Auschwitz 70 Years Later

Many of us were not alive 70 years ago, when a group of Soviet soldiers walked into a camp and found the horrors of what Nazi Germany had done to millions of people, Jews, Gypsies, Gays. They found walking skeletons, men & women starved almost to death. Then and only then did we learn that there were other camps: Auschwitz-Birkenau, Bergen-Belsen, Dauchau[1],  just to name a few of the 20,000[2] camps that Adolf Hitler used to try and wipe out whole races, primarily the Jewish race. I know that my knowledge of this subject is spotty, and not what it should be, but I do know I never want my children to live to see this again.  

Many of us are familiar with the name Anne Frank[3] whose diary was made into a play and movie "The Diary of Anne Frank", which told the story her family that hid in an attic in Amsterdam, during World War II. While many teachers and professors assign this for class, as a "reading/literature" assignment should it be used in a "history" class as a living diary of a young woman's vision of war? The world became familiar with the name Oskar Schindler[4], whom was a ethnic German spy, whom save 1,200 Jewish lives by employing them in his enamelware factory during WWII, his story was told in the movie, "Schindler's List". The first thing that struck me was the photography of this movie (being a photographer it would). But as this movie plays out, it shows the cruelty of the soldiers, the hope of those working in Mr. Schindler's factory, and the resolve of him to "rescue" as many men and women as he could. At the end of the movie, we see the families of the survivors lying stones upon the grave stone of the Schindler's. This touched me more deeply than anything else in the movie, it showed the lives not only that he saved but the families that grew out of his sacrifice. Another name many know, is Elie Wiesel [5], whom survived Auschwitz, went on to write many books including, "Night" which told of his survival at Auschwitz. Mr. Wiesel was awarded many honors including a Nobel Peace Prize, A Congressional Gold Medal, Presidential Medal of Freedom, among many other honors. 

I know that my life has been changed radically after having read some testimonies on file with the USC Shoah Foundation[6]. I also visited a local Jewish Community Center here within my city to ask for a list of reading material, only to find a memorial wall to those whom survived the Holocaust and came to live here in Columbus, OH. That day I was touched by something that I cannot to this day explain.  I find that whenever I hear or read the testimony of those whom lived through the hell of these camps, but went on with their lives because of their faith in God that He would rescue them, that He would make everything "right". How does one have that much faith, when they are in places where so much death was around them. I can only pray that I have one-tenth of their faith daily in my life. 

Have we learned anything from this period of time in our history? I am finding that the answer to this question is, "No", and maybe even a shouting of, "NO!". While we do not have one man, we have thousands trying to rid our world of those whom do not believe as they do, but we allow them to trample countries where Adolf Hitler once before trampled upon them. How can people say in one breath, "Never again," but with the next breath allow themselves to live next door to someone whom openly hates them for their faith. Is it a question of "faith"? Or just a question of "hatred"? While I am taught by my faith not to "hate" anyone, I find myself truly beginning to hate those whom use terror (bombings, be-headings, shootings, etc) to get their way.  

On Tuesday, as our world stops to lay wreaths, bow heads to pray, take time to check out one of the footnotes I have included below. 

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[1]  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/cclist.html

[2]  http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005144
[3]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank
[4]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Schindler
[5]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel

[6]  http://www.ushmm.org/research/research-in-collections/search-the-collections/shoah-foundation 

Child Abuse in the Name of Teleivison

Before I bring this blog forward I need to stress that I am ONLY a parent. Both of my children are considered "gifted". My son was not only a Junior National Rodeo Bull Riding Champion, he is mechanically gifted. What is mechanically gifted? It means that he can look at a schematic/blueprint for an engine or motor and build it. At three years old he took apart his grandpa's front grill, headlamps, and bumpers off his car, not only did he take it apart he put it back together without the help of an adult, other than to tighten all of the screws. He has always been curious as to how things work. Never did I ever get upset when his grades dropped under a "B" because he was always conscious of his grades. He turned thirty this year and I keep wondering where my little boy went. My daughter has a tested IQ of 155. She is a math and language scholar (while I can barely balance my checkbook, she can look at mine and tell me where I have gone wrong, without the aid of calculator). She picks up languages the very first time she hears them and excelled at German in high school. With my daughter school was a huge problem, she was bored during most of her classes which happens. Without a "gifted" program in our district she struggled. When she went to live with her dad in Southwest Missouri, she began following her dream of studying fine art in college. My daughter is currently a junior at the University of Missouri at Columbia in their fine arts program. Before you ask, she won her very first scholarship in 8th grade for a pencil drawing, which won an honorable mention at her county fair. Why am I telling you all of this? So you understand where I am coming from as a parent of two gifted children. My children climbed trees, rode bikes, roller bladed, skate boarded, rode horses, laughed with their friends, and learned to live life to the fullest. The only time I yelled was to call them in for supper & bedtime.

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree. But does anyone feel that many of the shows that are on television seem to be exploiting children? I have already told you what I think of the TLC show "Toddlers & Tiaras".  The shows I am speaking of are on the "Lifetime Television Network". Have any of you seen "Bring It", "Child Genius" or "Dance Mom's"? I want to dissect them each on their merits, and their failures. 

BRING IT:  What it is billed as by the network is the weekly struggles of  a "Hip Hop" dance troupe. Ms. D, like Abbey Lee of Dance Mom's is a diva. I don't mean diva with a lower case "d", I mean D-I-V-A. While I do understand that practice makes perfect, I find that some of the dance moves she teaches are not only way too "adult" but are bordering on erotic. Why is that these parents do NOT see the damage that they are doing by allowing their daughters to not only dress provocatively. but allow them to perform in skin tight, nothing left to the imagination outfits, with movements that look like they came from the local strip joint. While Ms. D. has won many "trophies" and "grand championships" what is she really teaching? Is she teaching these young girls/young women that no where will anything they learn from her will be allowed on a high school or college pep or cheer leading squad. Another thing I cannot handle is how she treats the mother's. How dare you yell at me, without me, without my child, without me shelling out many thousands of dollars your "Hip Hop" dance troupe would be nothing. There are times I would love to shake some of these parents also. 

CHILD GENIUS:  At the end of this seasons show one child will walk away with a $250,000 college scholarship. Hello parents, your child will not only get a scholarship he will graduate way before his peers will. I happen to watch the one episode where one of he young men stated he wanted to "...get his driver's license at the same time he is being awarded his Ph. D...". This young man who is about 11-13 years old is amazingly bright, but he also has a sense of humor about his abilities. I only watched one episode of this show, at the end I was crying for the children. As I stated at the beginning of this I am the parent of two gifted children. Did I sit with my children as thy did homework? I sure did. Did I force them to sit for hours memorizing facts? Absolutely NOT. I raised two children whom l sent outside to play, because when a child plays they are also learning. These children are so traumatized when being eliminated from this show. I think competition is VERY healthy for every child, however berating your child because they answered a question wrong, which they ended up breaking down into tears, they needed your love, your understanding, your arms around them reminding them that you "LOVE" them unconditionally.

DANCE MOMS: Oh Abbey Lee, what a D-I-V-A you are. You are an out of shape, out of control dance teacher that screams at the parents, whom by the way pay your salary, keep a roof over your head, and a barre in your dance studio. Every season you get worse, you demand more, you berate more, and still have not figured out that many of the problems with the parents you created. I stopped watching after the second season, but one cannot miss the previews on other networks for this show. 

I am tired of our children being used as pawns by the adults that are supposed to love them. These parents need to be turned in for "child abuse". Child abuse has many forms, they very worst form of child abuse is VERBAL. When you say something to your child or children that is negative, that statement will ALWAYS be there to haunt them. God gave us children to love, as a gift, to nurture to grow them as you would grow a flower or tree. What we teach our children, they in turn teach their children. 

I will put away my soapbox, and go back to my bench to watch the world go by.