According to a recent report from ZENIT (http://www.zenit.org/article-25888?l=english), many Jewish people are upset with Pope Benedict for not going far enough in denouncing the Holocaust in recent presentations. When the Pope said it was horrific that millions of Jews were killed, some people expressed outrage that he didn't say 6 million Jews were murdered. Some even questioned whether or not the Pope was a willing member of the Hitler Youth. I hope His Holiness doesn't respond as I did to a situation 25 years ago.
While in college, I worked in an office that produced videos for use in classrooms. I had a good relationship with my boss. I said something to which she replied "Oh, you are so German". Actually, I am half-German/half-Irish. However, I do have a very German last name.
A new employee whom I had never met or to whom I had talked, a Jewish man, overheard my boss' comment. He immediately went into a rant about how my ancestors murdered his ancestors. People in the office where aghast and did not know what to do. Unfortunately, this man would not let up. For about 15 minutes, he kept hounding me about my ancestors killing his ancestors. Finally, I reached the boiling point. I just wanted him to leave me alone so I could do my work. I finally said, "If what you say were true and your ancestors were anything like you, then my ancestors would have done the world a favor." Well, he stopped his rant. I was just somewhat sorry about saying what I did. I certainly abhor the Nazi atrocities. Some of my relatives, like many German citizens, may have very well paricipated in some of the atrocities. We cannot and should not forget the Holocaust. The Holocaust is a historical and society weight than can hold us back or pull us forward.
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