22 Comments

I too find the hostility to making references to Nazism in the current crisis inappropriate and rather telling. (For background: I'm half Austrian and my PhD involved rather a lot of research into the subject). For me, the point is not to attempt any kind of exact comparison - history never actually repeats itself - but to see patterns in human behaviour and history from which we can learn. In this case, the history is recent and took place in the same part of the world. To me, it's no coincidence that the most oppressive measures in Europe are being led by Austria and Germany. And Macron is doing the same, claiming 'the unvaccinated' are not citizens.

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Exactly!!! It's the pattern of behaviour- but I can't make my fellow Jews see it. Which is worrying to be honest.x

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Well, you're brave!! I am berated for making the comparisons; I am ridiculed for suggesting such a thing. My data is wrong, I've been brainwashed (actually my stepmother accused me of being just like a certain person in our community who is vociferously vocal in his anti (this) vaccine, lockdowns, masks etc- she thought she was being derogatory to me, but this person is a scientist and has worked in pharma so I took it as a compliment to be honest- if I sound like him, I'm pretty chuffed!), I'm shouted at by my sister to "just get the bloody vaccine and then you'll be able to go on holiday". I cannot make any of my family (we're Jewish), or Jewish friends, here or in Israel, see the similarities or the coercion. The irony of the FB posts I see, from people in Israel, not only accepting the 'othering' of their fellow Israelis but holding them up to be responsible for their situation (where the bloody hell did we hear that before???) but calling for them to be restricted further, is beyond shocking. Yet on this day, Holocaust Memorial Day, they're all putting candles on their FB pages, and declaring "Never Again" and "Never Forget". How quickly we do actually forget.

Expand full comment

An absolutely brilliant riposte. Hopefully a copy was sent to the Vatican as well.

Meanwhile in the US, a Holocaust Museum in Illinois is demanding proof of vaccination before allowing visitors to peruse the exhibits and wonder how discrimination led to extermination. But that was before our enlightened era...

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Thanks for taking the time to type and post this, much appreciated. I think the reason the vaccinated think we’re mad when we draw parallels to Nazi Germany is because they are not engaged much with the ins and outs of all things covid. They also do not feel the pain and humiliation of being demonised and scapegoated (at least that’s my experience, along with terror!). It’s as if they are living in a parallel universe to us. Of course, here in the U.K. we’ve had it relatively easy but it’s still been horrible.

Expand full comment

I commend you for knowing when you've been bested. I often cite quotes and/or articles that proffer my own thoughts in a more eloquent or succinct manner than my own limited abilities allow.

I think anyone would find it a difficult task to better the letter written by Andrew Barr of Jews for justice. Like Mr. Barr, I recognize the tactics being used to compel compliance by any means. The mystery I've not yet solved is the why? But I'm sure in the beginning few if any knew the NAZIs goal was the annihilation of all Jews.

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Thank-you for putting that letter forward for us. It's impeccable. I pray someone will listen.

Expand full comment
Jan 28, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Fun zeyer moyl von Gots oyern. The letter nailed it -- it resumed all the salient points, and threw in that comparison of climate change to Nazi oppression. Welby, of course, couldn't care less. Nor does the Pope, the other vax discriminator. In truth, religion is about othering at its heart. Welby's just adopted a new religion.

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

I looked for links but only found the telegram link. Curious. Great letter. I am writing on the parallels between now and then, as I have detailed family history from 1930’s Germany. I thought it might be rude to put my link on your site, but will do if you ask!

Expand full comment
author

Not at all Laure - link away

The more we share, the more we realise there are lots of people speaking out. Even if we each only manage to get a few people to think again it's well worth it

Expand full comment

Thank you. And yes I agree. I am writing two series. One is my German Jewish family story that starts with ‘The Night of Broken Glass’. I’ve just written about the Reichstag fire and the 1935 Race Laws. The other series is factual about recognising tyranny. Comments or civil disagreement is welcome.

laurelevy.substack.com

Expand full comment
Jan 27, 2022·edited Jan 27, 2022Liked by Rudolph Rigger

Damn, that's a killer letter. Thank you for sharing it! This quote is one I am likely to Tweet tomorrow, if not sooner. "It is impossible to deny the parallel between the first two years of the Nazi regime in Germany and the last two years in Britain." My goodness! [ETA: I am disappointed that you could not source the letter. Terrible news! Content is still excellent, though!]

One hopes that since it was actually written by a group composed of Members of the Tribe of Abraham, the Woke Police will not take faux umbrage with the letter's authors making that obvious comparison. I find it odd that so many people tend to take apparent comfort in claiming ownership for a particular historical event, and somehow find a way to be insulted that anyone else, on Earth, could find a parallel with some other event. (Hey, that public school education, huh?!?!)

Further, I cannot help but see the fascinating similarity between how the Woke Police attacked Gina Carano for drawing the (obvious) parallels and how Kennedy did the same thing, only to suffer the same fate. Maybe this letter will shut the Woke Police up, but most likely, it will not. History is a mystery, apparently.

Expand full comment
author

I haven't quite understood all the anger directed at those who would draw such parallels. In making those links all they're doing is to issue a warning

"It's a dark road you've started walking on. It leads to the Abyss. You sure you wanna keep going on it?"

It's like those computer warning notices - are you sure you want to delete this file? Are you really, really sure you want to delete this file? Are you really, really, really sure you want to delete this file?

At some point on the road there's no turning back - the file has been deleted.

We've all seen what happens when people get lost on the road to Hell. Things like the Holocaust, the Balkans, Rwanda - this is what's at the end of that road. How far along it do we want to get?

The discrimination, the demonization, the restriction of rights - things done in the name of a supposed good, the prevention of disease. They are significant steps on the journey. And yes, we're a long way at the moment from the horrors of the Holocaust - but people deceive themselves if they ignore the possibility of atrocity in the name of "good" being committed again. They deceive themselves further still if they don't recognize that the veneer of civilization is only paper thin and it doesn't take much to breach that fragile, but very precious, layer.

Expand full comment

You could not be more correct, my friend! One of the things that Scott Adams gets wrong--and there are a few such things--is his attack on the use of "slippery slope" as an argument. For an absolute fact, everyone understands, or *should* understand the old truism, "Give a mouse a cookie..." We tend to remember big, seminal events, such as the Holocaust, but forget that there was a lot of water under the bridge before then. Anyway, I should stop now, because my hankering to use more metaphors is starting to get the best of me. That cannot end well!

Expand full comment

The disturbing truth is that, if you push these people even a little, you'll find the reason they condemn the comparisons is that they regard the unvaxxed as essentially deserving of this treatment. They believe the unvaxxed really are dangerous vectors of infection who are ruining everything by "forcing" lockdowns and other restrictions, and they point out that "unvaccinated" is a voluntary state. (They don't seem to have much to say when you point out that some people shouldn't get vaccinated for medical reasons, except perhaps to repeat "safe and effective.")

The conclusion I'm forced to make is that they don't have a principled opposition to this road and its destination, they just thought the wrong people were being forced to walk it before.

Expand full comment

"The conclusion I'm forced to make is that they don't have a principled opposition to this road and its destination, they just thought the wrong people were being forced to walk it before." Exactly! There is a (startling) amount of seventh-grade level "but-I-had-to-eat-my-spinach" stuff going on here. I sincerely believe that a not-so-insignificant portion of the vaccinated are aware that the vaccines were rushed out and likely shitty--to use a scientific term--but they also think no one should be excused from something they endured, no matter how flawed their own thought process beforehand.

Expand full comment

Awesome, thanks!

Expand full comment
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
author

I lifted this letter from another forum and the link they gave is

https://t.me/robinmg/14784

I don't do telegram so haven't been able to check this.

However, it's a spectacular letter whoever has written it - I thought it worth sharing even without a direct link.

I do hope it's genuine and not someone taking advantage - but I agree with the arguments used.

Expand full comment

The Telegram channel seems to be associated with Dr. Mike Yeadon, but as you probably know, there is no link to the letter's source. Just speculating, it might have been shared with Yeadon via private email or similar. But I agree with your decision to update the article. Thanks for all you are doing. I like the way you are able to use humor to get your ideas across.

Expand full comment
author

I've updated the article to reflect the uncertainty over the letter's origins

Expand full comment

Me too. A link would be appreciated.

Expand full comment

I second that, would like to share this from original source

Expand full comment