Genocide

Genocide
Main Entry: geno·cide
Pronunciation: \ˈje-nə-ˌsīd\
Function: noun
Date: 1944
: The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group

This is the definition of genocide according to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, it seems simple and does not seem to fully dawn on you the actual meaning until you read it over several times. To think just one word could hold so much horrific history is hard it wrap your head around. I find it hard to grasp or even believe that anyone could ban together and annihilate an entire group of people, but that is what happened in 1933. I see two parts of genocide that I would like to address the first: who participates in genocide and what does it take? And the second: what kind of emotional state the people who are being eradicated in? I will be using Night by Ellie Wiesel as a guide to help me better understand what it was like to be a person of Jewish faith during the Holocaust.
To participate in genocide, one must be weak minded to be persuaded to participate in mass murder and even more feeble to be persuaded that it is right and essential for some cause or another. What does it take to knowingly participate? Perhaps it might take a lot of convincing and false studies, or maybe threats. Can people be participating in genocide and not even realize they are? For example a country might sit back and ignore what is happening in its neighboring country is that participation though? Or is a solider a participant if he’s just following orders or is it the one giving the orders? Both? These are all difficult questions and they are all subject to a difference of opinion.

The way I see it, the Jews in the Holocaust went through many phases as in Ellie Wiesel’s book night at first they were in denial that it was even happening saying “oh the Nazis will never make it this far” and again when German soldiers began to walk their streets and move into their homes but even then they started to except and even like them, saying they were polite house guests. Then when they were moved into the ghettos they felt secure like they were safer in their entirely Jewish community. But the Stockholm syndrome really started to set in when the police told them they were being deported not only did they pack their own bags and go willingly. They even had a chance to escape when there was no guard and with a safe place lined up they still decided to stay and leave with the last transport. While on the train the Jews start to realize they are in serious trouble with crammed cars, little food and water, and uncomfortable unsanitary conditions. When the woman on the train starts screaming they become uneasy, even frightened so in a situation where tensions are already running high they take a situation where they have no control and try to gain some control by beating the woman. When they arrive at the camp and discover they might die no one try’s to run they all seem to be internally defeated and all they hope for is time to pray and to die before family. But while inside the camp they still try to help each other by providing family members with portions of food rations and false hope of good news. Then self preservation kicks in and they all attempt to do anything to avoid transport with the thinking that the evil you know is always better.

In conclusion those who participate in genocide are generally weak minded like sheep being herded by media propaganda and orders of superiors and those who the acts of genocide are being committed against go through many phases from denial, grief, and even acceptance. Is there some way we can ever understand why genocide is really committed? Maybe. I think the philosopher Thomas Hobbes had the best insights on human nature and that is that people are naturally evil and selfish and if left to their own devices will run wild or at least this seems the case on the subject of genocide.