General Discussion

NRaleighLiberal

(60,014 posts) Sat Aug 12, 2017, 01:30 PM Aug 2017

we've heard so often that horrific events of the past can't happen again if we remember.

but what happens when people remember and it doesn't seem so bad?

what happens if a group of people refuses to believe in the horrific acts because it doesn't fit into their nice tidy belief system?

what happens when time dulls the memory and the conditions become fine for a repeat?

what happens when an exact horror doesn't happen, but plenty that are equally horrific does?

what happens when the horrific acts are distant and taking issue could get in the way of a national interest?

what happens when a group of people are frothed up with lies, or when a leader essentially sanctions the bad behavior?

what happens when the line is so blurred between freedom of speech and hatred that anything goes - and the horrors return?

Well folks - welcome to our life here on earth - the history of humanity - which marches on. And for some of the above...welcome to where we are today.

My heart breaks.

4 replies

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Highlight:

we've heard so often that horrific events of the past can't happen again if we remember. (Original Post) NRaleighLiberal Aug 2017 OP

What happens if white privilege is so entrenched even well-meaning white allies don't act? WhiskeyGrinder Aug 2017 #1

I think for many of us, there is velcro installed on our hearts, it has to break so often. NRaleighLiberal Aug 2017 #2

The quote (my long term sigline) is that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to hlthe2b Aug 2017 #3

. NRaleighLiberal Aug 2017 #4

WhiskeyGrinder

(22,345 posts)

1. What happens if white privilege is so entrenched even well-meaning white allies don't act?

Reply to NRaleighLiberal (Original post)

Sat Aug 12, 2017, 01:34 PM

Aug 2017

What happens if white people can identify exactly what they would do if they were in Germany in 1932, but can do little more than say, "Ugh, America 2017" when they see the latest?

What happens if we pretend racists are outliers and extremists, when we know Uncle Art is just as awful, he just keeps it under wrap at Thanksgiving?

What happens if our hearts haven't broken until today?

NRaleighLiberal

(60,014 posts)

2. I think for many of us, there is velcro installed on our hearts, it has to break so often.

Reply to WhiskeyGrinder (Reply #1)

Sat Aug 12, 2017, 01:37 PM

Aug 2017

hlthe2b

(102,276 posts)

3. The quote (my long term sigline) is that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to

Reply to NRaleighLiberal (Original post)

Sat Aug 12, 2017, 01:38 PM

Aug 2017

repeat it.

That doesn't mean that those who DO remember can not willingly CHOOSE to repeat the mistakes of the past. In this age when history and intellectualism and education are so disdained, Santayana's admonishment is brought to life. But, the problem is not ALL ignorance. It is that so many CHOOSE to ignore history's lessons.

NRaleighLiberal

(60,014 posts)

4. .

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #3)

Sat Aug 12, 2017, 01:41 PM

Aug 2017

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