."
Frank's story has prompted serious debate and soul searching about whether German leaders are focusing enough on reining in chronic unemployment in Europe's biggest economy. Last month, unemployment slipped to 9.6 percent in Germany, the first time in four years it was less than 10 percent. But nearly 4 million Germans remain without work.
How many have nose rings?
How many have stayed in the university until they're 35, getting degree after degree and refusing to take work that's 'beneath them' because, after all, they're so educated?
Beck was accused by some of attempting to shift responsibility for the country's jobless rate from the government to the unemployed. One Green Party member, Thea Dueckert, told the Die Welt newspaper that Beck was stigmatizing the jobless. 'With 4 million unemployed, you cannot seriously claim that the people themselves bear guilt for their destiny,' she said.
"And where's my fucking pony, Capitalist Pig??!!"
"Pony? And you want us to stable it, too, of course..."
Another Clash of Civilizations, this one Euro-style... A small minority looking forward, the vast masses in reverse.
Posted by:.com

#9  One of my favorite web sites, "Observing Herman" has a great send-up on this story (links include before/after photo of the unemployed guy). Good snark.

Excerpt

The three weeks aren’t even up yet and now it looks as if the poor devil will actually have to go back to work. Politically correct-minded individuals everywhere were thoroughly shocked and dismayed at Beck’s “elitist and highly naïve” suggestion and are now calling for more effective legislation against such horrid compulsory labor methods as these.
Posted by: mrp   2006-12-17 18:26  

#8  A Commodore Frank he is not.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2006-12-17 14:59  

#7  stigmatizing the jobless

In other words, badmouthing our best constituents. If they weren't jobless, they wouldn't vote lefty...
Posted by: gromky   2006-12-17 12:35  

#6  Beck was accused by some of attempting to shift responsibility for the country's jobless rate from the government to the unemployed. One Green Party member, Thea Dueckert, told the Die Welt newspaper that Beck was stigmatizing the jobless.

No future in the American Democratic Party for Kurt Beck. He might as well stay in Germany.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-12-17 10:22  

#5  Beck was accused by some of attempting to shift responsibility for the country's jobless rate from the government to the unemployed.

Where it rightly belongs, otherwise a shave, wash and a haircut later he'd still be unemployed.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-12-17 10:19  

#4  wearing grubby clothes, a pair of nose rings and a thatch of partially bleached, punk-inspired hair. The 37-year-old, who has been without work for six years,

Gee, I wonder why he didn't get hired? (Sarc)
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-12-17 10:15  

#3  Note: He is NOT a member of the AOF
Posted by: Frank G   2006-12-17 08:29  

#2  And his makeover seems to have worked. Beck plans to present Frank with several job offers next week from construction, house painting and cleaning companies.

Henrico: But wait I don't speak Spanish Turkish.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2006-12-17 07:57  

#1  It is not so hard to for someone to change their outside appearance. What will really count is what they have on the inside, for example, the discipline to show up to work everyday and make themselves useful to an employer.
Posted by: Dan Canaveral   2006-12-17 07:52  

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