Many of the people in the photographs in this collection died as the direct result of Nazi oppression (restricting movement, access to employment, access to healthcare, etc — based on “race”). Others would have died a natural death by now anyway even without a war. Some people may still live who experienced these times first-hand.
But this HAS happened.
It DOES happen around the world.
It is BEGINNING to happen here in the United States.
When we allow ANY group of people to be discriminated against in little ways, we are deliberately turning out backs on people JUST LIKE US. As happened to the Gypsies, Jews, LGBT, atheists, political opponents… when the people who were not targets were afraid to speak up, or (in some cases) genuinely didn’t know what was happening.
These pictures of the Lodz ghetto are important. Consider what is of value to you. Consider whether you want your children to grow up being taught that other children are somehow “less than” and therefore deserving of abuse. Look at the children in these pictures…
Consider whether your grandchildren may someday be the target of such abuse and discrimination.
Consider the legacy we are leaving for the generations to come.
Will we stand by and hope it will work out in the end?
Or stand for what is right?