Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Parallels

Last evening I was looking for something to watch while I worked on my grandson's afghan.  I clicked on a video of a Holocaust survivor's story.  I have no idea why I chose that one as I usually look for videos or movies that are somewhat lighter in subject, but I became interested and watched several others as well.

What caught my interest weren't the horrors these people suffered, but were the things that happened leading up to the deportations to concentration camps.

Most had older relatives who couldn't believe that anything bad would happen to them.  Most had Gentile friends who turned against them and some of those friends were the cause of arrests.  Whether the reasons for turning against their Jewish friends were previously hidden prejudices or fear of the German soldiers, the outcome was usually the same.  After a while nobody trusted anybody.

Another factor was food.  As time went on, shops closed one by one and obtaining enough food to feed a family became difficult.  When food rationing began, the ability to find food became close to impossible.  And after the Jews  were forced to move into ghettos, food became nearly non-existent.  Many starved to death long before the deportations began.

Another reoccurring theme was the lies.  Some Jews were told that if they presented themselves at a certain time at a certain location, they would be given extra rations.  When they appeared they were either loaded into boxcars or were killed outright.

Other times they were told that if they volunteered to work for the German military they would earn enough to buy their food.  Those that volunteered were usually worked to death without pay or food.

In the end, the Jews were lied to about everything.  It was all about promising them a better life in order to get them where the government wanted them without any fuss or bother or resistance.

Food became the most important thing in the lives of many Jews.  The food they had managed to put away was confiscated.  There were no places to buy food and that didn't matter because their money and valuables had also been taken from them.  Starvation became a way of life.

See any parallels?  I noticed that so many didn't believe anything bad would happen.  That seems to be the prevailing attitude today.  Even though we are watching our freedoms being eroded little by little, many don't seem to care.  As long as they have their big screen TVs and a couple of cars in the garage and can afford to go out on Saturday night, they pay little attention to what is happening around them.

Many believe there will always be grocery stores full of food.  They shop once a week and believe they will do so forever.  The thought of stocking up on food and supplies seems like a waste of time and effort to them.  And they consider those of us who are into food storage to be tin foil hat wearing crazies.

Most everyone is aware of the fact that politicians lie.  They tell us what they think we want to hear in order to promote whatever their agenda is.  But mostly they lie to gain or keep power.  They lie to keep us complacent.  They want us smart enough to do the work that needs to be done but dumb enough so we don't question their motives.  And all the while they are chipping away at your freedoms and mine. 

I don't know how all of this is going to play out, but I can guarantee it won't be to the advantage of the people. 

I am beginning to understand why so many are trying to rewrite history, for if we don't remember what happened in the past, we are doomed to see similar horrors in the future.

It is way past time to wake up.

14 comments:

  1. You're absolutely correct on every point, ma'am. Thank you.

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    1. Rev. Paul...I worry that most of us have learned nothing from history. And that those of us who are aware are not enough in number to stop it.

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  2. My Husband's Grandfather left the Ukraine right at the end of WWI. He went to Canada, then came to the U.S.A. He worked hard and became an American Citizen. During the 30's (even with the Depression) Grandpa went back to visit his family. He offered to sponsor those that wished to come to America. None came. They were not allowed to leave because they were Jews. They said Leave and Don't come back. It wasn't safe. He left and sent letters. None were ever sent back. Later we found out their entire village was murdered by Stalin. Jews and Christians alike. Red

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    1. Red...Your husband's Grandfather was a brave man. It is so very heartbreaking that his family was killed for no reason at all. There are still monsters in this world of ours - many of them in positions of power. If we remain ignorant of history and complacent in our comfortable lives, it could happen again. Sadly, so many believe that nothing like the Holocaust or the Russian pogroms could ever happen here. They are wrong. I have seen so many changes in my lifetime that I have no doubt we could be in serious trouble should evil win.

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  3. I've often thought that too many people know of your prepping. Watch your step if things get tough.

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    1. Gorges...Living in an apartment, there are going to be people coming in to do repairs, etc. And in my case, there are nurses and cleaning people. On the other hand, because I live above a retail business, most locals aren't even aware there are apartments in the building. In any case, there is a plan in place for when things go bad.

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  4. Trust no one, and no one will betray you.

    That's a quote Frank ran across a while back, I'm not sure from where.

    Vicki, we have never been able to understand why more people can't see what is happening around them. The biggest reason I come up with is denial, they just don't want it to be so, so they ignore everything indicating that collapse/catastrophe/enslavement is nigh. Kind of like the elephant in the room scenario.

    Excellent parallels. If only....... If, just like hope, is a poor strategy. Be safe and keep writing.

    Fern

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    1. Fern...That quote reminded me of an article I read some time back about an elementary school where the teachers were asking students about the number of guns their parents had in their homes.

      Like you and Frank, I don't understand why so many fail to acknowledge what is right before their eyes. Yes, many are in denial. My mother was a good woman, but her strategy for dealing with unpleasantness was, 'If you don't talk about it, it will go away.' I found that to be true of many in her generation.

      I'm not so sure of the reasons now. Some are easily distracted...squirrel...while others seem to have been dumbed down to the point of parroting the talking points of the latest cause du jour - diversity, abortion, toxic masculinity, etc. Many haven't a clue as to what an EMP strike is or what the effect of the vast numbers of illegals crossing our southern border means to our future.

      I tossed away my rose colored glasses long ago. Now I just keep working toward keeping my family alive when whatever it is rounds the corner and is upon us.

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  5. Vicki, reading your posting helped me recall a book I read several years ago...The Secret Holocaust Diaries, The Untold Story of Nonna Bannister. Such an amazing story! I think it may be available in PDF form on-line. I read her story in an effort to better understand the evilness that took place, and how Nonna and her family dealt with that evil. She lost her family, yet escaped to the US to marry and have a family of her own. It is a story based on facts, and her early years under a dreadful circumstance in history. It is so sad that many never try to look at the past and relate it to the present or future. I so enjoy reading your blog as it confirms that there are a few "down to earth" people who still live in the real world. Thank you, Vicki...CW

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    1. CW...Thanks for your kind words. And for the heads up on the book. I will see if I can find it online or maybe my local library has it. I would like to read it.

      I don't understand why it is so hard for some to see what is happening, but from what history I have read, it seems to be universal that people just don't believe that anything bad can ever happen - at least not in their backyard. And by the time they get it, it is usually too late.

      And thanks for telling off my troll. He comments now and then, but I just delete him. He just wants to pick a fight and gain attention. My blog - my decision on who comments. As you can probably tell, I don't suffer fools easily. :)

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  6. Human nature, flawed and fallen. There are always cassandras foretelling doom and being ignored.. Poor Cassandra, saw the train wreck coming, was on the train, and could not save herself nor others.

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    1. Deb...It seems as though many refuse to believe anything bad will happen until the wolf is not only at the door, but has it unlocked and open.

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  7. Darn you, another VERY great stop and think topic

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    1. Thanks, Rob...Could be my tin foil hat is on too tight, but I really don't think so. I just feel like we have to stop and think while we still can think for ourselves...

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