If you were a Jew in Europe in the late 1930s, the biggest danger to your health was other Europeans—your neighbors, your customers, your friends. Now over 1000 men, women, and children have been executed for religious or racial reasons once again in Israel. You know the previous story. The Germans killed six million Jews. Two million were executed by firing squads all over Europe. Ordinary Men is a documentary on Netflix about a police battalion of 500 men that executed almost 100,000 Jewish men, women, and children by firing squad. It is one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. Christians, Muslims, and Jews have been killing each other in Europe and North Africa for over a thousand years.
This Netflix documentary Ordinary Men was like “Band of Brothers.” The men in these police battalions were not monsters. Some police battalion belt buckles featured a swastika surrounded by “Gott Mitt Uns—God With US” They thought God was one their side. They were patriots who believed they were doing their duty. Many Germans had been taught that Jews were responsible for all their problems. Even Martin Luther, the priest who started the Protestant Reformation, wrote a vitriolic book himself named Jews and Their Lies. That entire book is on the internet today. It was used in the torch rallies in Nuremberg to validate Nazi policy.
These ordinary men had been taught that Jews are terrible people that were ruining Germany. The key to it all was “us vs them” or othering. They blamed other people for their problems. They thought they were saving Germany. They were not forced to do this work. They could refuse to shoot Jews. Peer pressure was enough. They were told, “If you don’t do your part, the others in our battalion must take up your slack.” They were ordinary citizens of Hamburg—bakers, butchers, truck drivers, clerks—ordinary men.
“Us vs them” has no basis in scientific facts. All human DNA is 99.9% percent identical. Mexicans, Muslims, and Jews are genetically just like us. Race is not a scientific construct. The differences between us are cultural. Us vs them results in poverty, disadvantage, reduced access to healthcare and ultimately conflict and death. It can happen here. You know about the recent attacks on Jews, Blacks, and Muslims in the US. “Us vs them” is everywhere in America right now. Everyone agrees we have not been this polarized since the civil war. Liberals blame conservatives for our problems. Liberals blame conservatives. Whites blame Mexicans, Blacks, and Mexicans. Rural people blame urban Americans. Christians blame Muslims and Jews. “Us vs them” is the enemy. I hope you will watch “Ordinary Men” on Netflix and return to share your thoughts. If medicine is about human health and preventing needless deaths, we must take a stand against “us vs them.”
It is a well-written article but only tells one side of the story. Palestinian citizens have been subjected to extreme brutality for decades by the Israeli state. News information on this subject is available on the internet and other sources. Ignoring the other side of the story establishes the notion of "us versus them". Life and dignity of life is precious for all citizens of the world.
All the West got together and condemned the attack on the Ukrainian people, but they kept their eyes closed about the Kashmiri and Palestinian people.
Similarly, the people of Iraq, Libya, Syria, and many other countries lost lives, shelters, and businesses because they were considered dangerous by the developed nations. In contrast, it is the responsibility of the superpower to maintain JUSTICE in the world through dialogue and other peaceful techniques.
I do not support attacks on Jews and never will. But why should Palestinian people suffer for generations for their homeland occupation?
"Us versus them" begins when inequality among people rises. It is the state which is responsible for the injustice among its people and not the people.
As a Transcultural Nurse, I applaud this poignant post. We must raise and support awareness of a just culture.
Thanks once more, Bill.
Kathleen