Unsetteling Quote by Hermann Göring
Last night there was a long documentary on TV about the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War II and the number two man in Nazi Germany, Hermann Wilhelm Göring. This guy was officially named by Hitler as his successor. He survived the war and was the top man on trial in Nuremberg.
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I find everthing about the Nazis abhorrent. And I think it is vitally important that we not forget their evil or how it came about. I like Germany, and the German people are some of the nicest people I have known. How these decent, hard working folks came to follow these kinds of leaders on an evil path to self destruction has fascinated me for years.
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Today I decided to do a little further research on Göring, so I was reading the Wikipedia article about him. And I came across the following quote which I find rather unsetteling. I certainly don't nornally go around quoting Nazi officials, but I think it is important that each of us give some thought to the mindset this quotation shows. I am not saying that a parallel exists today, but I do think it is something we need to be very careful about.
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"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
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...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
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I find everthing about the Nazis abhorrent. And I think it is vitally important that we not forget their evil or how it came about. I like Germany, and the German people are some of the nicest people I have known. How these decent, hard working folks came to follow these kinds of leaders on an evil path to self destruction has fascinated me for years.
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Today I decided to do a little further research on Göring, so I was reading the Wikipedia article about him. And I came across the following quote which I find rather unsetteling. I certainly don't nornally go around quoting Nazi officials, but I think it is important that each of us give some thought to the mindset this quotation shows. I am not saying that a parallel exists today, but I do think it is something we need to be very careful about.
--
"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
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...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
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