The Perils of Silence
Yesterday, January 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day that serves as a reminder of the dangers of silence and complicity. Most neighbors of the Jewish people were silent and looked away when the SS rounded up Jewish families to be murdered. Were they afraid or did they trust Hitler because he was making Germany great again? Did they believe the propaganda that Jews were poisoning the blood of Germany? Perhaps it was the antisemitic racist propaganda that caused the people to think it didn’t matter, that Jews were less than human. They believed the removal of the Jewish people was an act of self-defense.
Trump is following Hitler’s playbook by demonizing immigrants, claiming that immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of America’. He calls immigrants vermin, animals, snakes, rapists, criminals, and not human. He lies that ICE is defending America from these dangerous invaders. When he repeats lies often enough, people start believing the lies. Another often repeated lie is that immigrants commit more crimes than native Americans. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/blog/immigrants-do-not-commit-more-crimes-in-the-us-despite-fearmongering/
The real truth is that immigrants are vulnerable human beings, who crossed borders because economic systems, political violence, and family survival left them no other choice. The other truth is that America needs immigrants. Families, industries, and entire communities depend on their labor and their lives. Immigrants make America the wonderful melting pot it is.
I wonder, if the Holocaust would have been prevented if Minnesotans lived in Germany during the late 1930’s protecting their Jewish neighbors. Our lying administration and so many social media posts vilify the protestors, blaming them, for the unrest in the Twin Cities instead of blaming the masked, heavily armed terrorists abusing and kidnapping Minnesotans. Even during these scary times in Minnesota, Minnesotans are courageous as they band together to protect their neighbors. In addition to showing up faithfully for massive protests in subzero temperatures, they use whistles to warn immigrants when ICE is in the vicinity and bring food to those in hiding. Most importantly though, they witness and document ICE’s lawlessness and cruelties using their cell phones.
They are not so much protesters as protectors. They are choosing to be their brother’s keeper. I admire their resolve to keep the protests peaceful, knowing that Trump is hoping to foment riots so he can declare martial law and cancel the midterms. Alex Pretti wasn’t brandishing a gun but a camera which might be scarier to the regime than an actual gun. The crimes these thugs are committing are being documented in real time. The people of America see what ICE is doing and they don’t like it.
These are dark days for Americans; we are losing the rule of law and the basic human rights that we have taken for granted. The Supreme Court, radicalized by Christian Nationalism, has given Trump free license to trash our Constitution and our Nation. The Republicans who control both branches of Congress are complicit their cowering silence, enabling Trump to destroy the Republic that Americans have spent years building.
We still have federal courts laboring to uphold the rule of law. Most importantly we have each other. As we applaud and cheer on the courage and love of the Minnesotans, it is essential for all Americans to remain vigilant, tell the truth, and take care of our neighbors no matter what color their skin is, or what papers they carry. Will we be a nation shaped by silence and fear, or rooted in hospitality and justice?
This has been my prayer for the past few years: “Love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss. Truth springs forth from the earth and righteousness looks down from heaven.” Ps 85:10-11
