NP - W von Braun on Nazi Hunter doc

[David Morris]

I just ran across this in Charles Pierce's ever-excellent blog.  I thought
it might add to this thread:

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a39006/bill-oreilly-reagan-bush-history/

"Long ago, Harry Truman warned us that, "The only thing new in the world is
the history that you do not know." History is the most important tool that
we have in the never-ending work of building a self-governing political
commonwealth. It is also the most dangerous tool we have if it is not used
wisely, or if it is converted into an anesthetic that deadens us to the
horrors and neglect of which the country is capable. It is best suited as a
defense behind which we can bravely look at our shortcomings and the
terrible things done in our name, and make sure that they do not happen
again. History, in the long run, should be nothing more or less than
justice."

David Morris

On Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 9:04 AM, rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi. thx for responding. sometimes I think I go too far and tick people off
> which I dont want to do.
>
> I was speaking of average people, many families with dead relatives and
> such.
> There wouldnt be much enthusiam for Korea a few yrs later. govt may have
> had a hardon but I dont think the avg joe and jill did.
>
> All I'm saying is one can be disappointed or horrified or angry at the
> choices people make but I dont feel it's in my power to judge
> beyond that when looking at past events. I just read Black Earth by
> Timothy Snyder, Poland from 41-44 in particular shows the limits
> of individual action (most bad but many instances of huge risks taken by
> some to save their fellow man in an inhuman environment).
> That's an extreme example, of course admittedly different from labor wars.
> But I still think fear is a strong motivator.
> That's not an excuse for those who wish to do harm or in their
> indifference, greed what have you do harm by doing nothing
> I'm trying to understand (why else read history) why people do or dont do
> the things they do or don't do.
> Context is everything. We're all aware of the scourge of right-wing group
> think. I was once among a crowd of a racist mob in Brooklyn looking for my
> sister
> who went down to a demonstration (Bensonhust 1989) by mostly black people
> protesting over the murder of black kid by a white kid from the
> neighborhood. It was ugly
> and scary, like a physical force of evil, a presence. I ddint find my
> sister but she had the courage to march against those ignorant fools
> holding up watermelon signs and such. Many in the neighborhood didnt want
> to get involved or didnt care. But some did.
> But beyond that personal episode, how can history not be distant or
> "safe"?
>
> rich
>
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 3:20 AM, matthew cissell <mccissell at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Asking how history works is not asking how people act, work and
>> operate. Nation weary of war? Surely you are thinking of some other
>> conflict or country. At the end of WWII the US certainly was not
>> experiencing the kind of burnout that has come with other engagements
>> eg Viet Nam.
>>
>> Although your name is Rich, I have no reason to think you a dick or
>> anything else; in fact I've enjoyed your posts. Maybe my comment
>> seemed flippant, but the fact is that your line about "you can't come
>> down on average people" THAT doesnt cut it, bud. It was thanks to
>> "average people" and their absolute apathy or at least very well
>> feigned indifference that led to Auschwitz and before that to smaller
>> scenes of brutality and inhuman treatment of others. Ever heard of the
>> Herrin Massacre?
>>
>> The lesson is: don't lend your hand to raise no flag upon a ship of
>> fools. It could all happen again and blaming the Powers-that-be for
>> their nefarious scheming and brilliant manipulation of the masses
>> through the media is not an excuse for the average man's participation
>> in the devil's dance. Yes, narratives can sell very well but only to
>> the right buyer. (Have you forgotten that the price of liberty is
>> eternal vigilance? Not just fear of Them but real frightening
>> knowledge that we can become THem.) Perhaps you missed my point that
>> many people were positively inclined toward Hitler and once he was
>> painted as the Big Baddy that duped everyone with his Evil crew people
>> were disposed to "turning the page".
>>
>>    As for my stance, I like to think that the idea (reports of Nazi
>> scientists working for the US) would shock me into responding the way
>> Einstein and others did, but that didn't help much. I don't want to
>> play at whose-side-are-you-on? Like Woody I would prefer to use a
>> guitar to rid the world of fascists and its minions.
>>
>>    I don't think history has a safe distance, it's always there ready
>> to leap - ask the folks in Kosovo, however you care to pronounce it.
>>
>>   Oh the other lesson from WWII and a number of other episodes is that
>> anbody can do wonderful things. Some helped save jews or fleeing
>> spanish Republicans; in my own family somebody decided to adopt a
>> young Cherokee girl that was left orphan on the Trail of Tears. There
>> is a context of choice, but is there not also a choice of context?
>>
>> ciao
>>  mc otis
>>
>> >> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>
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