Pardon me while I rant a little. I've been reading where some people are comparing our refugee detention centers as Nazi concentration camps. Really? Sure, it's not a summer camp, and it's not meant to be, but comparing today to that horrendous past undermines the murdered people and reality of that time period. Maybe I can understand their ignorance; they probably haven't studied history and are reiterating bias media, or what their family and friends are saying, because it suits their purposes. But a lie is still a lie no matter how it's sugar coated or spun. And, before challenging this blog, spend a day or two checking the personal and historical articles on the internet, as I did, and not just the prejudice and exaggerated statements from any mainstream media.
To continue, if you look at the definitions of words used for camps like concentration, internment, detention or refugee, you'll see that detention or refugee would be the proper words to use for America's current places. Even though "concentration camp" can be used, based on part of its definition, which includes the word refugees, many prefer to avoid that word because of what happened to the Jewish people, and others, in Europe. Those concentration camps, in all honesty, were “death camps,” because the main purpose was to torture and kill its prisoners.
Nazi concentration camps were places of barbarous medical experiments and executions. Some were extermination centers with gas chambers. Millions of Jews were slaughtered in the Holocaust. Many others, including Gypsies, Poles, homosexuals and political dissidents were also victims of the Nazi concentration camps. Generally, Jewish women and children were not separated, because, immediately upon arriving at Auschwitz, they were often lined up to be murdered (picture). Under these savagely, cruel conditions, it's a wonder anyone survived but many did. Do an internet search for a man named Chaim Ferster. He was Holocaust survivor who cheated death in eight Nazi concentration camps during World War II.
After a couple of days of research, I didn't find any similarities to compare today's temporary detention situations with what occured back then. We're not enslaving and murdering people. It's not a picnic. It's stressful. It's depressing. It's often more humane than putting them out on the streets, with no means of support, which could lead them into human or drug trafficking. It's required by our immigration laws, which has been in place for years, to protect our country from being invaded. We have similar laws that protect us from personal invasion.
Even the recent outrage of the Shiloh Treatment Center, which "specializes in providing treatment services for children and youth with behavioral and emotional problems," has been treating children, since before the Obama administration, by giving them antidepressants and/or psychotropic drugs, when prescribed by a doctor. But, suddenly, it's an issue? Because of this administration? With that many people being placed, there's bound to be many various situations occuring and just as many reasons why they did. Incidents were first reported in 2014 but the government continued placing refugees there. However, it's a wait and see situation, because there's more than one side voicing their stories in order to weed through any hysteria or lies. And, as minors, their court records are often sealed. Yet, from what I've been able to read, to say it is anywhere near the Nazi's well-documented, unethical, diabolical, medical experiments is ludicrous. If that's the case, we should be questioning parents who are willingly giving similar drugs to their children, the doctors prescribing them, as well as any children's resentful behavior in being forced in taking them. What's the difference?
Maybe all these protestors should consider cutting our government employees some slack, or giving them some help, instead of just protesting. Many have been overwhelmed with doing their job that we've hired them to do. Yes, it's not perfect, people aren't perfect, but how would you, say a middle income person, handle 25 family members and friends, for instance, suddenly showing up at your house asking you to provide refuge? Not a pretty picture. In fact, it may create a financially unstable situation, like capsizing an overloaded boat. Countries are no different.
In fact, the only similarity I could find, mentioned by some Holocaust survivors, wasn't the concentration camps but the strict enforcement of American immigration restrictions to accept additional refugees. By 1939, up to 95,000 had immigrated to the United States via the immigration laws that were in place at the time. This meant they had to have multiple sponsors and secure a quota number in order to arrive... all during the time of America suffering a Great Depression. By 1941, due mainly to WWII and protecting our borders from enemies, immigration was temporarily stopped.
Lastly, for those saying they see this happening here (Nazi concentration camps): "it may not be now but, you'll see, it will get worse." One: where were you when it was going on in the past administrations? Two: have you suddenly been endowed with the gift of prophecy? Three: if you're that concerned about their welfare, be more productive than protesting and open your doors to them... without government support.
