Tonight, I shook the hand of one of the most amazing humans I’ve ever met in my life.
I finished a bit of work this afternoon and, with nothing better to do, decided to wander around. On my way home, I stopped by Changing Hands Bookstore to look at their second-hand foreign language book collection as I am wont to do. To my chagrin, there was a large crowd there to hear a speaker, and my language book section had, as usual, been relocated to some unknown location. At first, I was a bit annoyed, but I’ve become accustomed to this happening when speakers were there. As the speaker was introduced, my ears perked up.
I have been studying Third Reich history since I was a small boy. But I had never met a survivor… until tonight.
Ernest W. Michel survived several Nazi concentration camps, including the death camp at Auschwitz. He told us that shares his experiences, “not because I enjoy it… this is very hard for me.” He shares because he has a responsibility to bear witness to what he had endured.
These were no stories from some history book. These were the stirring words of a man openly sharing the most horrific experiences anyone can imagine. This was a man sharing his life. Ernest Michel’s words were open, honest, and searing. His words were just as much a part of his flesh as the number 104995 on his left arm.
He shared personal stories from Kristallnacht, the camps, and of his escape. He told us of writing down the names and numbers of the countless dead, and of carrying their bodies to their eventual destination: “up the chimney.” He also talked about his involvement with the Nuremberg trials after the war, including meeting several famous reporters who were covering it for the various world news agencies, such as Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.
One story that particularly struck me was of his meeting with Hermann Göring, formerly the 2nd most powerful man in the Third Reich. Apparently, Göring had been reading Michel’s news articles in the German press. Having heard that Michel was present at the trials, Göring asked if he would be willing to meet with him. When Michel entered the cell of the former Reichsmarschall, Göring stood to greet him, offering his hand. Michel refused to shake the hand of the top living Nazi, instead asking the guard to allow him to leave the cell. The last thing he saw was Göring standing there, hand outstretched.
Mr. Michel openly fielded questions from the crowd, including those asked by two young boys. Through a welcoming smile that did nothing to hide the seriousness of his words, he admonished them: “Learn, young man. Learn history.”
Despite all he had been through, he told us that he cannot live with hate.
When my opportunity came to talk to Mr. Michel and ask him to sign my copy of his book “Promises Kept,” I reminded him of his Hermann Göring story. He looked up. I asked, “Would you do me the honor of shaking my hand?” He smiled broadly and gave me a hearty, warm handshake.
Tonight, I shook the hand of the man who refused to shake the hand of Hermann Göring. Tonight, I shook the hand of Ernest W. Michel, Auschwitz Survivor #104995.
13
Aug 09
Holocaust Denial
According to a story at MSNBC.com, “Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the rest of the loud-mouthed right wing are… engaged in the vile evil of Holocaust denial” when they protest against Obama’s healthcare initiative.*
Huh?
I get that MSNBC hates right-wingers. No big surprise, there. Trying finding “fair and balanced” reporting of any kind on MSNBC or FOXNews is like trying to find a drug-free virgin at a party at the Kardashians’.
But this is a little batshit crazy… even for MSNBC.
Do you remember when the left-wingers in this country were absolutely livid when their protests against the Bush administration over the Iraq war left them labeled as “Anti-American” and “Un-Patriotic” by Pro-Bush right-wingers?
So why is it that they’ve now adopted the right-wingers’ exact approach to stifling opposition and protest? Perhaps because this time, the object being protested is a Left-wing sacred (free-range, organic) cow?
Different words, different objects, same… exact… tactic.
Normally, we’re used to seeing Republicans as pussies who whine and moan about what the Democrats are up to. But now, a group of right-wingers are taking a page from the left’s own book. (Literally.) And the left-wingers don’t seem to like it one bit.
So now, according to leftist MSNBC, exercising our right (and, I dare say, responsibility) to speak out and protest a “healthcare” bill which a) the “authors” of which haven’t actually read, b) will trash the greatest healthcare system in the world, c) will definitely burden what is left of the greatest economy in the world for generations to come, and d) will kick open the door to even more government intrusion into our private lives, is considered “Holocaust Denial?”
Does anybody give a shit about liberty anymore?
Regardless of what you think of this HMO-meets-the-DMV-meets-the-IRS-with-machine-guns on steroids and crack piece of legislation, surely you’re concerned about the implications such irresponsible rhetoric holds for the First Amendment? Right? Hello??
What’s next? “Calling Obama a ‘Socialist’ is really code for calling him the ‘N-Word?’” Oh wait… never mind. Someone already beat me to that. At least it wasn’t MSNBC again… oh… wait… oops.
The easy solution to most of our woes is less government intrusion, not more. Lower taxes, less government waste, fewer programs… especially the ones that are strictly designed to redistribute wealth and centralize power in the hands of a few. Washington: Stay the fuck out of our lives and let us live them as we please. Please.
(*Obama hasn’t really written a “healthcare plan,” you know. The “plan” is being “written” by the Congress. And by “written by the Congress,” I mean by someone else. Namely lawyers.)