The Travesty of the Holocaust Essay Example for Free

The Travesty of the Holocaust Essay Since the inception of history, man has sought and ostracized that which is unfamiliar. Ignorance is the root of the beginning of evil and so it was with the Holocaust. I will say the Holocaust as atrocious as it is, is not the first genocide nor has it been the last. The world still watches on, as though human beings are but fodder, as people continue to be executed for not belonging to a particular tribe. It is of Africa, I speak genocide continues into even this our modern age. I also cannot help but think of the Native Americans, on a continent where thousands of nations once thrived. Now there are but a scant handful. Many nations passed from this earth to extinction. Holocaust, genocide terrible, monstrous evil brought into the world. The problem is crushing such evil. The Talmud teaches that, to do nothing in the face of evil, that person is as surely guilty as the assailants. The blood of many is on all of our hands. Christian Theology and Anti-Judaism Since the inception of Christianity there has been friction between Judaism and Christianity. These issues were addressed in the New Testament beginning with Acts and continuing with the letters of Paul. The basic issues were whether Jesus was the Son of God and whether Christians had to follow Judaic law. The first problem created a definite chasm between Jews and Christians. Christians accepting the deity of Christ. While Jews rejected this. The second question regarding Judaic law was ultimately rejected by the Christian church. And the two faiths parted ways. Shakespeare portrayed Jews as misers, in the Merchant of Venice. So the conflict between Jews and Christians has a long history. In some way perhaps, the Holocaust was the culmination of this hatred. But somehow, I do not think so. Humans have a tendency to turn from helping others different from themselves. I think one of the saddest parts of the Holocaust is the denial of common, ordinary Germans who knew, who had to know of the atrocities around them and did nothing. The insanity of Hitler is one thing. But for ordinary people to allow such atrocities, I cannot understand. Americans are just as guilty word of the camps was known in the beginning and America chose to do nothing. I am reminded of a quote from Elise Wiesel: It happened yesterday, eternities ago, a young Jewish boy discovered the kingdome of the night. I remembered his bewilderment. I remember his anguish. It all happened so fast. The decrees. The deportation. The sealed cattle car. The fiery alter upon which the history of our people and the future of mankind were meant to be sacrificed. I remember: He asked his father. Can this be true? This is the 20th century not the Middle Ages. Who would allow such crimes to be committed? How could the world remain silent? Indeed, how does the world remain silent still? Surely, this is the ultimate sin, the ultimate blasphemous act against God. People see. People hear. People know. And people stand passively by and do nothing. Shoah Of course, Shoah in Hebrew means Holocaust. Fortunately it is also the name of a project began by Steven Speilberg. The Shoah is a remarkable project to help preserve the atrocities of Nazism and the Holocaust. The Shoah project helps to preserve the memories of survivors who are aging. The Shoah Project helps to keep what the Nazis did a hateful crime and not to lessen these survivors memories to mere books. I know that part of the goal is to keep such things from happening again. But this is not the case. People are still executed for the color of their skin, their beliefs. Today, those of Arabic descent are now at the brunt of others who think themselves better or superior. The lessons learned should keep humanity from allowing genocide. Yet, over 200,000 Africans have been executed because they are of a different tribe. Millions more are in refugee camps hoping and waiting to escape the horrors of this war. Little children have been macheted and lost their limbs. The Holocaust should not fade from our memories, ever. Mans capability of terrible horror and to preserve the stories, the message of the Holocaust is preserved. There are those who would want to erase the holocaust from memory, as surely as slavery is still denied. There is no excuse for such behavior, it is left to the educated to keep the memory and to assure that the atrocities of history are not forgotten. Every generation can benefit from the Shoah project. Antisemitism is troublesome, because there are people who have the audacity to claim that the Holocaust never happened. Unfortunately, ignorance is the root of this disease and as sad as it is, ignorance will remain a part of humanity. There is also this strange need, want of humans to think themselves superior. The root of this being that people feel inferior and so must lower another to make themselves feel better. Curable, yes. Likely, no. I do not believe that there is any excuse for antisemitism or Anti-Judaism. The Jewish culture has enriched our lives, even though people often do not appreciate all that Jewish culture has to offer. Unfortunately, there is no reason to ever take another human being regardless of race, religion, or any other reason for granted. Jewish people have contributed greatly to our culture. Yet, their accomplishments are kept quiet out of fear or shame. A recent example, is the newly elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. His mother is Jewish and because a persons Jewishness is proven along the line of the mother (because ones mother can be denied). This man hid a great and powerful culture. The Jews are not the only ones guilty of such behavior many other immigrants have done the same, such as those of Irish or Italian descent. Anti-Judaism may well play a part in keeping the Shoah program from being successful. One problem is that the Holocaust was not wholly against the Jews. Others also suffered and died at the hands of the Nazi regime homosexuals, the mentally ill, gypsies, and other races. Russians were also exterminated in Nazi camps. It is these people that may are not recognized or remembered. In no way should the perils of the Jewish experience be downplayed. Yet the Jewish people should also play a role in helping to recall those who were not Jewish and who were also murdered. I think resentment builds when the Holocaust is treated as if those of Judaic descent were the only ones to suffer. Helen Keller once said, The world is full of suffering. If nothing else perhaps the fact that being human is to suffer, may be something that could bring people together instead of separating them. The Nazi Pogrom and Christianity It is unfortunate, but albeit true. Almost the same type of Antisemitism was displayed during the Passion of the Christ. Even the Catholic church in turning a blind eye away from the Jews during the Holocaust, agreed with the premise. Jews portrayed as the murderers of Christ. The irony being if Christ had not been martyred, then Jesus could have hardly been represented as the Son of God or Messiah. Unfortunately this was the connection Germans and many Christians made to justify the holocaust against the Jews. Intellectual theology, I do not believe can make the argument. However, in the era of the 30s and 40s portraying the Jews as Christ killers was an important piece of acceptable propaganda. This theme did crop up again in the 80s when The Temptation of Christ, Martin Scorsces depiction of Christ was brought to the theaters. The Conservative Christian right rallied and so began movements to keep people from seeing the movie. In 2004, Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ, would also bring a wave of antisemitism. I believe those who have a tendency toward antisemitism would use these as a further excuse to justify hatred. The Jewish people were portrayed as monstrous. Supposed medical research supported the differences between Jews and a normal human being. This seems to be a standard practice when a race or culture is demonized for extinction. The Indians were portrayed as heathen savages, incapable of living among the white men. Africans were depicted as children that needed to be taken care of and sheltered. Jews are depicted as being selfish, miserly, and somehow less than human. By making the other race or ethnicity sub-human their extermination becomes somehow easier. For if one is not fully human, but beneath humanity then isnt the world better off with the purge of these sub-humans? As Americans, we see this de-humanization process being carried against immigrants. Hispanics are described as parasites somehow taking advantage of the American people. Historically this has been the portrayal of immigrants throughout American history, at least. The Irish, the Chinese, any person considered non-native to the Americas have been portrayed as sub-human and unworthy of settlement in Northern America. Deuteronomy and Jeremiah Throughout the Old Testament God entreats, His people to remember. To remember what it is to be enslaved. What it is to be free. These are the foundations of human nature. To suffer. To remember. To tell the story, lest it be forgotten. The verses from Deuteronomy remind the Jewish people of their once slavery to Egypt and their journey out of slavery. Neither of these experiences were not pleasant, however ultimately it is Gods faithfulness and mercy that prevails through every tribulation. Jeremiah, is a bit more difficult to interpret, unless it is tied to the Kaballah. The Kaballah, entreats people to remember and live up to the best of the person who is gone from this world. In this context, the quote in Jeremiah makes a little more sense, again there is the promise of Adonai, to restore his people to their proper status. Conclusion I am reminded of the quote from Hosea 6. 1,2: Come, let us return to Adonai. He has rent us and he will heal us; he has struck us and he will bind up our wounds. I do not know exactly why this verse brings me great, personal comfort. To me, it does not say to me that Adonai has caused the suffering, but that suffering has happened and that the Lord will restore my or your or our suffering and healing will occur. In being part of this course and participating in the Shoah project I feel as though any loss to humanity is a personal one. All of us are less when people are dehumanized and caused to suffer. I do not believe that the Shoah project is not just a trip to the past. It is far more complicated and deserving of our attention. The world should continue to remember the suffering of a people merely due to belief. it would be far better if such lessons prompted us to right the wrongs in this the 21st century. Our humanity causes us to be responsible to and for one another.

Female Deceit and Gender Bias in Death :: Feminism Feminist Papers

Female Deceit and Gender Bias in Death Death is the end to the natural cycle of life and is represented as dark, melancholic and even menacing. The underworld is depicted as a murky and sinister realm where the dead are trapped in a world of eternal darkness. Ancient drama, however, defies the conventional perceptions and representations of death. Despite the foreboding associated with it, characters in ancient drama embrace death in its frightening glory, rather than face the repercussions of their actions, especially when their honor and pride are at stake. Deceit is also an integral part of ancient drama and characters, particularly women, fall prey to it and unwittingly unleash chaos that more often that, negatively impacts the lives of the characters. This paper demonstrates how gender biases can be interpreted from the depiction of death and the characters’ justifications of it in two of Sophocles’ plays – Ajax and Women of Trachis and also demonstrates how female deception le ads to the death of the principal character(s). Interestingly, the concepts of death and deceit are intertwined. Deceit often leads to death and illustrates gender bias in even the portrayal of death. The woman’s suicide is almost always portrayed as the coward’s way out of a difficult situation, whereas the man embraces death in order to keep intact his pride and glory, being even braver in death than in life. In both instances of male and female death, female deception plays a vital role and the woman is frequently responsible for creating the unsavory situation. Warrior pride plays a vital role in Ajax, eventually propelling the hero to his death. Ajax is portrayed as an accomplished and mighty warrior, eulogized by even his worst enemy, Odysseus, as â€Å"The bravest man I ever saw / except for Achilles, the best and bravest who ever came to Troy† (Aj. 66, 83-85). Ajax’s whole sense of self is shattered in one swift moment of induced madness by Athena. She uses her divine powers and tricks him into confusing sheep as member of his army. Ajax seeking revenge on his army, slaughters the sheep, believing them to be the generals of his army and their followers, who had wronged him.

Eco-tourism

Eco-tourism is more than a catch phrase for nature loving travel and recreation. Eco-tourism is consecrated for preserving and sustaining the diversity of the world's natural and cultural environments. It accommodates and entertains visitors in a way that is minimally intrusive or destructive to the environment and sustains & supports the native cultures in the locations it is operating in. Responsibility of both travellers and service providers is the genuine meaning for eco-tourism. Eco-tourism also endeavours to encourage and support the diversity of local economies for which the tourism-related income is important. With support from tourists, local services and producers can compete with larger, foreign companies and local families can support themselves. Besides all these, the revenue produced from tourism helps and encourages governments to fund conservation projects and training programs. Saving the environment around you and preserving the natural luxuries and forest life, that's what eco-tourism is all about. Whether it's about a nature camp or organizing trekking trips towards the unspoilt and inaccessible regions, one should always keep in mind not to create any mishap or disturbance in the life cycle of nature. Eco-tourism focuses on local cultures, wilderness adventures, volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on our vulnerable planet. It is typically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible Eco-tourism includes programs that minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, initiatives by hospitality providers to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water reuse, and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities are an integral part of Eco-tourism. Historical, biological and cultural conservation, preservation, sustainable development etc. are some of the fields closely related to Eco-Tourism. Many professionals have been involved in formulating and developing eco-tourism policies. They come from the fields of Geographic Information Systems, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Photography, Marine Biology and Oceanography, National and State Park Management, Environmental Sciences, Women in Development, Historians and Archaeologists, etc. Eco-tourism is considered the fastest growing market in the tourism industry, according to the World Tourism Organization with an annual growth rate of 5% worldwide and representing 6% of the world gross domestic product, 11. 4% of all consumer spending – not a market to be taken lightly. What is Eco-tourism? Fundamentally, eco-tourism means making as little environmental impact as possible and helping to sustain the indigenous populace, thereby encouraging the preservation of wildlife and habitats when visiting a place. This is responsible form of tourism and tourism development, which encourages going back to natural products in every aspect of life. It is also the key to sustainable ecological development. The International Eco-tourism Society defines eco-tourism as â€Å"responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. This means that those who implement and participate in Eco-tourism activities should follow the following principles: Minimize impact Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts Provide direct financial benefits for conservation Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate Support international human rights and labour agreements Aware of the Environment – Today the â€Å"Green Laws† of conservation are making people aware of how man and the environment can live symbiotically for more time to come and eco-tourism is the only way to maximize the economic, environmental and social benefits of tourism. Everyone is a stakeholder in the process and we clearly need to avoid our past shortcomings and negative impact that they have had. In India too the movement is gathering momentum with more and more travel and travel related organisation's are addressing the needs of the eco-tourists and promoting eco-tourism in the country. Some basic do's and don'ts of eco-tourism are listed below: Do's Carry back all non-degradable litter such as empty bottles, tins, plastic bags etc. These must not litter the environment or be buried. They must be disposed in municipal dustbins only. Observe the sanctity of holy sites, temples and local cultures. Cut noise pollution. Do not blare aloud radios, tape recorders or other electronic entertainment equipment in nature resorts, sanctuaries and wildlife parks. In case temporary toilets are set-up near campsites, after defecation, cover with mud or sand. Make sure that the spot is at least 30 meters away from the water source. Respect people's privacy while taking photographs. Ask for prior permission before taking a photograph. Don'ts Do not take away flora and fauna in the forms of cuttings, seeds or roots. It is illegal, especially in the Himalayas. The environment is really delicate in this region and the bio-diversity of the region has to be protected at all costs. Do not use pollutants such as detergent, in streams or springs while washing and bathing. Do not use wood as fuel to cook food at the campsite. Do not leave cigarettes butts or make open fires in the forests. Do not consume aerated drinks, alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant and throw bottles in the wild. Do not tempt the locals, especially children by offering them foodstuff or sweets. Respect local traditions. Polythene and plastics are non biodegradable and unhealthy for the environment and must not be used and littered. As a traveller, you will have an impact on the environment and culture of the place you are visiting. Here are some rules of thumb to make this impact positive! Golden Rules When You Travel Learn about your destination before you get there. Read guidebooks, travel articles, histories, and/or novels by local authors and pay particular attention to customs such as greetings, appropriate dress, eating behaviours, etc. Being sensitive to these customs will increase local acceptance of you as a tourist and enrich your trip. Follow established guidelines. Ask your eco-tour operator, guide and/or the local authorities what their guidelines are for limiting tourism's impact on the environment and local culture. Staying on trails, packing up your trash, and remaining set distances away from wildlife are a few ways to minimize your impact in sensitive areas. Seek out and support locally owned businesses. Support local businesses during your eco-travels to ensure maximum community and conservation benefit from your spending. Eco-Tourism in India is still at a very nascent stage, but there are for sure conscious efforts to save the fragile Himalayan Eco System and culture and heritage of the indigenous people, which is probably the largest concentration in the world. Holiday Camping vis a vis Hotel accommodation are gathering momentum amongst the metropolis traveller. A plethora of holiday camping options are available in the Himalayan belt, where soft adventure tourism is packaged with holiday camping to create an acceptable eco-tourism product. Resorts tucked deep inside jungles of Karnataka, House-boats of Kerala, Tree Houses at Vythiri combine to make India one of the most diverse eco-tourism destinations on the planet.

Antigone by Aristotle - 1684 Words

Antigone Life has a way of becoming complicated. Problems between friends, foes, and even family members develop everyday for people of all walks of life. It is part of human nature to disagree, cause conflict and fight for what we believe in even if that means stepping on someone else’s toes along the way. Aristotle had thoughts on complication dating back to 335 B.C when he wrote Poetics- the earliest surviving work of dramatic theory. In it he analyzed tragedies and theorized that every tragedy falls into two parts- complication and unraveling or denouncement. Sophocles stated, â€Å"By complication I mean all that extends from the beginning of the action to the part which marks the turning-point to good or bad fortune. The Unraveling is†¦show more content†¦His son Creon calls him out on his poor judgment when he yells, â€Å"You have not respect at all if you trample on the rights of the gods† (161). Creon believes his laws are the correct way of ruling, which ultimately leads to his downfall. If he had taken a moment to be more open-minded he may have realized that he could not triumph over the gods and that eventually this complication would unravel for the worse. Antigone’s complications begin to unravel as she becomes more open-minded towards the end of the play. Although she never states that she was in the wrong for going against the king’s wishes, she does begin to show remorse as her death is fast approaching. The fear of her impending death is what made her realize that there is a chance that she could have been in the wrong for burying Polyneices. As she is about to be locked in her stone tomb she cries, â€Å"Very well: if this is the pleasure of the gods, once I suffer I will know that I was wrong† (164). This is the first time we see Antigone waver from her strong headed ideals and intense loyalty that led her to going against the king’s decree. We see her situation continue to unravel as sh e loses composure and begins feeling sorry for herself when she states, â€Å"Now he has taken me by force, he is driving me down unmarried. I’ve had no man, no wedding celebration, shared nothing with a husband, never raised a child†(164). This is a side of Antigone that has notShow MoreRelatedComparing Aristotle s The Play Antigone 1066 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle believed that â€Å"good literature† was composed of 6 different elements. These elements include plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle. Of these 6 elements he believed plot was the most important followed by character. Aristotle defined plot as the story or action of the play. He defined character as all of the qualities readers associate with different individuals in the play. He said that thought was the process in which characters come to decisions. It’s essentiallyRead MoreComparing Aristotle s Tragedy And Antigone 921 Words   |  4 Pages Aristotle wro te his Poetics, or â€Å"makings†, in 350 B.C. It was a reaction to Plato’s Republic, which was his version of Utopia. Aristotle’s Poetics described what he thought were major characteristics of a tragedy and tragic hero. In Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone, Antigone’s two brothers Eteocles and and Polynices have been killed in battle. Creon has ruled that Polynices not be given a proper burial because he thinks he is a traitor. Antigone disobeys his wishes and buries him, so Creon ordersRead MoreAristotle and Nicomachean Ethics1382 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle provides the teleological approach of how to live well in his collection of lectures, Nicomachean Ethics. In Book II of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle presents his definition of virtue in which it is a kind of mean (N.E. 129). According to Aristotle, moral virtue is a means to an end, happiness. By using Sophocless Antigone, I will support Aristotles theory of virtue in which he reasons i t to be a state of character between two extremes. A virtue that remains relevant today as it didRead MoreHamlet is More Tragic than Antigone1065 Words   |  5 Pages Aristotle views tragedy as an â€Å"imitation of an action that is serious,complete and of a certain length and scope in language pleasurably embellished with each kind of artistic ornament† (Gassner 23).The audience should be introduced to a story which, even when merely told, it produces a thrill of horror and pity and a kind of pleasure and is most effective between kindred . Aristotle lays out Aristotle lays out specific ingredients to a tragedy including a plot, characters, thoughtRead MoreAnalysis Of Antigone By Sophocles1074 Words   |  5 PagesSmith Professor Christopher Foster English 1302 01 March 2016 Essay 2: Antigone A hero is a person who shows courage or noble qualities in the face of danger. There are many different types of heroes in literature and media such as superheroes saving the world, or an everyday fireman saving a kitten from a tree. Deriving from Greek literature, tragic heroes are common among early literature. Tragic heroes are defined by Aristotle by the following requirements, they must come from royalty and have excessiveRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1422 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone, the final play in a series including Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, discusses the ideas of leadership, family, and choices. It features two central characters: Antigone, a girl who chooses to illegally bury her brother, and Creon, a king who decrees the burial of the brother to be illegal. Upon the first encounter of the text, it appears that Antigone is the â€Å"hero† of the play, but on further analysis, one realizes that the tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is actually Creon. The ideaRead MoreNicomachean Ethics Essay951 Words   |  4 Pagesbook Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle uses his collection of lecture notes in order to establish the best way to live and acquire happiness. Aristotle says, â€Å"Virtue, then, is a state that decides consisting in a mean, the mean relative to us,.. .It is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency.† The virtues that Aristotle speaks about in Nicomachean Ethics are: bravery, temperance, generosity, magnificence, magnanimity, and mildness. According to Aristotle, in order to live a happyRead MoreEssay on Antigone Is a Tragedy by Aristotles Rules1215 Words   |  5 Pagesare Aristotle’s five rules that are necessary to a tragedy? The play Antigone by Sophocles is considered a tragedy. There are five rules created by Aristotle that classify a tragedy. All plays must have catharsis, a tragic hero, a change in fortune within a character, must be poetic, and happen in one location, in one d ay, and it is all closely related. Two main characters are the king Creon and a girl named Antigone. Antigone is a tragedy because it exhibits and follows all five of Aristotle’s rulesRead MoreThe Individual and the Community963 Words   |  4 Pagesviews he/she will find different definitions from the philosophers on how to live as an individual under a ruler and how a good citizen should be characterized. For example in Antigone a good citizen would not have gone against the law and buried their sibling in one of the philosopher eyes, but in another’s it made Antigone find happiness so the deed would be cleared and would make it ok. A philosopher of Athens named Socrates believed one could only judge him/herself, if he/she knows what is goodRead MoreCreon As A Tragic Hero In SophoclesAntigone1509 Words   |  7 PagesIn Poetics, Aristotle describes a tragic character as someone who experiences an error in judgement, experiences a reversal of fortune due to the error, has an excessive pride, and receives a fate much greater than what is deserved. In Sophocles’ Antigone, many would argue that Creon is the tragic hero of the play. However, he is not alone as the recipient of tragedy. A young woman by the name of Antigone also fits the characteristics for being considered a tragic heroine. A key element in the tragedy