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How would you respond to something like this?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by WriteThinking, Mar 4, 2019.

  1. WriteThinking

    WriteThinking Well-Known Member

    This story discusses the Southern California town of Newport Beach's response to recent viral social media coverage of a teen party that involved under-aged drinking and seemingly casual but prominent uses of Nazi salutes and Swastikas.

    Outrage as high school students make Nazi salute and arrange drinks into a swastika at party

    What would it mean to you if this occurred in your city? What are the causes? What are the kids thinking -- if they're thinking at all? And, what can others do? Or, does it mean nothing, really, to them, or to others, and is that the real problem?

    I think this, quite often, especially the farther we get away from World War II. And no, I don't think the obligatory "Trump is causing it"' is the reason for it.

    Indeed, rather than "Never forget," I think it is entirely possible to do just that -- or to never really grasp why this might matter or be important to anyone, if, like these kids, you weren't there and/or are far distanced from it in terms of perspective.

    I bring this up because I've read other things even in the past regarding topics related to this -- usually brought on by citations of the fact that "the greatest generation," i.e., those most involved and impacted by WWII is dying off.

    I think this town's situation could be seen as particularly bad/dangerous because these are not poor, disaffected people. Newport Beach, in fact, could be described as the epitome of a white-and-wealthy area. In other words, these possibly disaffected kids could actually be people who would have the money and the power to make problems happen, grow and become worse, and whatever issues they're raising, it's not occurring because they're living in material misery or economic depression or frustration.

    Edit: Inserted a different link as the one I originally posted didn't open.
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2019
  2. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    It is infuriating, but sadly, not surprising. I doubt those idiots even truly grasp the significance of what they are doing. That doesn't make it any better, though.

    The further we get from World War II and the Holocaust, the easier it becomes for many to forget. What it would mean to me is confirmation that there are still ignorant people in the world and there are still hateful people in the world. Those kids are probably a little of both, mostly ignorant, but some with that kind of ugly hatred. Maybe they just wanted to do the most outrageous thing they could think of, but I'm sure there is at least some bigotry beneath that.

    I don't think President Trump is causing it. In many ways, he is a symptom of the problem. Anyone who doesn't think hate fueled at least part of his victory wasn't paying attention. It stands to reason that those who feel that way have been emboldened. They feel more accepted and able to show themselves. Maybe that's why those kids thought they could get away with what they did.
     
  3. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    I live in a suburb of the same socio-economic makeup with two kids and IMHO it’s just lazy thinking. The kids have the luxury of time to think stupid thoughts and demonize based on their ignorance. Disappointing that their parents and family didn’t teach them better to empathize with those less fortunate and understand that their lives depend greatly on those others.
     
    Alma likes this.
  4. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    Teenagers doing stupid shit for shock value. As long as there are teenagers, there will be idiotic actions like this.
     
  5. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    A mandatory trip to DC to see the US Holocaust Memorial would be a great thing for lots of people.

    But, not wanting to reward (nor pay) for a trip to DC, what online virtual tools and videos can be shown in schools to get the message across? Surely the Holocaust Memorial has some things online, as does Auschwitz and Dachau.

    But... I fear there exist kids who are loosely and incorrectly wired enough to think it would be neat to do their own mass killing by whatever means they have available.

    We live in fucked up times.
     
  6. Just the facts ma am

    Just the facts ma am Well-Known Member

    Of course. LOL about being outraged or horrified by this.
     
  7. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Always figured an intensive school unit on genocide would do the trick. Take a class of 40 students, randomly give a third of them Nazi cards, a third of them "bystander" cards and a third of them "concentration camp" cards. Make a "game" out of it. Every day one of the Nazis pull a card and they have to something. Move a bystander to the concentration camp, escort a concentration camp person to the showers. I imagine this crap would get very "unfunny" quite quickly and parents would not be happy.
    Remembering "The Wave" | HuffPost

    Perhaps the saddest thing? High schools pretty much operate under a "conform or die" mentality both officially and unofficially through student groups and cliques.
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2019
  8. fossywriter8

    fossywriter8 Well-Known Member

    I think online tools sound good, but for high school kids, I'd go with actually taking them to a Holocaust museum. Make it as visceral as possible. Kids today see so much on their computers and phones that I think they aren't as affected by seeing something as experiencing it. If they can't go to the one in Washington, D.C., look for another. Michigan has a good one in Farmington Hills, so I'm sure other states do as well.
    Another thing. Who blocked out the kids' faces in the tweet by Jamie Rogers that accompanied the story? If it was Rogers, that's one thing, but if it was the paper, I disagree with the decision. Sure, there's the whole "they're kids, give them a break" angle, but that picture was put out on social media long before the story came out.
     
  9. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Show them Schindler’s List.
     
    Vombatus likes this.
  10. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    I had to watch “The Wave” every year in Hebrew School from grades 4-8 and a couple of my high school classes watched it. It got to the point where I could almost quote it.
     
  11. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    Seinfeld made a reference to that. Forgot what it was. Maybe eating popcorn during it, or taking your first date to see it. Wait, that’s it. Making out during that movie.

    A bit inappropriate.

    So, no, not adequate punishment.
     
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