History Repeats?

I watched again last night Ronald S. Lauder’s address on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. 

In particular, the words he spoke about the rise in anti-Semitism that led to death camps like Auschwitz resonated. He spoke of how things began slowly and then rapidly escalated. 

He mentioned the rising we see today in Europe, North America and even mentioned in Australia. More importantly, he stressed that what started in 1933 was started by those who hated Jews. But it was advanced by indifference by those who thought anti-Semitism it didn’t affect them because they were not Jewish. However, he pointed out that the death camps’ victims encompassed more than just Jews. He mentioned the 70,000 Polish Christians who were also killed at Auschwitz, along with many others. 

He noted that once again we are seeing the attacks, the boycotts, and the exclusions, but they’re not just targeting Jews. They are attacking Judo-Christian beliefs, which is the bedrock of our western civilization. Robert Lauder stresses that today we have a generation lead by social media, indoctrinated by activist teachers and aided by a complacent population who don’t see it as their problem. 

But it is these statistics that should alarm us all. In the US today 87% of Americans 30 years of age and over fully support Isreal’s right to exist. Every other country has similar numbers. But under 30 years of age, that number drops to 40%. Nearly half of the future leaders group doesn’t believe Israel has a right to exist. 

This isn’t just isolated to America, it’s happening everywhere, and that has never been more clear than here in our own country, Australia. It’s not fundamentally Jews they hate, they hate western civilisation. 

We can no longer be indifferent about this because, whilst Jews are being targeted, we are all being targeting and we are all playing the price. And we know where indifference and complacency can and has led and that escalation once it takes hold can be very rapid. 

If you haven’t watched Robert Lauder’s address, here’s the link. 

https://youtu.be/ibbLbn5m0XQ?si=C8_1H1MdDNMFEKwI

𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘.

Below is an edited version of a piece written - Emma Hollingsworth, Kaanju, Kuku Ya'u, Girramay woman, via mulganai 

“I wish I could properly describe what it feels like to be Aboriginal. I wish I could describe the feeling of my spirit almost ascending to another plane, goosebumps covering my skin when I hear the didgeridoo. As if it calls to something inside me instinctively.

……

I wish I could accurately describe how it feels when I'm standing barefoot on the dirt and it feels instantly like my soul is home, like I am part of this Land and I transcend time and space. Words don't do justice to how it feels to be connected to a people, a culture, a Land, and a spirit quite like ours.”

                                           🌾🌾🌾🌾

Beautiful words, but you don’t have to be of indigenous heritage to feel that connection to the earth or to this great country of ours. Whilst my linkage doesn’t go as far back, it goes far enough back to hear the spirits of my forbearers, whose blood, sweat and tears helped build this great nation. It goes back far enough back to hear the voices of my ancestors who gave their lives in fighting to protect it. Their bodies returned to find peace on the earth they loved. The words of Dorothea Mackellar’s wonderful poem, My Country carrying their souls home.

“An opal-hearted country,

A wilful, lavish land -

All you who have not loved her,

You will not understand -

Though earth holds many splendours,

Wherever I may die,

I know to what brown country

My homing thoughts will fly.”

And my connection goes far enough back to give thanks to my childhood in the land whose bounty we relied on to survive. I too get goosebumps covering my skin when I hear the haunting sound of didgeridoo. When I walk barefooted on the earth and walk in the bush, I too feel the spirits of the forest around me. 

Every time I travel outside of this great country, I feel an overwhelming sense of peace when I see that big red tail and our giant white kangaroo. “I’m coming home.”

Our spirit connections are unique, but they are just as strong and just as legitimate. Love of the country is not the sole domain of our indigenous population. Any Australian who deeply loves this country feels the same. We should not be robbed of that because the colour of our skin or our heritage is different. Our spirit connection is just as strong and as equally powerful.