Thank you Ms. Stone. Not only have you alerted us to the MAGA manipulation of USHMM but you have restated the original mission and why it can inform events today.
This MAGA manipulation of the USHMM is abhorrent. Aside from being an insult to the memory of the non-Jewish holocaust victims (including, but not limited to, gay people, the Roma, those with disabilities, and members of the Jehovah's Witnesses), this is another example of the Trump administration weaponizing allegations of antisemitism in ways that are likely to ultimately hurt the Jewish community.
My grandfather, a Lutheran German, was a political prisoner of the Nazis. After he spoke publicly against Hitler in 1938, he was arrested and disappeared. My grandmother received a letter in 1941 saying he had died in Mauthausen Concentration Camp. He was most certainly a Holocaust victim and his tragic disappearance and death trickled down to me as generational trauma. He is also my inspiration as I stand up now for democracy and refuse to be silenced. Never again.
I have visited the USHMM on many occasions, worked with the staff to develop a graduate level course for senior military, and government people, have the upmost respect for the staff, and have chatted with several Holocaust survivors. I have never gotten the impression that any of these people believed that the suffering of the Holocaust was confined to Jewish people. Unless they have been removed recently, several exhibits present atrocities committed against other people groups. It is saddening, and concerning that authoritarian atrocities are being marginalized by those with extreme views who seek to exploit the suffering of their people for political manipulation. In effect, this is like they are saying, “This is our suffering and you can’t have it.” Authoritarian regimes target and oppress specific populations, casting blame on them. Any population that provides resistance to their oppression is also targeted. The comparisons between that which is happening now in the US with Nazi Germany are accurate and appropriate. Thank you for this powerful discussion.
Jennifer, you are such a good writer and really how can we learn from history if we are not allowed to point out when it rhymes with current events. Also, I watched The Librarians last night, the parallels are chilling.
The man responsible for "Godwin's Law" (that online arguments eventually devolve into someone calling someone else a Nazi), Mike Godwin, said in 2024 that yes, trump is acting like hitler.
Ms. Stone, I too have been hit by the Jewish community for an op-ed I wrote in the LA Times comparing modern factory farming to concentration camps during the Holocaust. It was syndicated nationwide, and I got hundreds of angry letters. The gist of the criticisms was that I was diminishing the Holocaust, which of course was not my intent. We need to LEARN from the Holocaust and see where in today’s world it provides warning signs. And indeed with Trump and his goons, we see that.
Thank you Ms. Stone. Not only have you alerted us to the MAGA manipulation of USHMM but you have restated the original mission and why it can inform events today.
This MAGA manipulation of the USHMM is abhorrent. Aside from being an insult to the memory of the non-Jewish holocaust victims (including, but not limited to, gay people, the Roma, those with disabilities, and members of the Jehovah's Witnesses), this is another example of the Trump administration weaponizing allegations of antisemitism in ways that are likely to ultimately hurt the Jewish community.
As a long-time sustaining member of the USHMM, I’m horrified…including Charlie Kirk in a statement is ghastly. We have to demand clarification.
My grandfather, a Lutheran German, was a political prisoner of the Nazis. After he spoke publicly against Hitler in 1938, he was arrested and disappeared. My grandmother received a letter in 1941 saying he had died in Mauthausen Concentration Camp. He was most certainly a Holocaust victim and his tragic disappearance and death trickled down to me as generational trauma. He is also my inspiration as I stand up now for democracy and refuse to be silenced. Never again.
I have visited the USHMM on many occasions, worked with the staff to develop a graduate level course for senior military, and government people, have the upmost respect for the staff, and have chatted with several Holocaust survivors. I have never gotten the impression that any of these people believed that the suffering of the Holocaust was confined to Jewish people. Unless they have been removed recently, several exhibits present atrocities committed against other people groups. It is saddening, and concerning that authoritarian atrocities are being marginalized by those with extreme views who seek to exploit the suffering of their people for political manipulation. In effect, this is like they are saying, “This is our suffering and you can’t have it.” Authoritarian regimes target and oppress specific populations, casting blame on them. Any population that provides resistance to their oppression is also targeted. The comparisons between that which is happening now in the US with Nazi Germany are accurate and appropriate. Thank you for this powerful discussion.
Jennifer, you are such a good writer and really how can we learn from history if we are not allowed to point out when it rhymes with current events. Also, I watched The Librarians last night, the parallels are chilling.
The man responsible for "Godwin's Law" (that online arguments eventually devolve into someone calling someone else a Nazi), Mike Godwin, said in 2024 that yes, trump is acting like hitler.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/20/godwins-law-trump-hitler-comparisons/
Excellent!!
Ms. Stone, I too have been hit by the Jewish community for an op-ed I wrote in the LA Times comparing modern factory farming to concentration camps during the Holocaust. It was syndicated nationwide, and I got hundreds of angry letters. The gist of the criticisms was that I was diminishing the Holocaust, which of course was not my intent. We need to LEARN from the Holocaust and see where in today’s world it provides warning signs. And indeed with Trump and his goons, we see that.
Thanks for highlighting this issue.