Does this offend you?

[cutenurse2486]

I would not say that I am very offended, but for me personally, all images of Hitler evoke very negative and sad emotions. My family is Jewish and my grandmother and grandfather were the only members of their families to get out of Germany before it was too late. Some of our family were put into concentration camps and survived, but for others, we are still unsure of what happened to them. Also, seeing pictures of Hitler reminds me of the difficult times I had in middle school. I unfortunately went to school with a few very ignorant people who claimed to be "Neo-Nazis." They would ask me where my soup bowl was, draw swastikas on themselves, & write "Kill the Jews" on the backpacks. It was really hard for me to understand how people could actually still believe in the evil ideas that Hitler had and take their aggression out on me. I was lucky that they never physically tried to hurt me, but their verbal abuse was enough.

So yes, seeing images of Hitler upsets me because his actions had a direct impact on my family and me. I do not think you are a bad person, but it is just something that I do not like. That’s just me.

 

[Asphyxiation]

I still don't think there's a reason to still live in the past.. >_>

Why give him/them that power..?

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asphyxiation I still don't think there's a reason to still live in the past.. >_> Why give him/them that power..?

SUCH a huge difference between 'power' and 'respect'.

Respecting the way that the ENTIRE WORLD was shaped by one man's ego and pursuit of power, remembering history so as to avoid repeating it, learning about the mindset and complicity of the civilization that allowed it, and appreciating the way the situation was ended and understanding how it came to be is VERY important.

 

[SMMY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asphyxiation I still don't think there's a reason to still live in the past.. >_> Why give him/them that power..?

The past: the Magna Carta, The Declaration of Independence, the Nuremberg trials. Yup, we definitely don't need to live in the past. It is so passe.

 

[Susanne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMMY The past: the Magna Carta, The Declaration of Independence, the Nuremberg trials. Yup, we definitely don't need to live in the past. It is so passe.

How easy people forget what they really have and how they have got it if they live in peace, freedom, prosperity and wealth.

This carelessness is the matrix for dangerous ideologies.

 

[seonmi]

I understand that Hitler did horrible things to so many people. But people mention him everyday so why are we upset with just a picture? I saw an episode on Family Guy briefly making fun of Hitler, too on the day I first read this thread. Do people get upset everytime they hear about him/see his pictures?

 

[SkylarV217]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparklingWaves "This exhibition...should be a part of every citizen’s experience." THE NEW YORK TIMES .

I completely agree, it is a completely gut wrenching and life changing experience. Because of the one in the US. We have made definite plans to visit the one in Germany as well as a few of the Camps.

Actually seeing things laid out is different from seeing pictures. Standing in one of the railway cars they were forced into like Cattle and seeing the suitcases they had packed that were simply taken away. Thinking They were like us. They had families. Someone could theoretically do that to me and my family. Me and My child... and its a completely heartbreaking experience.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seonmi I understand that Hitler did horrible things to so many people. But people mention him everyday so why are we upset with just a picture? I saw an episode on Family Guy briefly making fun of Hitler, too on the day I first read this thread. Do people get upset everytime they hear about him/see his pictures?

You're talking about a man who coldly murdered MILLIONS of people.
A man who endorsed cruel and unfathomable experiments on the people trapped in concentration camps.

I dunno.

I can't imagine why anyone would be revolted at the site of him.

 

[SMMY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seonmi I understand that Hitler did horrible things to so many people. But people mention him everyday so why are we upset with just a picture? I saw an episode on Family Guy briefly making fun of Hitler, too on the day I first read this thread. Do people get upset everytime they hear about him/see his pictures?

The answer for a lot people, is yes. I don't think you really "understand" otherwise you wouldn't ask the question. I suggest that you visit some of the links that sparkling waves posted. I have some below as well.

WWII history links

The Holocaust


It will give a broader understanding of WWII and the Holocaust, than say South Park or the Family Guy.

As for satirizing something as serious as Hitler. Truly effective satire comes after understanding the background of the subject you are satirizing. I don't mean by reading a few sentences in your textbook at school, but doing some serious scholarly research and then being able to articulate why you are doing it. I see this whole image fiasco as a bored teenager, who thought she would imitate what she saw on TV, without really understanding the image she was using.

From Merriam Webster:

Quote:

Main Entry:sat·ire Pronunciation: \ˈsa-ˌtī(-ə)r\ Function:noun Etymology:Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin satura, satira, perhaps from (lanx) satura dish of mixed ingredients, from feminine of satur well-fed; akin to Latin satis enough. Date:1501 1 : a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn 2 : trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly

I don't think thoughtlessly copying and pasting an image from another web site falls under either of these categories, do you?

 

[SkylarV217]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMMY I don't think thoughtlessly copying and pasting an image from another web site falls under either of these categories, do you?

I had thought that too when I originally read the post, I just left it alone though . Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[JULIA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer Less RELEVANT? My God.

Time goes on. It's name-dropped every now and then to prove a point, and hey, it gets a sound-bite on November 11th...But really, new generations don't care.

Someone mentioned I should not be ignorant to history. I'm not, I'm actually a fanatic.

 

[rbella]

Wow! I don't even know what to say to that. If that is your attitude and it reflects your "new generation", then I really hate to see what happens to your generation of selfish children who don't respect their elders, nor history.

EDA-I should have quoted your previous post since you just completely re-wrote it, but it is still disturbing, nonetheless.

 

[JULIA]

Self-ism, it's an epidemic, really.
Hey man, that isn't my attitude. Merely an observation.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JULIA Surely you don't think the new generations care, do you? It's acknowledged, sure. Occasionally name-dropped to prove a point...But you cannot sit there and convince yourself "yes, everyone in the world cares about world war two." That's ignorant. It's a sad tuth, but the truth nonetheless.

No, saying that WWII is IRRELEVANT is ignorance.
Wallowing in one's own lack of awareness of world history is ignorance.

Ah. Youth. Privileged youth, no less. A youth with absolute lack of familiarity of anything to do with people truly attempting to create a new world order, or men standing up and dying to protect not only an ideal, but a people.

Your statement is uneducated, immature, ignorant, and without any regard to what a generation lost and willingly sacrificed so that YOU could be born with dark hair and eyes, of pure Aryan blood, and not enslaved.

Goddamn I hate ungracious, disrespectful attitudes.

 

[rbella]

^^^I love you for quoting the original text, shimmer. And for your thoughtful response.

 

[rbella]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JULIA Self-ism, it's an epidemic, really. Hey man, that isn't my attitude. Merely an observation.

How can you not assume the attitude that you promote? Your posts don't seem like observations. They seem careless and insensitive, to say the least.

 

[JULIA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer No, saying that WWII is IRRELEVANT is ignorance. Wallowing in one's own lack of awareness of world history is ignorance. Ah. Youth. Privileged youth, no less. A youth with absolute lack of familiarity of anything to do with people truly attempting to create a new world order, or men standing up and dying to protect not only an ideal, but a people. Your statement is uneducated, immature, ignorant, and without any regard to what a generation lost and willingly sacrificed so that YOU could be born with dark hair and eyes, of pure Aryan blood, and not enslaved. Goddamn I hate ungracious, disrespectful attitudes.

A) I am a very respectful person. That's an awesome judgment you've just made, but no, you're wrong.

B) It's incredible you think I'm unaware of my history. Actually, I am very into German/Nazi history. I am very, very educated about this topic. However, you cannot deny that people (not all) don't "give a fuck." I don't know how things work where you are, but in my parts...WWII memorial services have poor turn-outs, people never, ever stop for those moments of silence and could never be decent enough to consider the stories of war-veterans.

I'm really sorry that you interpreted what I said to be something I believe. Whatever, this is stupid.

 

[JULIA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbella How can you not assume the attitude that you promote? Your posts don't seem like observations. They seem careless and insensitive, to say the least.

I'm not promoting an attitude.

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JULIA A) I am a very respectful person. That's an awesome judgment you've just made, but no, you're wrong. B) It's incredible you think I'm unaware of my history. Actually, I am very into German/Nazi history. I am very, very educated about this topic. However, you cannot deny that people (not all) don't "give a fuck." I don't know how things work where you are, but in my parts...WWII memorial services have poor turn-outs, people never, ever stop for those moments of silence and could never be decent enough to consider the stories of war-veterans. I'm really sorry that you interpreted what I said to be something I believe. Whatever, this is stupid.

Sadly enough, you're right.
But I can, and do, make damn sure that when my kids are at the ball park and we stand for the National Anthem, their hats are off and over their hearts. When they meet a WWII or a Vietnam or OIF veteran, they're respectful, and if I know they person's rank they address that person by their rank.
I can make absolutely sure that MY kids and MY family know what has happened in this world and what it takes to end the reigns of madmen like Hitler.
I can't deny that 'people don't give a fuck', and I won't, but I can make sure my kids do. I can make sure I do.
And I can actively detest those people who don't.

 

[SkylarV217]

By saying the past is irrelevant we are opening ourselves up to both forgetting it an repeating it. By making light of a mass genocide we are opening the gates for another Dictator to take power again and do the same thing. That is why it so important to not devalue the magnitude of the past events that are in question.

And believe it or not the past is never irrelevant weather you care to take interest in it or not. Laws and regulations are set fourth because of past occurrence to help ensure that such things don't occur again.