Name-calling is a common phenomenon in our society,
particularly in politics. This is nothing new; a perusal of congressional
speeches from the early years of our nation will reveal a flamboyant variety of
insults. Yet in the post-WWII years, a historical comparison has emerged as a
new slur: calling someone a Nazi or drawing the connection to Hitler. In fact,
memes comparing each of the current presidential candidates to the fascist
dictator are not infrequent when scrolling through a news feed.
Such a comparison essentially has become the ultimate
low-blow—if you really want to draw the connection between an opponent and
evil, you throw in a Nazi reference. Yet because Hitler and the Nazis presided
over unspeakable acts of horror, and because most of the persons labeled with
the term these days are not guilty of
anything close to Nazi-level atrocities, the comparison is often shrugged off
as overblown or considered taboo.
So what’s wrong with
that? you might be thinking. Isn’t
that a good thing?
Well, yes and no. Of course, aside from the obvious
foundational assertion that it’s generally better to avoid name-calling,
period, it’s especially a good idea to avoid applying inaccurate names to
someone—or associations blown out of proportion. So in that sense, it’s a
positive thing that flippantly or maliciously calling someone Hitler has little
potency.
But another consequence of the frequency and subsequent dilution
of the term(s) is negative. In effect, it seems that in the collective memory
of our nation, the true force and character of what Hitler did have been
relegated to meme status, and Hitler has been reduced to a caricature used to
insult a political opponent. The labyrinth of unfair or inaccurate labels makes
it increasingly probable that any accurate comparisons or warning calls will be
lost in the maze or will fall on deaf or dismissive ears.
This probability is troubling because when warnings are
issued based on past realities (in this case, realities of the early-to-mid 20th
century) it is in our best interests to heed them. This is, after all, part of the
value of studying history—learning from the mistakes of the past and acting
accordingly in the present and future. And when it comes to Nazi Germany, there
is an important lesson to learn…
While Hitler is often associated with extreme racism
resulting in the Holocaust, it should not be forgotten that the Holocaust
wasn’t a spontaneous event, nor was Hitler ruling in a vacuum. Conditions were
ripe in Germany following World War I for a National Socialist (Nazi) party to
rise and take control. Not only had Germany lost what was then known as The
Great War, leaving its land, population, and economy decimated, but also it was
saddled with an unbearable war debt and its people insulted to the core by
having the official blame for the war laid at their feet in the Treaty of
Versailles’s War Guilt Clause.
It was in this climate of extreme dejection and hopelessness
on every front that Hitler’s calls for a renewed nation-state rang out. By
promising to step in and take control, he appealed to the people’s wounded
nationalistic pride and desire for economic security. Never mind the fact that
his promises were empty and his methods dictatorial; the people were willing to
give him power because they were blinded by any number of things—fear, hatred,
desire for comfort, etc.
Once the people viewed Hitler as their supreme leader and
had given over control of nearly every element of their lives to the government,
their minds were disarmed to the further, dangerous propaganda that flooded
their lives and dehumanized significant portions of the population such as the
Jews. Again preying on fear, hatred, and prejudices, Hitler and his underlings
were able to brainwash the population into turning on their fellow man.
Instead of asking How
could they do that? How could the people be that blind?, we would be wise
to recognize that we are humans just as they were. We are susceptible to the
same fears, the same desires for comfort and security, the same seeds of
prejudice. And when things are going badly, we have the same longing for a
savior.
So let us try to discern if the comparisons of modern
figures or ideas to Hitler or Nazism are legitimate, and, if they are, to beware.
Let us look back on the Nazi regime and take heed lest we lower our guard and
give up our freedom. Let us root out any prejudice that might linger and grow
into a monstrous weed.
If there is fear or uncertainty, let us look to the One
who holds each day for all eternity and who promises never to leave us. Let us
turn to the only One who can change hearts and minds and can replace anger or
apathy with a supernatural love. Let us turn from our wretched state to the
spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph. 1), with full confidence that He will give
us His strength to face whatever lies ahead.
