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Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

1) I have zero doubt--none whatsoever--that another Holocaust could happen.

2) Part of the reason about number one above, as well as the lack of knowledge about the real act of genocide that happened in the 1940s (unlike the imagined one in Gaza), is that Iranian/Russian/Qatari/Chinese money (billions of dollars from this collection of nations) has funded anti-Israel/anti-Jewish "research"/scholastic activities across the West. We ignored it at our own peril, and now we are facing the consequences of that activity.

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Graham Bloodworth's avatar

As a film and digital lab technician with a previous employer, I had occasion to print an order of pictures taken at Auschwitz. They had a powerful presence, particularly the cremation ovens. I ask the customer when they came to collect their prints about the atmosphere, he confirmed the that no birdsong in the area and that their was definitely a feeling of the evil committed there.

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Maxim's maxims's avatar

Looking forward to part II of this essay.

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Bari Hochwald Cagnola's avatar

Pat thank you as always. I am constantly looking for hope in the darkness. But I think part of where I might, not disagree but question your thought is on the idea that people care. Care is demonstrated through action. And you, rightly, point out and have for a long time now non-action of others. Meaning no demonstrated care. I see the dehumanization of Jews and the confusion with the demonization of Zionists in this web of lies and confusion perpetrated by people who can look other human beings in the eyes and not see people, but see "Zionists".... isn't that what brings about the possibility of genocide? At the very least inhumanity against other human beings? I'm very interested to read your next post.

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Bruce Halpern's avatar

This is an important survey, but I wonder what the responses would be if somehow their views on Israel was woven into the questions or responses.

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Pat Johnson's avatar

That is the intersection where empathy falls apart.

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Bruce Halpern's avatar

Unfortunately true.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

When Obama became president I met a Colombian Jew who had experienced great anti semitism. When I said the Holocaust could never happen in America he said, Don’t be so sure.

I was chilled and never forgot his words.

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Erica Lee's avatar

Have younger folks not seen the horrific black and white images of living skeletons? Of the piles of dead naked bodies being bulldozed? How does one see that documentation and not wonder about the details, the history?

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Pat Johnson's avatar

Perhaps not. On social media, we see what we choose to see.

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Pablo Naboso's avatar

I think the first statement you quote is strange. Isn’t there a typo or mistake in it? You quote: “ “the Holocaust happened, and the number of Jews who were killed during the Holocaust has been accurately and fairly described.” Why are there two separate statements in one? I am Polish who live in France so I don’t know about other countries but can speak about Poland and France: I think respondents were simply confused. To the first compounded statement (the holocaust happened) probably 100% people in PL would say yes: everyone’s grandparents knew someone who died in Auschwitz. Poland is one of countries where holocaust denials are rare (also illegal). But the second compounded statement (Jews killed were fairly described) is vague. What does it mean? That we have counted the victims and we know their exact number? Of course not, the estimations vary. So I would answer no, if I was asked this ambiguous question.

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Pat Johnson's avatar

That is the question asked in the survey. I agree that it is a bit confusing and convoluted. Nevertheless, the gist is: Do you acknowledge that the Holocaust happened and six million Jews were murdered?

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Shelley Evans's avatar

Pat I continue to admire and be heartened by your posts. However this time I feel like I’m missing a piece: yes so many percentage of various peoples are aware of a rise in antisemitism. But why do you believe they care? I’m serious about understanding your thoughts.

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Pat Johnson's avatar

I hope I'm not extrapolating too much that, if large majorities of people believe another holocaust could happen that they also believe that is something to be avoided. I desperately hope that I am not misapprehending the message. That would suggest that people think it could happen but that they don't care if it does.

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carrie's avatar

Indeed, ppl really don't care if it happened or if it were to happen again. Although, there still remains the big mouth zealous antisemites who would gladly turn in their Jewish neighbors. And there is the majority that would just turn their head and go on with their life, with a sense of relief that the Jews are being taken out so that they don't have to be bothered with any moral questions.

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Raphael Solomon's avatar

I live in Canada and I don't picture it happening here. I wonder if it could happen in the USA, or potentially Western Europe.

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carrie's avatar

Wake up...there has been decades of huge antisemitism at McGill & Concordia. Universities are symbolic of the population, they are the perpetrators of thought.

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Raphael Solomon's avatar

There's a big difference between antisemitism and another Holocaust. Most importantly, the Holocaust was a government initiative. At this point, in Canada, people who commit violent acts are arrested. You say, "wake up." I say, "stop fear mongering."

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