Trump's America

[zoogs]

[teachercd]

7 minutes ago, zoogs said:

I use that picture in class.  The creepiest one I have seen, little kids with their parents, all dressed up in it.  You can google it, it will give you chills.

[teachercd]

Unreal...scary...ugly.  My students are usually shocked at this one.  Looks like there is a bus in the back, I could be wrong, maybe two or three of them.  It has been awhile since I taught this but I think this was like late 40's?

[Scratchtown]

...in the words of Naomi Shulman, “Nice people made the best Nazis. My mom grew up next to them. They got along, refused to make waves, looked the other way when things got ugly and focused on happier things than ‘politics.’ They were lovely people who turned their heads as their neighbors were dragged away.”

 

... A lot of today’s Nazis don’t know they’re Nazis, because they still think Nazis are comic-book villains from history, and they’re not alone. ...

 

...The far right know they overreached this time. There will be denouncements, rollbacks, a few arrests, a recalibration of the public face of violent misogynist white nationalism. Others will try to persuade you not to worry, that this was an aberration, that it won’t happen again. You will want to believe them... You must not believe them.

 

This bothers me. I focus on my wife and son, my job and my students (and athletes) far more than politics. Does this make me a nazi?

I don't think the bolded really applies. Feels like that addition to the comment suggests that those who steer clear from politics (largely) have no empathy. I don't agree with that notion.

[funhusker]

11 minutes ago, Coach Power'T said:

 

 

 

This bothers me. I focus on my wife and son, my job and my students (and athletes) far more than politics. Does this make me a nazi?

I don't think the bolded really applies. Feels like that addition to the comment suggests that those who steer clear from politics (largely) have no empathy. I don't agree with that notion.

I think you are misinterpreting the passage.  You are not a "nazi" for focusing on happier things.  People are "nazis" when they see there neighbors beaten or fired because of their color or religion and choose to focus on "happier things" rather than stand up for their "friends" and "neighbors".  Being a good husband, father, teacher, and coach doesn't make you a "nazi".  Being a coward and unwilling to stand up to injustice makes one a "nazi".

 

Just my interpretation of it.

 

edit: some may question my putting "nazi" in quotations.  Let me explain: no matter how vile the current alt right, neo-nazi, and KKK people are, they have yet to accomplish the horror and evil that happened in WWII.  I don't want to give our current douche bags the "honor" of sharing that title because they will never come f'ing close as long as America has a soul!

 

[zoogs]

@Coach Power'T, well, no, political lack of engagement =/= Nazi. But it depends on circumstance, too. If the great debate of our time is a wonky which-implementation-of-healthcare one, then probably not. If your neighbors are being rounded up and it's still "Hey, I don't talk about politics. My life is little league", then maybe, right? Leni Riefenstahl made propaganda films for Adolf Hitler; she never felt guilty. "I was never anti-Semitic. I did not join the party. So where then is my guilt?" Nazism didn't rise in the first place on the unified, active hatred of the entire German body politic. But there were countless who witnessed this happening and couldn't really be bothered about it.

 

It's also, at some point, a sign of privilege that should at the least be acknowledged. Muslim Americans, Jews, LGBT, immigrants of all varieties but especially those of a certain "look", it's far past the point where they can reasonably feel nothing is affecting them. And yet, for millions more -- indeed, the majority -- we're still safely ensconced in a secure position. We can choose to be observers. At some point this becomes complicity.

 

It's especially pronounced when disinterest isn't simply passive, but actively wielded. When for example the targeted cry out, but are beat back with "Guys, we must come together, football is for unity" ... things like this. "Stop focusing on the sound and fury". Yes, politics talk is loud and messy. At some point blindness to the goings-on becomes tragic. Worse is the active promotion of tuning out, as if this were a virtue in all the noise.

 

I hope that makes sense. You're not being called out in this passage, I don't think. Yet it's a stark warning that the ugliest goals of the far-right today have been and will soon be even more effectively branded as anodyne. The urge will be strong not only for the impartial to accept it, but to (loudly) uphold this as virtue. That impulse should be rejected. 

[Danny Bateman]

Update: White supremacist pantywaist who helped get an innocent woman killed turns himself into police after crying that he's afraid they will kill him.

 

 

[teachercd]

I have hosted more than a few concentration camp survivors as guest speakers.  I can tell you this much...

 

1.  They said they would never forgive the Nazi's

2.  They said they were "angry" at the people around that did not help

3.  They said America was the greatest country in the world

 

All of them said those things.  Each time.  The first two questions were always asked about by my classes.  The third was brought up by the speaker themselves.  

 

[BigRedBuster]

Let's see....one speech was in front of a bunch of mouth breathing trump voters and the other was in front of an organization that may need to issue an oppology statement after the event. 

 

 

[NM11046]

34 minutes ago, teachercd said:

I have hosted more than a few concentration camp survivors as guest speakers.  I can tell you this much...

 

1.  They said they would never forgive the Nazi's

2.  They said they were "angry" at the people around that did not help

3.  They said America was the greatest country in the world

 

All of them said those things.  Each time.  The first two questions were always asked about by my classes.  The third was brought up by the speaker themselves.  

 

3.  They said America was the greatest country in the world

 

I have to wonder if asked that now, after seeing the last few months if they'd still say that.  In the 40's we stood up for others, came in to assist countries that were less strong, didn't have as great of numbers to fight etc.  We had a high set of ideals and we backed them up.  

 

With our recent change in leadership this has gone away.  "America First", Nationalism - whatever you want to call it - the opposite of why countries used to think the US was the greatest country on earth.  We aren't any longer.  I'm not sure who it is, but I don't think you'd get many from outside the far right that would try to debate that.

[knapplc]

 

[teachercd]

8 minutes ago, NM11046 said:

3.  They said America was the greatest country in the world

 

I have to wonder if asked that now, after seeing the last few months if they'd still say that.  In the 40's we stood up for others, came in to assist countries that were less strong, didn't have as great of numbers to fight etc.  We had a high set of ideals and we backed them up.  

 

With our recent change in leadership this has gone away.  "America First", Nationalism - whatever you want to call it - the opposite of why countries used to think the US was the greatest country on earth.  We aren't any longer.  I'm not sure who it is, but I don't think you'd get many from outside the far right that would try to debate that.

Well one of the regulars that I brought in passed away, so I can't ask her that anymore.  Not to put words in their mouth but from the way they spoke about this country I have a feeling that their opinion would not have changed one bit.  All of them that spoke to my classes over the years would repeat how great America was over and over.  

 

With that said, none of my speakers, from what I remember, came to this country in the 40's.  I think the early 50's was the earliest.  Most, in the mid (mostly late) 40's were still basically orphans in Europe, trying to find family, friends, information or a way to live.  

[NM11046]

Right - I guess my point was that the opinions formed about the US that were so adament and positive were based on our efforts to partner with other countries in the wars.  From a survivors perspective the US getting involved in WWII was the beginning of the end, and our country was viewed very positively.  We embraced them coming to the US afterward, helped them - that would not be the case today.  

 

I don't know your speakers but I think any immigrant to this country would express disappointment at the fact that the great US that saved them, welcomed them, gave them a new start etc. was pulling back on those very things.  Shoot, last week our President showed support for people with torches that were yelling about how the "jews will not replace us".  I'd be shocked if those people would still view the US in such high regard.

[NM11046]

 

http://prospect.org/article/begin-again-trump-through-eyes-holocaust-survivor

http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.795619

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/opinion/ct-abn-crosby-holocaust-st-1021-20161021-column.html

https://www.someecards.com/news/politics/holocaust-survivor-protests-trump/

 

(Caveat: Posting because these are individual's stories & interviews - I don't necessarily stand behind the reputation of the journals)

[teachercd]

6 minutes ago, NM11046 said:

Right - I guess my point was that the opinions formed about the US that were so adament and positive were based on our efforts to partner with other countries in the wars.  From a survivors perspective the US getting involved in WWII was the beginning of the end, and our country was viewed very positively.  We embraced them coming to the US afterward, helped them - that would not be the case today.  

 

I don't know your speakers but I think any immigrant to this country would express disappointment at the fact that the great US that saved them, welcomed them, gave them a new start etc. was pulling back on those very things.  Shoot, last week our President showed support for people with torches that were yelling about how the "jews will not replace us".  I'd be shocked if those people would still view the US in such high regard.

None of them mentioned being welcomed with open arms when they got here...they more just mentioned the opportunity to succeed.  One mentioned some issues with othres when they got here.  I don't host any of them anymore so I don't have a chance to ask them but it would be interesting to hear what they said.  Honestly though, I still think they would say that America is the best.