Yes, Making Holocaust Jokes In America Proves We Are Antisemitic
Start writing a post
Politics

Yes, Making Holocaust Jokes In America Proves We Are Antisemitic

World War II may have been fought and won, but this is still a concern.

337
Yes, Making Holocaust Jokes In America Proves We Are Antisemitic
Juliana Cosenza

It is 2017. Can we please stop making jokes about one of the most inhumane genocides within the past century? Because if it never was funny, it never will be funny.

There is nothing more insensitive to me than overhearing people "joke" about Hitler's treatment of Jews or any hardships experienced in a concentration camp. Even though my ancestors do not formally trace back to Holocaust victims or survivors, the thought of laughing about starvation or suicide attempts within a Nazi concentration camp is utterly perverse.

In July 2016, I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. I walked the same path that millions of victims did before facing their brutal fate; whenever I tripped because of the uneven layout of the ground, I felt a glooming sense of despair. I saw the toppled remains of the gas chambers, and I walked alongside the barbed wires which imprisoned those who failed to meet the standards of Adolf Hitler's "Aryan World".

(Please note, not everyone needs to visit a concentration camp to know its seriousness and damage to the oppressed, especially in the Jewish community. Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, along with many other Holocaust museums, is simply a part of my story and why I feel so deeply about the Holocaust's effects on society.)

Towards the back of the camp stands a memorial that attempts to pay homage to those who suffered on that dreary plot of empty land. The phrasing sounded very familiar.

"Never again." The global community cries in despair after any tragedy, "Never again will such an awful event occur." They are the same words said to me after hijackers crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. For months, the same blue skies I had enjoyed looking up at were clouded with smoke, and they reeked of ash.

"Never again", echoed my history teacher, as we concluded a graphic video depicting live-footage after American soldiers liberated the concentration camps in Europe in 1945. And while I'd love to believe these sorts of injustices will never occur, I'm afraid they are still occurring, and we are too ignorant to admit it.

It is 2017. Can we please stop making Holocaust jokes?There is nothing insensitive to me than overhearing people "joke" about Hitler's treatment of Jews or any hardships experienced in a concentration camp. Even though my ancestors do not trace back to Holocaust victims or survivors, the thought of laughing about starvation or suicide attempts within a concentration camp is not only immature but also really perverse. If you actually think anti-Semitism is funny, or if you are one of the few uneducated people who doubt if the Holocaust actually happened, I seriously recommend seeing a therapist of some sort.

Like I said, this is 2017. World War II may have been fought and won, but this is still a major concern. For one, Neo-Nazis do exist. Americans have proof of this based on their presence in the attacks most recently in Charlottesville, Virginia. So, why are we helping Neo-Nazis by adding cynical humor to their repulsive ideologies?

The next time you hear someone make a Hitler joke about anything other than his choice in facial hair, remember to speak up so that these injustices to the Jewish community and all those who were affected by the Holocaust can truly "Never [happen] again."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

59003
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

38102
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959595
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

196265
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments