tuesday was holocaust rememberance day. when i got to work, on my walk, i noticed on one of the grassy patches a bunch of little flags. most yellow, but some green, red, orange and white as well. i thought to myself… i bet that is art. it’s kind of interesting. not really a pattern of flags… but they are kinda pointed in an arrow, but none the less, they fill the entire patch of grass.
as i walked closer, i noticed a sign infront of the flags, and there was an elderly gentleman reading it. the sign told me that each flag represented 8,000 people. eight thousand people died for each flag placed on the grass. 5,866,000 jews (yellow), 400,000 gypsies (green), 70,000 disabled (white), 15,000 homosexuals (red), and one orange flag which represented the 1,034 catholic clergy members who perished.
it is sombering, really. everyday this week, i have walked past those flags. everyday i think, how could we, as members of the human race be so cruel to each other. not only that, but how passive must we still continue to be. we see people getting beaten and killed on our city streets, and even recently in the san francisco bay, and yet we still do not stand up. we continue to let others make our decisions for us and do not rock the boat. when will we, as a society, as individuals learn to stand up for ourselves and what we believe in. when will we realize that we have to make a stand, even in those things that we believe are too small to matter.
i was thinking that i wasn’t going to the holocaust museum again next week. i cried the entire time i was there the last time. i think i need to remember just a little bit more. i want to make sure that i can stand up, when i need to.
Look who’s talking…