Last night I was privileged to attend a presentation by Dr. Chuck Barbera, the CEO and Executive Director of Reading Hospital. It was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks County, and was about Chuck’s participation in the Auschwitz Summer Academy, and week-long immersion into the history of the Holocaust. I will admit that it was, at times, extremely difficult to listen to the presentation; not because it wasn’t amazing (it was), but because it was a harsh reminder that humanity’s goodness is also countered by extreme evil. I was one of the few non-Jews in the room, and if I was triggered, I can only imagine what was going on in the hearts and minds and memories of those who are Jewish. They handled it well.
One of the things that stuck out to me was when Chuck said that he was told by the leaders of the experience that most Germans and Poles and Austrians did nothing in the face of the growing evil around them. There were, for sure, those who did, and they paid the ultimate price. But for most, he was told, there almost seemed to be a resigned acceptance that those who were being persecuted somehow deserved their fate. There was little pushback or protest, even in the beginning. I was told (by my anti-Semitic father and others) that the German people were not to blame; that they were caught up in something they could not control. While that seems true in some cases, it may not have been the rule.
Which is why we, in this amazing country, are pushing back. Most of those present last night could see some of the similarities between what happened in Germany in the 1930’s and 40’s and what is happening in America now. Many of the same groups are under attack – immigrants, LGBTQ people, non-Christians – and the process underway is very similar. The words of explanation – the ICE uniforms – the reasoning – all very similar. We are being told to go along with the government – we are being told to not interfere – we are being told that protest is wrong. And we are responding by saying, “H*ll No!” As flawed as we are as a nation, one thing we understand as a foundational American value is human rights. Pushing back against growing tyranny is an American value – allowing demagoguery is not. We have the right to peaceful protest, and gun owners have been reminding us for decades why the 2nd Amendment was included. Keep gathering – keep protecting the innocent – keep pushing back. That’s what patriots do.
Prayer – Holy God, help us to speak truth to power as we protest peacefully for equality and safety for all. Amen.
Today’s art is “Democracy and Tyranny” (1917) by William Rothenstein.