The Holocaust happened about 70 years ago. As a country we are still dealing with varieties of hatred. The real question to be asked is how does this hatred arise? How do we know when hatred is coming? And most importantly, how do we stop it in its tracks?
The Holocaust was hatred in its most extreme form. During the 19th century, Germany under the rule of Hitler, conducted a mass genocide. Hitler persuaded people to follow him and his sick, dark, and twisted beliefs. Hitler knew that in order to create a mass genocide of the Jewish people, he had to gain the trust of the majority. His followers diligently listened, leading them to kill over 11 million people.
During this time hatred became a state policy, it became the norm. Soon Hitler’s followers become so numb to the hatred, so numb to the genocide, that they neglected to realize that the crimes they were committing were far from a natural event.
Looking back on the Holocaust many try to normalize it. The holocaust was not a supernatural event, it was man made. Realizing that the Holocaust was indeed created by man, creates an uncomfortable awareness. Knowing this makes you question what you would have done. Are we as humans really that fundamentally different?
We must stop hatred before it is too late. But more than often people fear intervening and they would rather follow the masses- the Holocaust is a perfect example of this. Hitler’s followers followed him out of fear. They wanted to protect their own lives and soon they were brainwashed to believe that what they were doing was the common good.
Mass Genocide still happens all around us. The Holocaust was not the only example of this. In 1994 the mass genocide in Rwanda killed over eight hundred thousand people. The lesson to be learned from this- words really do kill. During that time the newspaper, media, and radio questioned the people of Rwanda on who deserved to die. The hate groups desired to remove the “cockroaches” from the population, by completing a genocide. The people were,
“The cancer that needed to be removed from the society”.
Soon enough violence became the norm in Rwanda. The media convinced people to kill their own neighbors.
Trump hasn't been in office for even a year yet, and look at the mess he has made. We must stop hatred in it's tracks to avoid hatred at its most extreme. I predict if the USA keeps going in a downward slope, there will be mass genocide. Trump has gained enough momentum, and enough followers to create such a massacre.
Thank you to Morgan Freeman for the insight!
