I appreciate your posting on this series, James. In South Asia, I have found that part of the problem is a lack of education about the history of the rest of the world (which, to be fair, is a criticism which could easily be leveled at the educational systems of many countries/regions). Here I have discovered that Mein Kampf is widely available: in slick legal editions available at posh bookstores, as well as grubbier, xeroxed pirated editions for sale on the pavement. It is a fairly popular book here, and to a population often fairly ignorant of the Holocaust, the potential can be rather frightening.
Last year I was on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai, seated next to an articulate Punjabi teenager. Apparently desiring to impress me, he told me of his having recently read Hitler's disgusting magnum opus, and was in for more than a little bit of a shock when he discovered that the Westerner with whom he was conversing was actually Jewish! He apologised profusely, and I had the opportunity of explaining to him about what Hitler's book led to; it left me wondering, though, how many others in this nation of one billion plus have absorbed the poison in that volume.
Oy vey. Thanks for posting Matt. I think that vindicates my decision to run the series! Disturbing that antisemitism can flourish even in a country with (virtually) no Jews!
2 comments:
I appreciate your posting on this series, James. In South Asia, I have found that part of the problem is a lack of education about the history of the rest of the world (which, to be fair, is a criticism which could easily be leveled at the educational systems of many countries/regions). Here I have discovered that Mein Kampf is widely available: in slick legal editions available at posh bookstores, as well as grubbier, xeroxed pirated editions for sale on the pavement. It is a fairly popular book here, and to a population often fairly ignorant of the Holocaust, the potential can be rather frightening.
Last year I was on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai, seated next to an articulate Punjabi teenager. Apparently desiring to impress me, he told me of his having recently read Hitler's disgusting magnum opus, and was in for more than a little bit of a shock when he discovered that the Westerner with whom he was conversing was actually Jewish! He apologised profusely, and I had the opportunity of explaining to him about what Hitler's book led to; it left me wondering, though, how many others in this nation of one billion plus have absorbed the poison in that volume.
Peace,
Matt
Oy vey. Thanks for posting Matt. I think that vindicates my decision to run the series! Disturbing that antisemitism can flourish even in a country with (virtually) no Jews!
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