Why Did So Many Just Comply?

In looking at the horrific events that accompany genocide, especially during the Holocaust in Nazi, Germany, one cannot help but ask why so many people offered so little resistence to the relocatons and forced arrests.  How is it that so many people allowed themselves to be taken to the death camps?  Why did people allow themselves to be “registered”? Why was there no fighting back?  Once people knew what was occuring, why was their so little resistence on the part of the victims? How did the power the state had become psychologically so debilitating?

There are no easy answers to these questions.  There are theories.  Perhaps awareness of the whys is part of understanding the possible prevention of genocide in the future.

Peace….

Tibet-China-Dali Llama-Offending the powerful and strategically important.

I heard this morning that the Dali Llama will be in Washington D.C. soon.  He is to meet with President Bush.  He is to receive a Congression Medal.  Chian is complaining that giving the Dali Llama this recognition legitimizes a man they see as a seperatist leader, trying to take-over what the Chinese claim as their sovereign territory.   Bush seems willing to offend the Chinese government.  They are a powerful and important adversary in the global economic and political situation in the world.  Bush is cautionary about offending the Turkish government by claiming the Aremenian genocide as genocide.

Interesting isn’t it?  Whom to offend and whom to placate, apparently is the question.

David

Turkey-Genocide-Kurdish Rebel Terrorist-Will Turkey invade?

Congress has passed the resolution.  Turkey still denies genocide.  Turkey passes authority to invade Northern Iraq to quell the activities of Turkish Kurds operating in Kurdish Northern Iraq.  The US does not want Turky to invade and open another front of the war.  Turkey feels the US in not doing enough to stop terrorist incursion into Turkish territory.

Interesting is it not?  Is there a conection between the timing of these resolutions?

David

Ten Ways to Fight Hate–in detail

The following post will add more details to the ten ways to fight hate presented by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Visit http://www.tolerance.org/10_ways/ to down load a flyer of the ten ways to fight hate.

1 ACT:

Do something. In the face of hatred, apathy will be interpreted as acceptance–by the perpetratoprs, the public, and, worse, the victims. Decent people must take action; if we don’t, hate persists.

2 UNITE:

Call a friend or co-worker. Organize allies from churches, schools, clubs, and other civic groups. Create a diverse coalition. Include children, police, and the media. Gather ideas from everyone, and get everyone involved.

3 SUPPORT THE VICTIMS:

Hate crime victims are especially vulnerable, fearful, and alone. If you are a victim, report every incident–in detail–and ask for help. If you learn about a hate crime victim in your community, show support. Let victims know you care. Surround them with comfort and protection.

4 DO YOUR HOMEWORK:

An informed campaign improves its effectiveness. Determine if a hate group is involved, and research its symbols and agenda. Understand the difference betweeb a hate crime and a bias incident.

5 CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE:

Do not attend a hate rally. Find another outlet for anger and frustration and for people’s desore to do something. Hold a unity rally or parade to draw media attention away from hate.

6 SPEAK UP

Hate must be exposed and denounced. Help news organizations acheive balance and depth. Do not debate hate-group members in conflict-driven forums. Instead, speak up in ways that draw attention away from hate, toward unity.

7 LOBBY LEADERS

Elected officials and other community leaders can be important allies in the fight against hate.  But some must overcome reluctance–and others their own biases–before they are able to take a stand.

8 LOOK LONG RANGE

Promote and address bias befire another hate crime can occur. Expand your commuity’s comfort zones so you can learn and live together.

9 TEACH TOLERANCE

Bias is learned early, ususally at home. Schools can offer lessons of tolerance and acceptance.  Sponsor an “I Have a Dream” contest. Reach out to young people who may be susceptible to hate-group propaganda and prejudice.

10 DIG DEEPER

Look inside yourself for prejudices and sterotypes.  Build your own cultural competences, then keep working to expose discrimination wherever it happens–in housing, employment, education, and more.

Armenian Genocide?

The discussion in Congress over defining what occurred in Turkey under the Ottoman Empire between 1915-1923 to the Armenian population in Asia Minor is very interesting.  It speaks to the difficulty in defining genocide.  It speaks to the difficulty in differentiating between “ethnic cleansing” and genocide.  It speaks of the difficulty is determining what happened as a result of war, civil war, and domestic unrest.  It also, sadly perhaps, speaks to the difficulty in separating nation self-interest on the part of other nations when deciding if another nation has committed genocide.

Let’s follow this debate.

David

Ten Ways to Fight Hate

The following is a brief summary of steps we can each take to fight hate. This is excerpted from material presented by The Southern Poverty Law Center. The basic explanation of the steps is prefaced by these facts:

Somewhere in America:

Every hour someone commits a hate crime.

Every day at least eight blacks, four gays or lesbians, two Jews, two whites, and one Latino become hate crime victims

Every week a cross is burned.

The ten steps to prevent hate can be summarized as the following:

1. Act 6. Speak up
2. Unite 7. Lobby Leaders

3. Support the victims 8. Look Long Range

4. Do your homework 9. Teach Tolerance

5.Create an Alternative 10. Dig Deeper.

Peace…..

Freedom of the Press in America: A danger?

In his essay, “Ethnic Cleansing”, Paul Mozes discusses the rhetorical differences between what has been called genocide and what is being called “ethnic cleansing”.  He discusses various removals of populations and asks if such events meet the criteria for genocide. For example, he asks if the treatment of Native Americans by White Europeans when they came to America was cleansing or genocide.

He concludes that it is a matter of perspective and severity.  He concludes that it is a matter of how each particular event is viewed by the world.  He also concludes that prevention of either ethnic cleansng or genocide lies in the following preventative measure: “A conscious effort of preventing demagouges from coming to power and manipulating is the best solution…” (page 55; When Will Genocide End?)

He then discuses the importance of allowing diverse ethnic groups living together in a society must find opportunity through  govermental, civic, and religious groups to get t0 know each other, to deal openly with mutual grievences, and to watch their language in relationship to one another.  he then makes a radical statement:

The American principal of unlimited freedom of  speech and press, including hate speech, is frankly dangerous. (page 55; When Will Genocide End?)

These words are very compelling and interesting in these days where first admendment rights are being constantly questioned.  Mozes believes that demogogic language is volitile and can lead to great damge and is almost always the prelude to genocide.

As Americans, do we need to look at how freedom of speech and press is being upheld and abused and make choices about this essential guaranteed right….?