I am reading 'Remember This', the play written about Jan Karski, written by Clark Young and Derek Goldman. A short biography of Karski (written by Madeline Albright) precedes the play to provide an overview of his life. It attempts to set the Nazi horrors of Europe into a complex setting of the bigger world.
This was written: ."...I canot conclude this without reminding readers that the enablers of evil are not confined to one side of the Atlantic. In the period just before World War II, there was a multidimensional pro-fascist network within the United States, spurred on by German agents. fueled by demogogic media personalities, enamored of the slogan 'America First' and built on a foundation of antisemitism. racism, isolationism, and fear. This was no trivial movement. It had prominient allies in the private sector, on the newspaper editorial boards, in Congress, and in the military sector. It also had a strong popular base, appealing to citizens eager to cast blame on those they held responsible for the Great Depression, especially bankers and East Coast politicians and financiars. The movement trafficked widely in conspiracy theories. most particularly in the belief that Jews were plotting to dominate the globe and that Franklin Roosevelt was himself a Jew. The fascist sympathizers held huge public rallies and even started their own schools. "
Tim and I sat in a waiting room and I quietly read the words to him. We looked at each other.
This is history. It is now considered controversial. There are those who don't think it should be taught in school. Books on the subject are being removed from school libraries. There are those that will be reading this post and they will be disgusted. Sadly, what will disgust them is me.
I say: These people were wrong 90 years ago. They are no less wrong today.
Remember this.
