Oh VW.  Never Change...actually do change.

"CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever" (carsoffortlangley) 03/14/2019 at 12:07 • Filed to: None

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Chief Exec of Volkswagen stated “Ebit macht frei” at a company event on Tuesday. If you are not familiar with this phrase, it was the phrase on the gate at Auschwitz.

My only question is “WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT????” 

This might replace the “ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ” incident as my favorite VW fuck up.

Ash78, voting early and often > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:11

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Diess = nuts

/sincerely sorry, snoop

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:11

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I should bring this up when VW calls. 

lone_liberal > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:12

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CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 03/14/2019 at 12:13

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Zitronengesetze werden dich frei machen

Lemon laws will set you free

Ash78, voting early and often > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:14

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I have to say, making VW/Nazi jokes (and/or historical references) has been one of my favorite pastimes, but when they do stuff like this it really takes the fun out of it.

I’m also a fan of nerdy accounting/finance jokes, so I’m offended on two levels.

I’m also ~ 1/16 Jewish, so actually it’s 2.0625 levels

The Ghost of Oppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:16

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What a triumph of the will 

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > The Ghost of Oppo 03/14/2019 at 12:16

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“Here at VW, we believe that electric cars will be the Final Solution”

The Ghost of Oppo > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:18

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Also the new electric bus will have plenty of labensraum, I mean leg room 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:26

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“A rbeit” means work. EBIT means Earnings Before Interest and Taxes.

But yeah...

user314 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 12:54

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DipodomysDeserti > Ash78, voting early and often 03/14/2019 at 13:04

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“ I’m also ~1/16 Jewish, so actually it’s 2.0625 levels”

You have sixteen biological mothers? Didn’t your one Jewish mother know that Rabbeinu  Gershom put the kibosh on polygamy?

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 13:14

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ha!

and they say germans dont have a sense of humo r....:p

MUSASHI66 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 13:52

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Arbait macht frei was on auschwitz, not  ebit macht frei.

So, did he say arbait or ebit?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 03/14/2019 at 15:11

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Follow the link. Way t oo close for comfort.

MUSASHI66 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 03/14/2019 at 15:50

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Different phrase. No intent. Internet, as usual, is making a big deal out of something that isn’t a big deal. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 03/14/2019 at 15:59

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Eh... no intent? Can you really say “ [anything] macht frei” and not have the connection to those horrid gates? 

nermal > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 16:23

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When asked about the growing use of automation and robots in their factories eliminating jobs , his response was “THEY WILL NOT REPLACE US!”

MUSASHI66 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 03/14/2019 at 17:41

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Yes, easily. It means “ sets you free”.

Bible, John 8:32, ....and the truth will set you free.

R Kelly, Love sets you free.

Even the actual phrase you are referring to was in use for decades before nazzis took it over.

Dude was simply saying that financial security grants you freedom. And internet being internet, you included, took it for something that he didn’t mean, twisted it, and made him the bad guy. He never even used the word arbait (work). Are Germans to change their language and not use words that were partially used in phrases 70 years ago? Imagine if Germans couldn’t use seig to say victory because nazzis used to say seig heil.

Mountain out of a mole  hill, nothing else.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 03/14/2019 at 17:51

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If you say so, but I’d guess most Germans try not to use the words in that way, just like they probably avoid “[anything ] uber alles”. There’s always another way to state something, and as a CEO, he should know that perception is just as important as intent.

America First smacks of Deutschland Uber Alles . While there’s nothing inherently wrong with putting your own country highest on your priority list, the connotation is there, and should be avoided, if it can.

Plenty of native people used the swastika before Hitler co-opted it, too. It sucks that that symbol is ruined forever because of it’s connection with the Nazis, but here we are.   

MUSASHI66 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 03/14/2019 at 20:53

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As a foreigner from a socialist country, now living very happily in the  USA, my opinion is that if you think “America first” is offensive in any way, we probably shall never change each other’s opinion on this topic. 

wafflesnfalafel > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 03/14/2019 at 21:50

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Did he pause, smile and say “too soon?” afterwards?  :)

That whole situation is just crazy - honestly, I thought it was fake at first but it sounds like it actually happened. Is it possible he simply doesn’t realize the reference? Or is he actively inciting/dog whistle kind of situation?  I’m sure his staff and PR folks are like, “dude, are you insane?”

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MUSASHI66 03/15/2019 at 08:55

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I’m glad you like it here! I do hope we don’t make a sharp turn toward socialism, but there’s definitely the potential for that in the next few elections.