I don't think it's neccecary to get violent on Eliezer here but I would
like to make a point that the holocaust was not the first, not the last act
of genocide that was perpetrated on our little planet. Just the best
organized and documented one.
A small selection of human achievement:
It has already correctly been stated (IMHO) that Julius Ceasar murdered
something like 2 million Gauls when during the 'Bello Galico' (the
conquering of the aerea now known as France). Of course we will never know
the exact number.
Ceasar is still revered today by some people as a great leader and
strategist, quiting him to make a point (Si vis Pacem, para bellum - If you
want peace, be ready for war) is being dome on a regular basis.
Ghengis Khan murdered about 40% of the global population of his time, in
central Asian coutry's he still has almost divine status, people name their
children after him and such.
During the religious 30-year war in what is now Germany about half the
peasant popuation was murdered by the warring upper classes in the name of
God.
Stalin not only allowed the russian army to be crushed by Hitler, wich
killed about 20 million Russians. After the war he killed a further 20
million that opposed him politically (or that he thought opposed him). For
this he used some of the logistical experience that was aquired in Auswitz.
Communist China has, since 1949, killed millions of its populace. Estimates
range from 50 to more than 100 million (and none of these seem very
unreasonable)
Pol Pot did something similar in Cambodia, about 40% of the population was
killed during 'pollitical re-education'
After the Gulf War, the west (having secured their oil-supply) allowed the
killing of an untold number of Kurds in northern Iraq.
More recently, and for me closer to home, 250.000 people were killed
(mostly civilians) in the former Yugoslavia (a lot in concentrationcamps).
Europe (and the world) sat on their hands and did nothing for several
years. It finally took American guns and decisivness to end all this.
Repairing the damage done will take several generations. Meanwhile the ones
responsible for all this are stil in power.
Not long after that the UN did nothing to stop the planned genocide on
about 500.000 Africans in Rwanda altough they had received warnings more
than a year in advance from their own personell stationed there. The
initiateers of this violence have never been caught (nobody has tried).
What's next?
Having seen what a civilan war and western indifferce can do to people with
my own eyes I am strengtened in my belief that the only way to prevent this
sort of thing happaning again and again is to 'be your bothers keeper'.
If we do not fundamentally care for all our fellow humans nothing will
change. Technology does not help here. We must actively care or accept
large scale murder on a regular basis.
But don't take my word for it, visit Chad, Somalia, Nigeria, Afghanistan,
Cambodia, Ceylon, Birma and see for yourself (be sure to take a
bullet-proof vest though).
I firmly believe we *can* make a difference, and that we will.
It will take directed effort and caring but I can tell you from personall
experience that actually making a small differce for the better in matters
like these will be the most profoundly satisfying experience any human can
have.
Let's do it!
Arjen Kamphuis
mountain@knoware.nl
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
_/ _/
_/ When they came for the jews, _/
_/ I did nothing, because I am not a jew. _/
_/ When they came for the homosexuals, _/
_/ I did nothing, because I am not a homosexual. _/
_/ When they came for the gypsies, _/
_/ I did nothing, because I am not a gypsy. _/
_/ Finally... _/
_/ When they came for me, _/
_/ there was no-one left to do anything. _/
_/ _/
_/ Lutheran priest _/
_/ Survivor of Auswitz, 1945 _/
_/ _/
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/