Holocaust Memorial Commemoration in Sandwell

8 Responses to Holocaust Memorial Commemoration in Sandwell

1. David Duff says:

   January 30, 2012 at 10:30 am

   Fair enough but where are the monuments to Communism’s mass murders which make Hitler look like a mere beginner?

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   • bobpiper says:

     January 30, 2012 at 11:16 am

     The Holocaust Memorial Day recognises victims of all genocide. Murder is murder, and is no more communist than it is capitalist.

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2. Johnthestudent says:

   January 30, 2012 at 11:36 am

   I notice the plaque specifies victims of genocide in particular, but I think the spirit of Holocaust Memorial Day encompasses all those who have died at the hands of tyrannical governments. Which, for Duffy, includes those led by well-known leftists like Pinochet, Batista, Galtieri and Franco.

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3. David Duff says:

   January 30, 2012 at 11:29 pm

   John you really must tend to your studies because you obviously have much to learn. Genocide is the mass murder of ethnic groups like, for example, the Ukrainians who were starved ‘en masse’ by Stalin which nobody, least of all our deeply sensitive host, ever mentions. You will notice that by carefully using the words “and other genocides” it avoids naming names. Too, too embarrassing! None of the gentlemn you mentioned ever indulged in genocide or anywhere near it. However, if you are interested, as you appear to be, in south American tyrants who regularly murder their citizens ask our host about Castro because he’s a bit of an expert. He holidays there in a rather nice taverna up-wind of the main political prison inHavana – well, I mean, you can hear the screams if you’re down-wind! Anyway, sorry and all that, John, but I can only give you ‘E’ for effort!

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   • bobpiper says:

     January 31, 2012 at 12:16 am

     I’ll ignore your Daily Mail ‘comic cuts’ remarks about Cuba, but actually, I have no recollection of mentioning Any particular countries. My point was that genocide (and a correct definiton is much wider than your narrow ‘ethnic’ tag) is wrong, but has nothing to do with the economic systems which countries operate.

     But you really should pay more attention Duffers. (I’ve noticed your slippage in concentration is happening rather too much lately, I’m getting concerned about you) John didn’t attempt to define genocide, he was simply educating you about the spirit behind Holocaust Memorial Day, which you seemed to have failed to grasp. It is not about monuments to people who died under any specific economic order.

     I don’t know where the ‘monuments’ are that you seem fixated on to those who died in Darfur, Rwanda, Armenia, etc. etc. Holocaust Memorial Day commemorates ALL of them.

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4. David Duff says:

   January 31, 2012 at 9:37 am

   “ALL of them”

   So why the weasel words “and other genocides”. If you have space to spell out and detail the German example why not the Communist examples? If it is a specifically Jewish memorial then just leave it at that, no need for “and other genocides”.

   And I repeat, the staggering number of murders carried out in the name of communism leaves Hitler looking like a dilletante. I mean, only 6 million? How Stalin and Mao must have chuckled. So tell me why there are no memorials to their efforts in ‘beautiful downtown Sandwell’ – or anywhere else, come to that?

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   • bobpiper says:

     January 31, 2012 at 10:06 am

     They are not weasel words. Holocaust Memorial Day was started internationally (strange as it may seem to you, it wasn’t dreamt up by commie sympathisers in Sandwell) to commemorate those who died in the Nazi holocaust. Over the years it has generally become accepted that there have been a number of other acts of genocide and that they should also be remembered.

     It’s very sweet of you to try to dilute their commemoration, but we thought it best to respect the international tradition, and also to include other victims of genocide. Of couse, we could have turned it into an enormous list, but no doubt then some dotty old sod would have come along shouting “What about the Spanish Inquisition?” Is there some reason you seem so keen to point out that the Nazi gas chambers weren’t so bad after all because other people carried out acts of genocide?

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5. Robert says:

   January 31, 2012 at 11:18 am

   It was nice that all the people who died have been mentioned, being disabled myself we tend to be forgotten by many when talking about the many millions who were murdered.

   As we know many Russian officers and soldiers also died at these camps as well as people from the political left and right.

   Lets hope that no more tyrants take hold of an EU country, but some how I have my doubts

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