It is the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, what is historically agreed upon and written about as a death-camp run by Germans in Poland during World War II. Five survivors returning to the Memorial told their stories to The Guardian:
And yet, just last week, there was an article that half of Americans don’t know this stuff:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/22/holocaust-survey-americans-pew-research-center
This is…’my fellow Americans’…not a game – the payoff for knowing the correct answer may serve you better than just the off chance of winning you that charming jet skis/trailer combo (you will never be able to afford to gas up and insure long enough to use, if you ever get the time off) from that one game show you think you’re smart enough to win.
This is a problem, those not learning from the past being doomed to repeat it and all:
But when you have a GOP Senate stacked with nesting dolls all singing ‘he didn’t do it/so what/it’s a coup’ in tune; and Faux Newz telling them all what to think/be outraged over next; and 65% of them only trust that outlet to begin with…
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/politics/donald-trump-fox-news/index.html
Well, where to start?
Not to be a doom and gloomer but I don’t really think anything changes now that we are in the post-truth world. Maybe if something destroys our current technology and forces us back to the 19th century where we can halt the spread of lies and falsehoods. Beyond that I don’t have much hope.
I’m a progressive and believe we should be advancing society, not trying to hold on to out dated dogma. America has no desire to change and needs to be lead to it. The majority of people wanted to stay with the crown and not become our own nation. This is a flaw in the human animal and not exclusive to America, other nations just have better leaders.
The most recent Caracked podcast was pretty good on this. We just rinse and repeat.
https://www.earwolf.com/episode/why-fear-based-democracies-arent-free-with-jason-pargin/
“Freedom sucks…and that is why we have to defend it. Because our democracy involves doing a lot of stuff that takes energy, takes time, and lacks that Michael Bay Quality that only a surprise missile launch can provide. So on this episode of The Cracked Podcast, Alex Schmidt and special guest Jason Pargin (who writes for Cracked as David Wong) are exploring the ways being afraid of everything (an easy action) can stop us from being free. Discover the decades-long tradition of some Americans wanting to give up everything in exchange for not needing to think, the centuries-long tradition of people inciting fake panics, and the reasonable ways you can help change things for the better.”
Footnotes: https://www.cracked.com/podcast/why-fear-based-democracies-arenE28099t-free-with-jason-pargin/
It is kind of ironic that this anniversary would be the same date we eliminate any doubt we will hold a Nazi responsible for his crimes. I’m not a religious person but if their is a hell they better be building a new wing for all these GOPigs, they are old and coming soon!
Pigs don’t deserve to be lumped in with those MAGAts. Pigs have heart.
The amount of contradictory words/deeds coming from professed faithfuls never ceases to amaze…
Watching the prayers & pledge of allegiance at every break of this sham is also pretty ironic. First off, what happened to separation of Church and State? These same self professed “good Christians” and “great Americans” prove to be neither every time they take that pledge or say “Amen”. I’m starting beer30 early today!
“god” was not on our money or in the pledge until the 20th century.
Not soon enough Loveshaq.
I’m rarely at a loss for words, but after reading the links I don’t even know what to say.
Does this remind you of anything?
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5e342c02c5b611ac94d36dc8
OMG
I swear language is broken…it ought to be possible to say that sort of thing is unconscionable…
& you’d think that when outrage is so fashionable some folks like to call it a culture there’d be a little of that performative ire available on the ground to catch it when it turns out that concept is lost on some people…
…I hear the phrase “never forget” a lot these days…& generally it’s about something else…which rather implies that a lot of people forgot what they were never forgetting but remembered it felt good to say?
…I dunno…today hasn’t been a great day & I’m not feeling like a fan of humanity so maybe I’ll just stop there?
I very much dislike that I am going to celebrate seeing certain people’s obituaries.
Same
For years I tried not contributing to the ugliness in the world. But these fuckers exhausted my patience, kindness, and ability to see the dignity in all people. They broke me. Now I’m wishing slow, painful deaths on them. I’m not proud of it but it’s where I’m at.
I don’t like to wish ill on others, either. So instead I will say that I hope karma is a real thing; or their sins are re-visited upon them; or that *someone* truly knows their hypocrisy, is keeping track, and they will be held to account.
(some may see the last as a ‘deity/hell’ thing; to others it may be a ‘level failed/reincarnation as a dung beetle’ thing)
I’m going to try to reframe my thinking I to something closer to yours. Because on the off chance there is a God, or karma, I don’t want the bastards getting me again!