>>> kirsten neilsen <kirsten at infothecary.org> 05/17/99 05:18PM >>>
Charles Brown wrote:
>
> However, Adolph Hitler's high vote count is no indication of a > serious problem of racism in America, for as we know there are > different interpretations of what Hitler represents (sarcasm).
charles, i just can't let that past.
#1 no one on this list has ever suggested that racism isn't a serious problem in America.
Charles: AND the high vote for Hitler is an indication and reflection of it.
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#2 do you think that it just might be possible that most if not all of those who selected hitler did not do so out of admiration? why would they select him, if not out of admiration? perhaps they believe/think/feel that his actions/thoughts/life changed our idea of the humanity/the world so utterly as to make him, his heinous, the person of the century? maybe?
Charles: Probably some had some reason something like what you say. But do you really think ALL of them did ? Naw. And even in the thinking you describe is mixed in a profound ignorance in today's U.S. population of what a serious danger Hitler was. This is in part because the average U.S. education does not delve very deeply into the facts of Hitler and Nazism. There are a number of reasons for this, including that a lot more people would discover that Nazism was part of capitalism , and the opposite of communism, since the Soviet Union was the main target of Nazism. But deeper investigation of Nazism also would have to expose its racism. The U.S.culture today is about playing down the profound importance of racism in Euro/American history altogether.
Then there is the whole frame of mind which is indifferent to giving prominence to such an evil, wrongdoer. What about the children, like Eric Harris, who will not get the subtleties you describe above, and WILL, in their confusion, come to admire Hitler ? Youths who will learn of his racism and fascism, and then imitate those aspects of his actions ? What if it's only 100 such kids ?
To make a long story short, to vote for Hitler in something like this is irresponsible and reckless; and ignorance or indifference to his racism and fascism is a premise to doing so; and ignorance or indifference to racism is typical of racism today.
Charles Brown