weimar constitution

Article 76

 

The constitution may be amended by legislation.  Constitutional changes become valid only if at least two thirds of the members are present and at least two thirds of the present members vote in favour of the amendment.

Decisions of Reichsrat regarding a constitutional amendment also require a two-thirds majority.  If, requested by referendum petition, a constitutional amendment shall be decided by plebiscite, the majority of the enfranchised voters is required in order for the amendment to pass.

If Reichstag decided on a constitutional amendment against Reichsrat objection, the Reich president may not proclaim the amendment, if Reichsrat, within a period of two weeks, demands a plebiscite to be held.

 

The constitution of Germany can be changed by law.  The constitutional changes are only effective if two-thirds of the legal number of members is present and two-thirds of those present vote for the change to occur.  If there is a request for referendum petition, constitutional change will be decided upon by the electorate since a majority of qualified voters is required for the change to occur. 

 

The constitution is allowing the majority of the electorate to voice their opinion.  It does not provide for a few individuals to make decisions that may not be in favour of the majority.  I chose this passage because it shows that the voices of the people will be heard.  Too, it gives the populace the opportunity to have a say in the laws under which they are governed.

Article 109

All Germans are equal in front of the law.

In principle, men and women have the same rights and obligations.

 Legal privileges or disadvantages based on birth or social standing are to be abolished.

Noble titles form part of the name only; noble titles may not be granted any more.

Titles may only be granted, if they indicate an office or occupation; academic degrees are

not affected by this regulation.

The state may no more bestow orders and medals.

No German may accept titles or orders from a foreign government.

 

 

 

Under the law of Germany, everyone has equal rights.  Both men and women share the same rights as citizens of Germany.  There is no rank related to titles or birth.  Privileges are abolished.  Titles are bestowed if they are given by an office or occupation.  The state no longer confers orders and medals and no German are allowed to accept titles from foreign government.

I chose this passage because of the equality that is represented.  Everyone should have equal civil rights.  Under German law, it would mean that a female lawyer would earn the same wage as a male lawyer.  This would encourage each individual to work at his or best knowing that there is equal treatment for all.

luxemburg

Out of all this bloody confusion, this yawning abyss, there is no help, no escape, no rescue other than socialism. Only the revolution of the world proletariat can bring order into this chaos, can bring work and bread for all, can end the recipro-cal slaughter of the peoples, can restore peace, freedom, true culture to this martyred humanity. Down with the wage system! That is the slogan of the hour! Instead of wage labor and class rule there must be collective labor. The means of production must cease to be the monopoly of a single class; they must become the common property of all. No more exploiters and exploited! Planned production and distribution of the product in the common interest. Abolition not only of the contemporary mode of production, mere exploitation and robbery, but equally of contemporary commerce, mere fraud.

　
Uncertainty and darkness exist. Socialism seems to be the way out. Changes can be brought about by the working class. The working class will create employment and economic change for everyone and restore stability. Production should not be controlled by one producer or single class. Production and distribution must be in the interest of the people. There must be an end to fraud.

Uncertainties exist in every political system since man has the inability to solve each person’s problems. One man’s problem may be solved but another man might be dissatisfied with what is done. A case in point is Grenada. The people were disgruntled with the governance at the time in 1979. There was a political coup and socialist ideology was brought in. The people were told that they would have a say in the governance of the country but in 1983, there was another bloody coup. The desire of the masses was swept under the rug. Uncertainties before and now.

movie

From the opening scene, as I looked at the play, I see the problems parents have with the supervision of their children. The play started with some children playing an elimination game in a yard. One of the parents did not like the song since it was about children being murdered by a ‘nasty black man’. One parent brushed off the fear of the concerned parent. Elsie later went missing and was killed by a man who gave her candies and a balloon.

I liked the scene because it was the opposite of the way in which children were raised in the West Indies. Rarely would parents find themselves doing all the house chores while children played. There was a time for everything. Elsie’s mother did not seem to have any time for herself but wash clothing, prepared meals and keep house. The children played and continued chanting the song. Parents therefore need to be more protective of their children especially when there is evidence of child endangerment. I can see that many of the women stayed at home without the presence of a father figure in the home. Today, this is one of the biggest problems facing families. If the father was at home, he could have gone out to look for Elsie and most likely find her at the candy stand. The scene has deepened my appreciation of the way in which I was raised.

A national prohibition, Paragraph 175, was added to the Reich Penal Code in 1871. It read:¹

 

"An unnatural sex act committed between persons of male sex or by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights might also be imposed."

When the Nazi's came to power in 1933, they put a halt to efforts seeking reform of this law. In 1935, after the murder of Ernst Roem, the NSDAP amended the Paragraph 175 to close what were seen as loopholes in the current law.

The new law had three parts:

Paragraph 175:

"A male who commits a sex offense with another male or allows himself to be used by another male for a sex offense shall be punished with imprisonment. Where a party was not yet twenty-one years of age at the time of the act, the court may in especially minor cases refrain from punishment."

Paragraph 175a:

"Penal servitude up to 10 years or, where there are mitigating circumstances, imprisonment of not less than three months shall apply to: (1) a male who, with violence or the threat of violence to body and soul or life, compels another male to commit a sex offense with him or to allow himself to be abused for a sex offense; (2) a male who, by abusing a relationship of dependence based upon service, employment or subordination, induces another male to commit a sex offense with him or to allow himself to be abused for a sex offense; (3) a male over 21 years of age who seduces a male person under twenty-one years to commit a sex offense with him or to allow himself to be abused for a sex offense; (4) a male who publicly commits a sex offense with males or allows himself to be abused by males for a sex offense or offers himself for the same."

Paragraph 175b:

"An unnatural sex act committed by humans with animals is punishable by imprisonment; the loss of civil rights might also be imposed."

 

 

 

This relates to this class because back then in Germany, peole didn't have the freedom to choose their sexuality. It was against the law and anyone whomdid such practices would be punished. Men could not express their sexuality the way they wanted to.

carabet No Time

No time, no time, no time.
Yes, we have no time.
Sorry, but we're always on the go,
with tongues hanging out as we run.
We have no spare time.
No time, no time, no time,
no hours nor even a second to spare.
We hardly sleep, we don’t rest.
No time, no time, no time.

Nowadays, a person doesn't have a second to spare.
Yet many even think the pace is too slow.
If you do business today, you go bankrupt before you have even started.
People don't want to waste time with the beginning,
they'd rather skip straight to the end.
In this day and age, you fall in love in the evening, are engaged at night,
and get married the next morning.
At noon you have a fight; by night you're divorced.
In negotiations between countries, before a treaty is evened signed,
it's already broken.
Because nowadays it is considered chic to be quick.

 

Time is of the utmost importance. As it was stated, everyone is always on the go. I chose this quote because it reminds me of living here in New York. No one seems to have a second to spare. At times it feels like there is not 24 hours in a day. Because time is so little, we tend not to wast any of it. As a result, everything we do, we all tend to have time in our heads.

caranet It's all a swindle

Politicians
are magicians
who make swindles disappear
The bribes they are taking
the deals they are making
never reach the public's ear
The left betrays, the right dismays
the country's broke and guess who pays
But tax each swindle in the making
profits will be record breaking
Everyone swindles some
so vote for who will steal for you

Bürger schwindelt,
Staatsmann schwindelt,
Schwindel, was die Zeitung schreibt,
Moral und Sitte,
rechts, links und Mitte!
Ehrlich ist, was übrig bleibt!
Alles sucht sich zu betrügen,
na, sonst mübt’ich wirklich lügen!
Bins, das kann ich glatt beteuern:
Könnt’ den Schwindel man besteuern,
hätt’ der Staat nicht Sorgen mehr,
denn dann wär’ er Millionär!
Alles Schwindel, alles Schwindel, usw.
 
I chose this part of the carabet because it is so true and it happens even today in politics. Basically, this meant that the people were not able to trust the government. Politicians were not being truthful in their actions. Everything was done out of selfish gain.