Hitler

[<LRECKO@WISCSSC.BITNET>]

Hi -- I've been a reader of love-hounds for at least 3 years now.  I've
only posted once, preferring to remain on the side lines.  But when I saw
the discussion of Hitler, I had to jump in.

Kate said:
> [Kate:] Yes, who else is there, really?  But I would really hate anyone to
>    be offended by the song.  It's not meant to be a glorification of
>    that whole event.  It's just meant to be an exploration of the idea
>    that evil quite often appears in a charming guise, and we should
>    all be careful.  He fooled so many people, and I don't think you
>    can blame them for being fooled.

And |>oug replied:
>I get really annoyed everytime I see Kate saying this!  Of course you
>can blame the people he "fooled".  You can and should blame every
>single one of the bastards that let Hitler act out his awful scheme!
>Hitler wasn't to blame; he was insane.  You can't blame someone for
>being insane.  It was all of the sane people who turned their eyes
>away and quietly let it all happen who are to blame.  Those and the
>greedy people who saw a chance to better their lives at the expense of
>others.

There is _absolutely_ no excuse or justification for what Hitler did to
his own people and to _many_ other races.  But I think it's a little
simplistic to believe that the people who surrounded Hitler all
necessarily agreed with what he was doing.  Often, it was either the
"kill or be killed" mentality.  I am _not_ supportive in any way of
the many soldiers in his "army" but what would you do if someone had a
gun to your head and promised to pull the trigger if you didn't follow
orders?  I honestly don't know what I'd do; I'd like to think I'd
willingly submit to death but it's such an outrageous situation to imagine.

No doubt he was insane.  But this doesn't excuse his crimes and genocide.
No doubt others profited off the DESTRUCTION of other human beings.  They
too should be made to pay.  We think another Hitler will never come again.
What about Saddam Hussein?  Isn't it frightening to think he used to be
our ally?!

Just me $.02 worth.

Laura