I had heard and read that the Germans who were born after the WWII were/are embarrassed by how the Jewish people were treated by their government and the prior generation during the war. I used to think I knew what that embarrassment was all about until today!
Today, I experienced a similar feeling as I was listening intensely to a rendition of Bab's last few days and how he was treated and executed in Tabriz 160 days ago, today! (7/9/1850) And Bahais are being discriminated against, arrested, jailed and executed to this day in Iran.
Today, I truly and deeply experienced how the Germans of my generation feel when they say that they are embarrassed by the actions of their government and their people.
I felt ashamed today....
Nahzi Joon...I thought perhaps you would enjoy this quote from Elie Wiesel...
ReplyDelete"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Elie Wiesel
Your sister, Mary
What is probably sad is that the bigotry continues today. Just last week the homes of Bahais in northern Iran were burned to the ground (fortunately they were vacant at the time), with implicit support of the Iranian government.
ReplyDeleteRather than a 160 years ago, I am thinking of our choices today. How the Iranian nation treats illegal Afghan immigrants today, how ethnic and religious minorities are not tolerated, how even educated Iranians are proud of being anti-arab (and sometimes not so subtly anti-semitic in general). Fighting against ignorance is not a single battle, but an ongoing effort. Maybe in a few generations we will be proud of what we have become...
Mary, thanks for the appropriate quote from Elie Wiesel.
ReplyDeleteAli, I couldn't have said it any better myself.