World War II was such a monumental event that it practically dominated the entire second half of the 20th century and even spilled into the 21st century. Countless books, movies, video games, and TV series have been made with World War II themes. In education World War II dominates modern American History courses and the World War II generation is often referred to as the Greatest Generation.
I am too young to have experienced World War II directly. I did have contact with friends and family members who grew up during World War II or were veterans of World War II. Most of those who experienced World War II directly, particularly Veterans, carried it with them for the rest of their lives.
Out of this, for my generation and those who are younger, two common refrains are often repeated.
These are:
1) “If it weren’t for us all of Europe would be speaking German right now”.
2) “How could the German People allow the Holocaust to happen?”.
For my generation and younger the idea that if it weren’t for “us” all of Europe would be speaking German today I find a bit ridiculous. None of us were there and had nothing to do with the so-called liberation of Europe unless you count video games played on a Playstation 3 console.
But as far as the “how could the German People let this happen” meme I have been guilty of this as well. I don’t remember when it hit – if it was a high school history class, a movie, or at University – but at some point in my life I was overwhelmed by the holocaust and left wondering how the German People could allow Hitler to slaughter millions of Jewish People in addition to communists, homosexuals, Russians, Gypsies and anyone else deemed undesirable.
I want to offer an apology to the German People. I will no longer question how they “allowed” the holocaust to take place. Hitler’s rise to power didn’t happen overnight. It took about 15 years of focused political activity for Hitler to rise to power. It was a slow process of chipping away at Germany’s government until finally the Enabling Acts were passed and Hitler was able to seize total power. Hitler’s rise to power was also coupled with the rise of the most awesome propaganda machine the world had ever seen utilizing media, movies, and radio to promote the Nazi Agenda.
I will never again question how the German People could let it happen because it’s happening right here right now in the United States. It’s been happening for the past 10 years. It’s been happening ever since the Patriot Act was passed. It’s been happening ever since we started rounding up innocent people and torturing them. It’s been happening ever since Warrantless Wiretapping and data mining became the norm no one dared to question.
It’s been happening ever since Fox News started repeating to their audience “if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear”. It’s been happening ever since the Bush Cheney Administration embraced the doctrine of the Unitarian Executive. It’s been happening ever since the American People turned a blind eye to Guantanamo Bay.
And now with the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 the final nail in the coffin of the Constitution has been pounded into the wood grain. It’s just a matter of time before the round-ups begin.
How did the German People allow the Holocaust to happen? How are the American People allowing it to happen? The United States is now officially a battleground. U.S. Citizens can now be detained indefinitely with no hope for a trial. It’s just a matter of time before the concentration camps are built.
Who will be the target? Well that depends on who is in power. Obama might be the benevolent dictator. Maybe Obama won’t round up U.S. Citizens. But what about the next right wing President? What if another Cheney Bush type leader comes to power? What will happen after the next terrorist attack on U.S. soil? Surely there will be another terrorist attack whether it be a false flag operation or an actual attack from any number of countries and people the U.S. has offended.
If we go to war with Iran will Iranian Americans be rounded up? If a radical Islamic Terrorist group commits another 9/11 type attack will Muslim Americans be rounded up? If a Right Wing President comes to power will he or she round up any political dissidents they view as a threat to their power?
All this is now possible in America and the American People have allowed it to happen. No one cares. Nothing is being done. We are cows being lead to the slaughter. Its just a matter of time. It took about 15 years for Hitler to come to power after a long political process. We are about 10 years into the destruction of the United States Constitution. Where will we be 5 years from now? Who will be President? What evils await us?
How long before the rest of the world starts asking “how could the American People allow this to happen”?
