Kohl and Violence

How can Chancellor Helmut Kohl, in all good faith, claim that Germany will defend its democracy from the extremists when in reality Germany has no real democracy? This is evident by how the government is responding to stop a handful of right-wing extremists, who are mostly young drunks and thugs (Nov. 30). A true democratic government does not panic into a state of hysteria by outlawing a political group or party it finds offensive, break into homes without search warrants and confiscate property it finds objectionable, stop and search trains and cars, and, most important, a true democratic government does not ban ownership of a certain book even if that book is “Mein Kampf.”

Throughout Germany’s history, its citizens have been living under some sort of dictatorial rule. Nothing has changed; the German people still live in a despotic state.

MANFRED H. DIESTMANN

Pasadena