Holocaust+Essay


 * Doomed to Repeat the Past **


 * You are in a concentration camp, and as you’re looking around, seeing all of the dead bodies laying there, you know you’re doomed. The Holocaust took place during World War II, and was a fight to wipe out anyone who didn’t fit Hitler’s expectations. This was a horrific tragedy, and students in sixth grade should know that. George Santayana said, “Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” Genocide is still occurring today in countries such as Iraq, Darfur, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Korbia. These are just a few of the countries that Genocide is happening now or has happened recently. People are getting killed for their race, religion, or beliefs. I believe that sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust to test their maturity, to acknowledge the fact that prejudice continues today, to prevent it from repeating itself, and to remember those who died. **


 * Maturity is a big factor when you’re learning about the Holocaust. A parent said, " [ These kids are ] mature enough. At this age, sixth graders already go on the Internet, hear about crimes, and are studying world history. Sixth graders already have responsibilities they have to handle, so they should be old enough for something like this.” Even though this is a very sensitive topic, I think by the time kids are in sixth grade they'll be old enough to appreciate a topic like this at a much higher level. Kids at the age of eleven or twelve have many responsibilities such as cleaning your room, taking out the trash, or setting the dinner table. If they can handle that, they should be able to learn about the Holocaust. If you told a first grader about the terrible event, they wouldn’t know better to even pay respect to this kind of horrible occurrence. The sixth graders should be old enough to know what’s going on, especially if they have background knowledge from Hebrew School, reading a book, or finding out from a parent. **


 *  Prejudice, the reason the Holocaust started, still continues today. For all of the Jews, they take the Holocaust really seriously. Rachel's Challenge is just one of the many examples. On April 20th, 1999, which, was coincidentally, and ironically, Adolf Hitler's birthday, there was a massacre at Columbine High Scool. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the ones responsible of the shooting, killed about 200 high school students. Rachel Scott was the first person to die. Rachel's  writings and drawings from her many diaries help the country to help create a kinder, more compassionate nation.  **
 * Many middle school children are aware of horrors such as that and many more such as Darfur, Rwanda, Cambodia, Biafra, and the Kurds. And these are only a few of the thousands more of genocide, rape, murders, robberies, and shootings that occur each day. A sixth grader stated, “I watch the news every day. And every day it gets worse. First it’s one person being killed. The next day, I see two, three, four, until we have no one left.” **


 * The worst case scenario, which could easily become our future, is if this action would be repeated. The Holocaust was worse than 9/11 and Kony 2102 combined. Especially with the war going on, the terrorism is still going on and won’t stop until someone wins. People should be more aware of the events that have happened in the past. Also, kids should know about these types of acts to help them later in life. The Holocaust was a huge event in history, and people should know that. Students, the future adults, have to help so something like this doesn’t come again in history. **


 * People to this generation should remember what happened in the Holocaust. It has been two thirds of a century, and some people are still mourning about their lost of loved ones. In The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, I quote, “At the time of the Holocaust, it seemed impossible to imagine, for the scale of slaughter was hard to grasp.” Eleven million people had died from this happening, and the people who had survived lived to tell us their story. Lived to help us remember. As Maud Dahme, a Holocaust survivor said, “I need to teach you to remember.” So many people have suffered through the Holocaust, which was about the smallest differences between us. **


 * Although some people might not think that students at a fairly young age should learn about the Holocaust, sixth graders should be taught about this topic. Kids should know about events this imporatnt, especially if it had such an impact on our lives today. Is it reasonable to shield kids from the truth when they’re going to have to learn about it eventually? I believe that sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust to test their maturity, to acknowledge the fact that prejudice continues today, to prevent it from repeating itself, and to remember those who died. **