To this day, people find the concept and magnitude of the wholesale murder of people by the German Nazi regime, almost incomprehensible. Many laymen wonder how such a crime could have been undertaken in a modern European nation. The fact that the mass murders did happen is the point of today’s commemoration of International Holocaust Rememberance Day. This date was selected because January 27, 1945 is when the Soviets liberated the largest death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Today, we remember the victims of genocide that obliterated approximately 6,000,000 Jews, around 2,000,000 Roma and Sinti (gypsies), over 15,000 homosexual people, and thousands of other persons judged as “undesireable” by leaders of the government.
Individuals and human rights organizations have honored the plight of the Holocaust survivors and the dead. There have been many educational programs designed to help us prevent future genocides. There is concern that denial and forgetfulness of the Holocaust and other atrocities could enable more horrors in the world’s future.
Whenever you read or hear about somebody condemning a particular religion, race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender or personal trait, I hope you remember the Holocaust for even a few moments. The blanket condemnations that we encounter each day or unconsciously repeat to ourselves and others are the seeds of harm and sometimes death to other people.
There are times when we might hear somebody expressing how much they hate a certain group of people. Maybe they say that the world would be a better place without those kinds of people existing. Those times are when you must consider whether or not to keep silent about intolerant speech and actions.
All of us have thought and possibly said intolerant things at one time or another. It’s easy to believe such things about our fellow humans. When reading or listening to the news, you might encounter the trap of thinking negatively about other groups of people of one type or another. Do you remember how much better you felt when you let go of a narrow viewpoint?
To promote acceptance, compassion and to aid to social scapegoats and out-groups is one way to help prevent another instance of mass mayhem and murder. There are advocates of elimination and “corrective action” in every nation on earth today. Bigotry, fear, dogmatic, black vs. white views and other negativity remain chronic threats to humanity today.
This is why we must honor the victims of The Holocaust now and in the years to come.
The Blue Jay of Happiness hopes all peoples will enjoy the protection and full human rights that are everybody’s birthright.