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A GERMAN STATE minister sparked a social media storm today after calling a beloved German pop singer a “wonderful Negro” during a TV debate on Europe’s refugee crisis.
The Twitter hashtag #Neger (Negro) topped trending topics in Germany this morning after Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann used the term for Roberto Blanco, who is of Afro-Cuban origin.
“Roberto Blanco was always a wonderful Negro, who most Germans thought was wonderful,” Herrmann had said on a TV talk show yesterday evening on public broadcaster ZDF.
Continuing on the topic of immigrant “success stories” in Germany, he added that football powerhouse Bayern Munich also has many star players “with black skin”.
The debate centred on Blanco — a household name whose career as a singer peaked in the late 1960s and 70s — comes as Europe faces its biggest refugee influx since World War II, with Germany the top destination.
On social media, people poured outrage and scorn on the comment from the minister of the conservative southern state of Bavaria.
Twitter user @Herzistvoll wrote: “A ‘Negro’ is only wonderful when he amuses white people with singing, dancing and football”.
User @TheGoodOldGamer commented that Herrmann “also has nothing against #Negroes who do the housework and work in the fields”.
Another Twitter user wrote that “whether Joachim Herrmann also finds #Obama wonderful remains unclear”.
An online comment from Berlin daily Tagesspiegel sneered that “little Joachim would like to be picked up from the 1950s”.
Herrmann on Monday morning was back on the airwaves to justify his comment, saying he had replied to a caller who had first used the term by saying he “did not want to have Negroes at all”.
The minister said this comment was “completely unacceptable”, adding that “I usually don’t use the word Negro at all”.
Blanco (78) reacted magnanimously to the controversy, saying he wasn’t offended, but suggested the minister should have used a different term.
“I can’t imagine that he spoke with hostile intent,” Blanco told news portal Focus Online.
“It would have been smarter however if he hadn’t used the word ‘Negro’ but ‘coloured person’.”
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When I “ran away” as a young fella, it was just down the fields at that back of the house!
Me too – always managed to see a way of forgiving the parents just as the spuds were coming ready too… :-)
@ Ted.. Ha! Ha! Me too!!
I got the bus
Ha some adventure.
He ran away in style :)
Not a bad car to be running away in. Why do we call it running away when he drove.
One hell of a road trip for a 13 year old. Musta been well pissed with the parentals.
His parents sound like right stinge-bags – “they confiscated his mobile phone as a punishment for topping up its credit without their consent”, especially as they a merc so clearly aren’t stuck for a bit of cash. Can’t blame him for wanting to get away.
Maybe they were trying to instil financial responsibility in him? You can be rich and responsible.
He was only topping up his phone ! I wish my kids would top up their own phones
Im guessing you dont have children michael? I would want to know exactly what my child was spending on their phone and what they were using it for, especially now that they all have net access..and as for the car..a merc doesnt mean they are automatically loaded..you can buy a 5 yr old merc for less than a passat or avensis..I just bought one! ;)
My mate bought a Merc for 2000 euro the other day and then on the same day he topped up his phone with 20 euro, sure he is as loaded as this Italian family i would say.
Evidently they did not want to “spoil” the child and Mercedes-Benz are so much cheaper in Europe…
Jimmy’ll have it
Christ I hate the common preconception that if you drive a nice car you’re loaded. Get real
Now that has to made into a movie! Kids a genius!
His name isn’t Ferris Bueller is it?
I feel sorry for him :/
Next time, sell the Merc and get a plane ticket
So close yet so far! Hope this kid gets to see his sister! But he’ll be probably grounded for eternity instead!
Poor child he’s obviously not happy and is missing his sister, they sound not to nice fir gods sake he was only topping up his phone hardly a crime now, hope the social workers look into this case he doesn’t seem very happy anyway !
That’s their own fault for teaching a kid how to drive.
Am sure there are a lot of underlying issues behind this. The main thing is the young person is safe but his unhappiness needs to be addressed. May just be teen angst though. He’s adopted now so social workers will be afforded very little influence over parenting.
I like the way the journal says Mercedes… As if it would not have been news worthy had he stolen a Fiat Punto *chuckles*
No one steals Puntos.. I hope. I love mine!
It’s much better to have an accident in an S-class than a punto!
He could of bought his own punto with his €200. Less trouble from his parents.
That Kid sure has some Drive in him.
Seriously though, it must have been an extremely worrying time for his Parents.
Who knows what the outcome could have been for all concerned.
Usually they travel in the opposite direction ..
And are driving large BMWs…
Well at least he drove s merc.
‘Drives across Europe’
I drove from Spain. To Portugal last week
I drove across Europe
Are you 13 too?
The picture is shutterstock ! Kid prob had a Fiat & credit was a major financial issue. Eitherway each to their own parental style.
Still class though! What would if happened had he got into Poland? Ha ha crazy kid hope my 8yo doesn’t get any ideas !!
I “ran away” once. I hid in an evergreen tree in the back garden for a few hours and eventually returned home because i was hungry.The mother didn’t even notice…
Jesus! He got quite far.
Some story to tell his grandkids in years to come…..
There isn’t necessarily anything more sinister going on here besides a 13 year old who didn’t listen to his parents and was therefore punished for it. Does no one else remember being an over dramatic teenager? We were all miserable! I’m sure I would have taken the car to run away at 13 if my dad didn’t keep them in his pocket.
“Driving along in my automobile”… very inappropriate photo heading for a runaway story.
Lieutenant kill the craic, more like!
Major Buzzkill!
Maybe it just me but if a foreign news site put in place a headline designed to be amusing when my child had run away and put his and other people’s lives at risk I would take it fairly seriously.
Mario Balotelli.
i can’t believe the Mercedes made it that far!!!
Why?
We’ve all done it.
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