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HereSince1628

(36,063 posts) Sun Dec 14, 2014, 06:42 PM Dec 2014

Tortured thoughts... A relative helps liberate a conc camp

the story becomes a family legend, it is a story used to define a family, a self, and to describe and link that family to the fabric of the nation. A true story of the great value of family sacrifice and participation in liberation.

And then, having full knowledge of torture by his immediate predecessors, as president he can yet find strength to grasp and twist his own thoughts to look forward -- to encourage us to do the same -- rather than looking backward as criminal prosecutions and pursuit of justice must.

How tortured must be the thoughts of such a man, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, to say it is better for the nation to look the other way.

This must hurt. A lot.

4 replies

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Tortured thoughts... A relative helps liberate a conc camp (Original Post) HereSince1628 Dec 2014 OP

Another side to that coin. Those who have had relatives tortured in POW camps. Autumn Dec 2014 #1

Yes. Very much HereSince1628 Dec 2014 #2

mu uncle was tortured as a prisoner of the Japanese Imperial Army grasswire Dec 2014 #3

I'm sure that's true...I've wondered about 'never forgetting' over the last week... HereSince1628 Dec 2014 #4

Autumn

(45,107 posts)

1. Another side to that coin. Those who have had relatives tortured in POW camps.

Reply to HereSince1628 (Original post)

Sun Dec 14, 2014, 06:54 PM

Dec 2014

Their thoughts may be tortured for a nation to say we should look the other way. That would hurt. Also. There is no easy way through this.

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

2. Yes. Very much

Reply to Autumn (Reply #1)

Sun Dec 14, 2014, 06:55 PM

Dec 2014

grasswire

(50,130 posts)

3. mu uncle was tortured as a prisoner of the Japanese Imperial Army

Reply to HereSince1628 (Original post)

Sun Dec 14, 2014, 08:12 PM

Dec 2014

He was a P.O.W. for nearly three years. He never spoke to the family about his experiences, but we can deduce them from his skeletal weight at liberation, and by the accounts of others who have written and spoken of the conditions through which he lived.

He told us "Never forget". That's all. "Never forget." And he never bought a thing made in Japan after the war.

But he did welcome into the family his nephew's Hawaiian-born wife of Japanese and Islander heritage.

It's complicated for many.

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

4. I'm sure that's true...I've wondered about 'never forgetting' over the last week...

Reply to grasswire (Reply #3)

Sun Dec 14, 2014, 08:17 PM

Dec 2014

What would happen if survivors from WWII, Korea, Vietnam posted a petition on the WH website urging Obama to honor the pledge to Never Forget, what reaction it would get.

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