This week is the third annual remembrance of the Holocaust observed at American University. Throughout the week there will be many events to commemorate one of the worst travesties in history. Names of victims will be read, and a survivor of the Holocaust will speak to students. A bone marrow drive will also be held, since Jews are underrepresented in bone marrow banks.
In today's society we all too quickly forget the past. It is easy to think that such violence is not possible anymore, but such thinking is na?ve. While the specter of World War II may seem like ages ago to us, it really is not that far removed. There are still survivors living around the globe, and their stories of suffering are as, if not more, relevant than ever.
In many ways the Holocaust is where the word genocide got its definition, and unfortunately it is still being practiced today. Genocide occured in Rwanda and Kosovo in the 1990s, although the former was not met with the response of the latter. Today we see real-time footage of the suffering in Darfur, Sudan. While the people may look different, the hatred behind their suffering is the same.
This week's events offer beneficial and diverse ways to learn from history and to show solidarity with all those who are still living through their own holocaust. Edmund Burke said that "the only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." While you may not be able to shelter a child in Sudan, you can join others in declaring that people should no longer be treated in this way.
