Two Examples of Violence...Will It Ever Stop?

Throughout our history, cruelty, hatred, and intolerance has reigned over mankind, heavily overshadowing the good in our world. One tends to focus more on negative aspects at any rate, especially when another tragedy is broadcast everyday. There are though, two of the more terrorizing and sickening displays of humankind's ability look the other way or commit crimes against other persons that immediately come to mind. The Holocaust, or slaughter of Jews and other minority ethnic groups in Europe, and the ethnic genocide, calculated killings of natives of Sudan, Africa. These two instances are one of the best, or shall we say, worst, exhibits of our modern society. With all the advances and inventions throughout history, it seems we have forgotten to learn simple morals, kindness, respect and tolerance to all. Though it may seem desolate, and we may wonder why anyone would participate in these cruel acts, and why some behaved as they did, we must remember there is hope left for humanity.

The Holocaust was carried out with no reprieve for anyone, even the women and children. As Hitler gained more power, the supremacists viewpoint spreading throughout Europe, Jews, Homosexuals, Gypsy and Romany tribes, Polish, and countless other races began undergoing a process known as genocide. The Europeans in charge of this process, this ethnic cleansing of all those who were, "impure", had one goal in mind. One perfect, Anglo race, pure and unmarred with any outside blood. And so, the torture began. Women and children were sent to concentration and labor camps, if they were lucky. The Nazis carried out deadly medical experiments on their prisoners, including children, beat, tortured and killed countless men, and sold the women into brothels for the SS soldiers. These were the lucky ones, who weren't gunned down by a firing squad or sent to the gas chambers. It took the US long enough, but we finally got involved, and helped to put an end to this conflict.

People in general shy away from violence. They don't want the gory details interrupting their lives, and though they may care about those who are suffering, sometimes it is easier to look the other way. Another instance of just this type of scenario would be the conflict occurring in Darfur, Sudan. The Janjaweed, in collaboration with the government, are systematically torching and killing the native tribes of the region, cleansing the land for their own people to live. When the Sudanese demanded a part in their government, lobbied for change in their country, they were silences, by whatever means was necessary. The government soldiers who fought with the Janjaweed would look the other way, and let anything happen. Yet again, this is another case where help did start to arrive, not a moment too soon, although we might not know for a while how accurate the results are.

There are those that say most people are genuinely good, of the light, devoid of evil. On the other hand, there are those that, "get their kicks" out torturing other people. There are scholars that tell us we as a society knew about the atrocities occurring in Germany, the crimes against the Jews. The military and the US might have known all along and waited until it was advantageous to them, just as humanitarian teams are recently coming into Darfur, though the conflict and problems have been escalating rapidly in the meantime. Granted, there would have been red tape to travel through, but one would believe it would be worth it to travel to those countries and save lives, knowing that one person can make a difference in this world. Almost everyone reacts to violence in the same manner, the "fight or flight" response. There are those that have the spirits of warriors, they will stand up for themselves, and basically throw a mini tantrum until something has been accomplished, set back to rights. The other half of the population will behave like an ostrich, digging their head into the ground.

One must ask, reading or learning about these tragedies, why would anyone in their right mind participate in, authorize or accept these mass slaughters of innocents? Is the light of mankind truly diminished? Stanley Milgram, a post war psychologist and sociologist wanted the answer to that very same question. In his research of the Holocaust, and similar tragedies he found that people, when instructed by a higher authority obeyed commands, even if they authorized or caused the death or suffering of others. Two major tools that cause the average person to follow through with these orders are: Psychological Mechanisms, and Religious hatred or racism.

The two main psychological mechanisms, includes the "boiling frog" theory, and the primal and intense mechanism known as "herding". With the boiling frog theory, the leaders of a particular movement figure that as long as the changes are gradual, no one will notice. The mechanisms work together, the small gradual changes herding the general populace to a larger and more extreme state, far from the norm, (i.e. the ethnic genocides in the Holocaust and Sudan.) Thus, though individuals may have privately felt disgust at the happenings around them, they stayed in line with the rest of the group.

The Nazis considered their duty to overcome compassion and execute orders for what they believed to be higher ideals. They wanted to create a pure race, to exile all those who weren't like them. The natives of Sudan find themselves facing a similar problem, being run out of their own country by the Arabs and Janjaweeds through premeditated ethnic genocide. Much research has been done to explain how ordinary people could have participated in such heinous crimes, but there is no doubt that, like in some religious conflicts in the past, some people poisoned with racial and religious beliefs committed the crimes with sadistic pleasure.

Even though these events are tragic and heartbreaking, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Americans finally made it to Germany, bringing down the Nazis and liberating the Jews and other ethnic groups from further torture. The military force was finally provided to save those who needed it. Rescue efforts succeeded and the refugees and survivors were assisted as they began to adjust to their old lives, to try to start anew, despite what they had lost. Humanitarian aid was finally provided to the refugees of the Sudan. Medicienes sans Frontieres, a program where physicians around the world travel to poorer countries to provide aid, established bases and medical camps in Darfur. Refugees escaped across the border to Chad, and the U.S. sent care packages, medical supplies, with organizations like the Red Cross and Amnesty International making an appearance to help as well.

In summation, though there are forces of darkness in this world, supremacist organizations and groups planning and carrying out plans of ethnic genocide, there are still good people left in the world. Throughout the torture, war, and devastation, there is hope. With volunteer organizations dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to those in need, the world will see less and less war and genocide. Though we may never understand the workings of the cruel sadists behind these groups, we can always look on the bright side, and thank God that we have volunteers who risk their lives for the well being of others, to ensure that every human receives his or her natural rights.