Jordan+N

The Big Idea-Hatred and Intolerance have dangerous results. My line of thinking..... 11/4/10- People think that discrimination only happened during the Holocaust or before the Civil War, but in truth, it's going on today. People put down gays because they are honest with everyone. Wouldn't everyone rather know the truth? I would. I bet if you think hard, you could relate the discrimination and persecution to your everyday life. We all say we wouldn't want anything like the Holocaust to happen again, but look around you! It may not be visible, but with every verbal put down, a life sinks a little lower. It sinks until its on the brink of death. We ARE killing people, just like Hitler. The only difference is he pulled people by the group. We put someone down until they have no self worth and they kill themself! Isn't that the same thing? I think so! In reading class I'm hearing about how Hitler took groups of people and degraded them. Made them feel like they mean nothing to world. They should be used until broken down into piles of dust. It makes me cry to think of someone so... twisted. Was he 8 when he started planning this?! And the people who let this happen! They just went along with it because it was their government. Didn't they know the difference between right and wrong? I wonder if people today would let that happen, especially knowing that it happened so long ago. If you think about it, the world isn't so different than it was during Hitler's time. Maybe we have a little more technology, but people are people. We go with the flow. There are so few people anymore who will stand up for whats right, and there are definately not enough to change a whole country's mind. Gerda Weissman is my idol. She suffered for so long, and then went on a death march. I mean, she met so many compassionate people on her way to death, but no matter how nice those people were, she was still called names. She was still worked until she could barely stand at the end of the day. Then bright and early the next day, she started the same routine. I eat so much in a day. I need food every two or three hours, but Gerda was only fed enough to survive. She didn't get food for days, and when she did it was barely enough to get by on. She saw her family get taken away from her, and all her friends died before her eyes. I love my friends and family so to have them taken away, and never knowing what happened to some of them would tear me to pieces. I go to church every Sunday I can possibly go, and to be killed because of something so dear to me...I just don't know. I'm not sure I could do what those people did. I mean, die for my religion? I want to think I could, but deep down I have my doubts. I can't relate to what someone who's... I'm not sure if this is offensive so I'm sorry if it is, but gay, and I probably won't ever be able to. All I know is that Hitler killed people because they were who they wanted to be! I'm glad to live in America today. So many people take things for granted, but hearing about all of this makes me glad I'm here and now instead of there and then.

11/9/10- I got the answers to one of my questions. They couldn't stop their government because their government took away any possible way to communicate. They burned the books, took away freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. There was no way they could possible be stopped. I would cry if I saw someone burn books! I read all the time, and to take them away for such a silly, hostile reason is pointless! I'm glad that the chances of that ever happening here are zero. 12/14/10 I've learned a lot. Some of the stories make me want to cry. The story of Herbert and how only he and his brother lived was one. He went forever without seeing his family, and when he could finally go to find them, he found out they were taken to Auchwitz. They were killed there after being captured by the Gastapo. Absolutely terrible. I want to find all these people and give them a huge hug and tell them how sorry I am. They suffer so much. Some of the things that we take for granted, they went years without. I wonder if sometimes, concentrations camps were the best choice. I mean, they lived on the streets, in hiding, without food, no warmth, and some were even worse off than that! Other stories, like Luncia's, were... almost heart-warming. Both she and her parents lived. They were seperated for a very long time, but they still managed to keep hope. I was almost in tears when they turned away their family who was running from the gestapo. Especially considering the fact that they died. That was terrible, and selfish, and rude! I dont want to say that I know how they feel because I don't. I have no idea how they felt considering I have a warm home, fresh food, and so many nice things to be thankful for. As I've been reading these stories, there have been so many kind people. People who were completely willing to take in the Jews. Even when they knew it would cost them their own lives if they got caught. Those people are the people I admire.