What makes the Holocaust more important than other tragedies, or is it?

February 3, 2009 · Posted in Politics, Rant, Religion, Social Issues, Society, The World, Things to think about · 1 Comment 

pope-benedict-xviSeriously?  Today and throughout the month of January several papers across the globe carried a story about the growing number of organizations who are denouncing Pope Benedict XVI for lifting the excommunications on four bishops of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X, including the English Old Wykehamist Bishop Richard Williamson.  The problem revolves around the Society of St. Pius X stand that the Holocaust was exaggerated, or potentially simply did not happen.  My view/question, is why only denounce the Pope for this reason, and not the many other ignorance’s the Catholic Church supports? Additionally, I ask why stop at the Catholic Church? Governments, societies, social groups and world leaders ignore, deny or plead ignorance on numerous atrocities everyday, so why do we let them off the hook.  It seems at times unless these groups and leaders disparage the Holocaust when speaking of atrocities or ignoring atrocities we let them slide, or at a minimum the stories slide to the back page of the paper.  There are many issues in history and many issues taking place today that must be addressed, and any leader who refuses to discuss them daily or at least several times a week should be held under the spotlight with the same vigor as a Holocaust denier.

I will be the first to admit (on this blog anyway) the Holocaust was an atrocity committed against mankind, not just the Jews, but mankind.  It represents the worst in people. It represents how evil can exist in society when we use terms that divide us as a single “unit of people” on this earth.  However, it is but one example of this type of travesty, and I am not at all certain why other events in history, and for that matter current day are not receiving the same type of publicity and public outcry.

What makes the Holocaust more important than other significant events that have taken place over the last 200 years, or perhaps I should say, is it? For example, Native Americans being forced off their land, forced into captivity on strange land no one wanted and slaughtered by the tens of thousands, if not millions?  Or Africans being bought and sold to work as slaves, families ripped apart and social torture for several hundred years? Russia slaughtering millions of its own citizens in order to enforce one socialist rule?  These are just a handful of events that are seemingly equal in horror or exceed the level of horror in scale, yet we rarely hear about these events in the local or national media.

Let me stress I am not downplaying the Holocaust, but rather wondering why atrocities against mankind that are currently happening in the world are not attacked with the same type of vigor and hate that this one issue is?

Are the atrocities in Russia swept under the rug around the world, because Russia itself is not speaking of the events, and therefore its citizens are forced to be quite?  Have Native Americans been reduced in number and bread cross-culturally to such an extent that the numbers simply are not there to keep it “on the record”, and in the hearts and minds of the media?

Obviously, I am not answering any of these questions, not because I do not want to, but rather I simply do not have the answers.  I understand there is genocide taking place in Africa today, and it has been ongoing on that continent for decades.  I understand there are millions starving around the globe, and most people do nothing about it.  I believe I know that in the Middle East there is a growing hatred for the west, and religion separates entirely too many people in this world.  But what I do not know is how to solve these issues or how to educate us as a people on these issues without discussing our concerns and questions with friends, family and people who are experts on the subjects, and that is what I am attempting to do with this article.

Please feel free to respond and educate our readership on any of these issues, or for that matter any other issues you would like to discuss.  I would like to see this topic blossom into a string of subjects with the primary goal of spreading knowledge in an open and honest manner.  This is not a vehicle for spreading hate, or attacking atrocities.  It is simply a place to ask questions, some even uncomfortable in nature, and have others discuss them fairly and honestly all with the goal of educating and potentially answering some of the bigger questions about mankind.

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