"I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again." *** "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart".
I wish I shared her optimism. I did when I was her age...
Ah, the innocence of youth. And the kicked-in-the-teeth-once-too-many jaded skepticism of almost 7 decades of life in this unreal-seeming version of America.
[P.S. I have a personal connection to Anne Frank and her diary. A theatrical story for another day.]
I don't remember who noted that Anne Frank may not have thought that "in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart" after she was sent to death camp. But the slaughter of 6 million people because they were Jewish is quite simply a warning that anyone, anywhere, for any reason can be singled out as an enemy to be destroyed.
Yes, on the face of it, I agree. However, after two years of having "genocide" thrown at Israel for defending itself in a war while a blind eye is turned to Hamas, after seeing the quintessential picture of Ann Frank photoshopped into her wearing a keffiyeh, given the incredible rise of antisemitism, I would say that choosing this moment to have a walk-through Anne Frank story is what is peculiar and bizarre. I very much wish it were otherwise.
I also couldn’t help but compare the relative opulence of the annex to what most Gazans are living in right now. This is not in any way said to mitigate the horrors of the Holocaust.
Patricia, I posted later this afternoon, the background that resulted in Hamas. Hope you find it useful. I lived through the events from the 1960s on so they are stories I carry with me, especially Munich and Ramallah.
I find this a dreadful comparison. Just dreadful. My 2 aunts, 2 uncles, grandfather and infant half sister were murdered for being Jews. The ghetto life is unmentionable.
Thank you for that explanation. Without which I was very confused and went in an entirely different mental direction. And I'm totally out of the loop on an Anne Frank keffiyah picture, so my apology for missing that implied reference.
Thanks for responding. I wrote my original response on my phone. Not the best place for context and nuance. If you are not familiar with Dara' Horn’s book People Love Dead Jews (https://www.darahorn.com/book/people-love-dead-jews) or her work in the Atlantic since October 7, take a look.
Because there's some comparison made between Jewish and Palestinian "suffering", I'm including here a timeline of Palestinian terrorism:
Early to mid-20th century
1920–1929: Mandate-era riots: Periods of unrest, including the 1929 Hebron massacre, involved Palestinian Arabs killing dozens of Jews. These events occurred amid growing Arab opposition to Jewish immigration and British rule in Palestine.
1936–1939: The Arab Revolt: An uprising against British rule and Zionist settlement included organized violence against Jews and British forces. It was orchestrated by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem.
1948–1964: Fedayeen raids: Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the displacement of Palestinians (the Nakba), "fedayeen" (commando) groups based in surrounding Arab states launched raids and sabotage missions into Israel, leading to retaliatory strikes by Israel.
1960s–1980s: The rise of the PLO and international attacks
1964: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) formed: An umbrella group for various Palestinian factions, the PLO's early charter called for the destruction of Israel. While Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat, became the dominant faction, more radical groups also operated under the PLO banner.
1970: Dawson's Field hijackings and Black September: The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked four airliners and blew them up in Jordan, triggering a civil war that led to the PLO's expulsion to Lebanon.
1972: Munich Olympics massacre: The "Black September" organization, a PLO faction, took 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage. All hostages were killed during a standoff with German police.
1974: Ma'alot massacre: Members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) took more than 100 people hostage at a school in Ma'alot, Israel. An Israeli rescue attempt resulted in the deaths of 21 schoolchildren.
1978: Coastal Road massacre: Fatah militants based in Lebanon hijacked a bus, killing 37 Israelis, including 13 children.
First Intifada and Oslo Accords era (1987–2000)
1987–1993: First Intifada: A mass Palestinian uprising began in the occupied territories, characterized initially by civil resistance but also involving stone-throwing and Molotov cocktail attacks. It led to the formation of Hamas.
1989: First Palestinian suicide attack: A member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) forced a bus into a ravine, killing 16 people. Suicide bombings, often targeting civilians, became a more regular tactic during this period.
1993–2000: Post-Oslo suicide bombings: In response to the Oslo Accords, which initiated a peace process, Islamist groups like Hamas and PIJ escalated suicide bombings to derail the negotiations. High-profile attacks included the Dizengoff Center massacre in 1996.
Second Intifada (2000–2005)
2000–2005: Second (Al-Aqsa) Intifada: Following the breakdown of peace talks, a more violent uprising began. Palestinian violence included a significant increase in suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians on buses, in restaurants, and other public places.
2000: Ramallah lynching: A Palestinian mob lynched two Israeli reservists who had accidentally entered Ramallah, drawing international outrage due to its brutality.
2002: Passover massacre: A Hamas suicide bomber killed 30 Israeli civilians celebrating Passover at a hotel in Netanya, triggering Israel's Operation Defensive Shield.
Post-Second Intifada (2005–2023)
2006: Hamas wins legislative elections: Hamas, which continues to refuse to recognize Israel, wins control of the Palestinian Legislative Council. After a conflict with rival Fatah, Hamas takes full control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
2008–2009: Gaza War (Operation Cast Lead): Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas, fire over 750 rockets and mortars into southern Israel during the conflict.
2021: Gaza-Israel conflict: Triggered by events in Jerusalem, Hamas and PIJ fire thousands of rockets toward Israeli cities, killing Israeli civilians and injuring hundreds.
Current conflict (2023–present)
October 7, 2023: Hamas-led attack on Israel: Hamas and other Palestinian factions launched a surprise attack from Gaza, killing over 1,100 Israeli civilians, soldiers, and foreign nationals. They also took hundreds of hostages.
March 2025: Israel renews Gaza offensive: After a short ceasefire, Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza, responding to Hamas's rejection of a new proposal.
September 2025: Bus stop shooting: Palestinian gunmen kill six people at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
I'm sorry that my comment was interpreted that way. I didn't say anything about who was responsible. But I would hope we could agree that it's a horrendous situation.
"I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again." *** "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart".
I wish I shared her optimism. I did when I was her age...
Ah, the innocence of youth. And the kicked-in-the-teeth-once-too-many jaded skepticism of almost 7 decades of life in this unreal-seeming version of America.
[P.S. I have a personal connection to Anne Frank and her diary. A theatrical story for another day.]
That is because you have been taught morality and do possess a moral compass.
So many that we have elected into positions of power do not have what you possess.
We need to correct this, soon!!
I don't remember who noted that Anne Frank may not have thought that "in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart" after she was sent to death camp. But the slaughter of 6 million people because they were Jewish is quite simply a warning that anyone, anywhere, for any reason can be singled out as an enemy to be destroyed.
I wish this would be a traveling exhibit, with a stop at the Holocaust Center in Michigan.
The Center said "The exhibit will likely travel, but we don’t know where it will go yet."
You can check for updates at the Center for Jewish History | www.cjh.org.
It upset me to see this title so I waited to read it later. So sad yet a different way to see a family in history.
Yep, confirmation that people love dead Jews.
What a peculiar and bizarre comment.
Yes, on the face of it, I agree. However, after two years of having "genocide" thrown at Israel for defending itself in a war while a blind eye is turned to Hamas, after seeing the quintessential picture of Ann Frank photoshopped into her wearing a keffiyeh, given the incredible rise of antisemitism, I would say that choosing this moment to have a walk-through Anne Frank story is what is peculiar and bizarre. I very much wish it were otherwise.
I also couldn’t help but compare the relative opulence of the annex to what most Gazans are living in right now. This is not in any way said to mitigate the horrors of the Holocaust.
Whatever the Gazans are going through (and that is unclear for many reasons) is on Hamas. If you're are saying otherwise you are playing DARVO.
Patricia, I posted later this afternoon, the background that resulted in Hamas. Hope you find it useful. I lived through the events from the 1960s on so they are stories I carry with me, especially Munich and Ramallah.
I can’t find the post you refer to, but I am very familiar with all the history.
I find this a dreadful comparison. Just dreadful. My 2 aunts, 2 uncles, grandfather and infant half sister were murdered for being Jews. The ghetto life is unmentionable.
Thank you for that explanation. Without which I was very confused and went in an entirely different mental direction. And I'm totally out of the loop on an Anne Frank keffiyah picture, so my apology for missing that implied reference.
Thanks for responding. I wrote my original response on my phone. Not the best place for context and nuance. If you are not familiar with Dara' Horn’s book People Love Dead Jews (https://www.darahorn.com/book/people-love-dead-jews) or her work in the Atlantic since October 7, take a look.
There is a book titled "People Love Dead Jews" by Dara Horn. I am sure Patricia Munro is referencing it.
Thank you. Yes, we continued our discussion and she so informed me.
Because there's some comparison made between Jewish and Palestinian "suffering", I'm including here a timeline of Palestinian terrorism:
Early to mid-20th century
1920–1929: Mandate-era riots: Periods of unrest, including the 1929 Hebron massacre, involved Palestinian Arabs killing dozens of Jews. These events occurred amid growing Arab opposition to Jewish immigration and British rule in Palestine.
1936–1939: The Arab Revolt: An uprising against British rule and Zionist settlement included organized violence against Jews and British forces. It was orchestrated by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem.
1948–1964: Fedayeen raids: Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the displacement of Palestinians (the Nakba), "fedayeen" (commando) groups based in surrounding Arab states launched raids and sabotage missions into Israel, leading to retaliatory strikes by Israel.
1960s–1980s: The rise of the PLO and international attacks
1964: Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) formed: An umbrella group for various Palestinian factions, the PLO's early charter called for the destruction of Israel. While Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat, became the dominant faction, more radical groups also operated under the PLO banner.
1970: Dawson's Field hijackings and Black September: The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked four airliners and blew them up in Jordan, triggering a civil war that led to the PLO's expulsion to Lebanon.
1972: Munich Olympics massacre: The "Black September" organization, a PLO faction, took 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage. All hostages were killed during a standoff with German police.
1974: Ma'alot massacre: Members of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) took more than 100 people hostage at a school in Ma'alot, Israel. An Israeli rescue attempt resulted in the deaths of 21 schoolchildren.
1978: Coastal Road massacre: Fatah militants based in Lebanon hijacked a bus, killing 37 Israelis, including 13 children.
First Intifada and Oslo Accords era (1987–2000)
1987–1993: First Intifada: A mass Palestinian uprising began in the occupied territories, characterized initially by civil resistance but also involving stone-throwing and Molotov cocktail attacks. It led to the formation of Hamas.
1989: First Palestinian suicide attack: A member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) forced a bus into a ravine, killing 16 people. Suicide bombings, often targeting civilians, became a more regular tactic during this period.
1993–2000: Post-Oslo suicide bombings: In response to the Oslo Accords, which initiated a peace process, Islamist groups like Hamas and PIJ escalated suicide bombings to derail the negotiations. High-profile attacks included the Dizengoff Center massacre in 1996.
Second Intifada (2000–2005)
2000–2005: Second (Al-Aqsa) Intifada: Following the breakdown of peace talks, a more violent uprising began. Palestinian violence included a significant increase in suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians on buses, in restaurants, and other public places.
2000: Ramallah lynching: A Palestinian mob lynched two Israeli reservists who had accidentally entered Ramallah, drawing international outrage due to its brutality.
2002: Passover massacre: A Hamas suicide bomber killed 30 Israeli civilians celebrating Passover at a hotel in Netanya, triggering Israel's Operation Defensive Shield.
Post-Second Intifada (2005–2023)
2006: Hamas wins legislative elections: Hamas, which continues to refuse to recognize Israel, wins control of the Palestinian Legislative Council. After a conflict with rival Fatah, Hamas takes full control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
2008–2009: Gaza War (Operation Cast Lead): Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas, fire over 750 rockets and mortars into southern Israel during the conflict.
2021: Gaza-Israel conflict: Triggered by events in Jerusalem, Hamas and PIJ fire thousands of rockets toward Israeli cities, killing Israeli civilians and injuring hundreds.
Current conflict (2023–present)
October 7, 2023: Hamas-led attack on Israel: Hamas and other Palestinian factions launched a surprise attack from Gaza, killing over 1,100 Israeli civilians, soldiers, and foreign nationals. They also took hundreds of hostages.
March 2025: Israel renews Gaza offensive: After a short ceasefire, Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza, responding to Hamas's rejection of a new proposal.
September 2025: Bus stop shooting: Palestinian gunmen kill six people at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Thanks for sharing this it’s a tribute to her humanity.
I'm sorry that my comment was interpreted that way. I didn't say anything about who was responsible. But I would hope we could agree that it's a horrendous situation.