Seig Heil Again?
Last week’s history lesson was the personal story of a friend who survived the “solution.” The lesson ended with concerns about whether history is close to another repeat cycle.
The history that might be repeating itself is the solution. History buffs will remember the solution.
That was one of the promises of an egomaniac’s climb to leadership of one of the most sophisticated nations then existing.
That, of course, was Adolph Hitler who rose to power by preaching hate and anger. His harangues were to crowds of Germans discontented with a group of people.
The group of concern were the Jews, and Hitler’s promise of the “solution” to the Jewish problem were met with raised arms and screams of “sieg Heil.”
The literal translation of “sieg Heil” is “Hail, Victory.” Alternative translations, however, are that the adoring Germans were shouting it to mean, “We will win,” or “We salute the Highest.”
Those raised arms and “sieg Heils” come to mind every time that raucous applause appears in response to another egomaniac’s rant about his “solution” of another hated group.
This bigoted buffoon is none other than Donald Trump. Listen to what he is saying and then go to a history book and read some of the speeches of Adolph Hitler. There are distinct parallels.
Hitler’s “solution” was the holocaust that literally consumed six million Jews. Trump’s solution is to deport 11.5 million Hispanics to hardship and possible starvation.
Hitler paid for his death camps by confiscating the property of Jews. Trump says he will make Mexico pay for the wall he is going to build by confiscating the money that the illegal roofers, yard maintainers, hotel maids, etc. are sending “back home” to support their families.
Hitler turned neighbors into informants on their Jewish neighbors and sent the Gestapo and SS out to herd the Jews to box cars for transport to the gas chambers.
Trump has not said how he will identify and locate the 11.5 million Hispanics for his solution. Will he mobilize the National Guard and federal law enforcement officers for house-to-house dragnets? What will they do when they uncover an illegal alien?
Hillary Clinton noted this problem with the Trump solution when she asked, “Will they be herded into box cars and taken to holding camps?”
Remember it has already been done in this country. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese/American citizens and legal residents from Germany and Italy were confined here in detention camps during WWII.
Remember, also, as noted by an anonymous author on the internet, a lie does not become truth, wrong does not become right, and evil does not become good just because it is accepted by a majority.
So here’s the perspective.
Hitler weaved his maniacal messages of hate and making Germany great again into the fabric of a highly educated and religious society in the 1930’s and 40’s.
Hitler pounded the podium and got cries of “sieg Heil.” Trump says. “I am leading (the leader),” turns, raises his arms, and gets loud applause and cheers of approval.
Those two scenes seem to be carbon copies.
Currently the scariest part of the Trump idolization is that those out there saying, “Right On!” are voters.
There are still a few months before the primary voting starts. Just hope that those voters take a little time to study history and think about what they read of Germany in the first half of the last century.
Don’t say you have not been warned.
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