A nation must think before it acts.
The youth rebellion of 1968 cast a long shadow on European-American relations. Especially in Germany, the now-graying Achtundsechziger (’68ers) and their apprentices run many of the same institutions their movement dramatically changed: the Social Democrat and Green parties, trade unions, the media, schools and universities, and the state-related Protestant churches. They have severely wounded Europe’s Christian culture. As the German neologism for this state of affairs, Die Kirche wurde leergepredigt, puts it, the leftwing pastors and bishops have ‘‘preached the Church empty.’’ It took a long time, but by now the ’68ers have turned public opinion against the United States—ironically, the source of many of their ideas.