For millennia, the Jewish people have endured periods of persecution. After World War II, people discovered the horrors that Adolph Hitler inflicted on the Jewish people in Nazi Germany. The world vowed that “never again” would such a tragedy happen. However, recent events have indicated that Anti-Semitism is on the rise. If we do not learn from our history, there is a chance that we will end up repeating it.
“Go Back To Auschwitz”
Israel made the news recently when soldiers from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) boarded the “Peace Flotilla”. These “peaceful” activists hit the boarding soldiers with metal pipes and chairs, which can be clearly seen in video footage. Many in the media labeled the IDF as the aggressors, as they later killed some of the flotilla passengers. Prior to boarding, Israelis contacted one of the ships, the Mavi Marmara, warning them that they were entering an area that was under naval blockade. Two responses that were heard on the tape of the exchange were “don’t forget 9/11” and “shut up, go back to Auschwitz.” Clearly, these people have no love for the Jewish people.
Helen Thomas
Helen Thomas, who has sat in the front row at White House press conferences, recently retired, after issuing a statement against the Jewish people. She said that the Israeli people should “get the hell out of Palestine,” ignoring the fact that the land that Israel is currently on was British-occupied land before the state of Israel was created. After spending six decades as a journalist, she should have known better. When asked where the Israelis should go, she said that they should go home to “Poland, Germany, and America, and everywhere else?” Someone who is 89 years old should realize why the Jews left Germany and Poland in the first place. During this period of economic turmoil, a massive Jewish migration to Germany and Poland would certainly be unwelcome.
David Horowitz at UCSD
During a recent appearance at the University of California San Diego, an Islamic student asked the Jewish David Horowitz a question. She suggested that Horowitz come to some of the events during “Hitler Youth Week,” which is hosted annually by the Moslem Student Association (MSA). She wanted Horowitz to clarify the connection between the MSA and jihadist terrorist networks. Before he would answer her question, he asked if she would condemn Hamas. She was unable to condemn Hamas, although she wouldn’t publicly announce her support for Hamas, because she didn’t want to be arrested. He rephrased his question, asking her if she was for or against the head of Hezbollah’s statement that he hopes that the Jews would “gather in Israel so he doesn’t have to hunt [the Jewish people] down globally.” Her response was “for it.”
Jewish People Anxious
Jewish people are understandably anxious about the change in attitudes that have been occurring over the last several years. The Anti-Defamation League conducted a survey of five European countries in 1998 that revealed that many people currently harbor Nazi viewpoints, such as believing that “Jews probably have too much control of international finance” or that “Jews are more loyal to Israel than the country in which they live.” While Anti-Semitic attitudes will not necessarily lead to a second Holocaust, the world is entering dangerous territory; we need to watch and do what we can to make sure that it does not happen again.
Sources:
Calderone, Michael. “Rabbi Releases Full Video that Ended Helen Thomas’ Career.” Yahoo News, 8 June 2010.
“David Horowitz at UCSD 5/10/2010.” YouTube.com.
Hurd, Dale. “Anti-Semitism on the Rise in Europe.” CBN News, 23 March, 2009.
Martin, Iain. “‘Peace Flotilla’ Passengers Told Israelis: ‘Go Back to Auschwitz, Remember 9/11.” Wall Street Journal, 5 June 2010.
