The Cascade NOW Wednesday, February 15, 1995 A9 US 16 16 16 Letters to Ed. Who s Fault was it? 1 Dear Ed.: I was watching T.V. this morning with my Oma. Oma is the German equivalent of Grandmother. We were watching a special on the Holocaust. As watched I was stricken by one thing in particular; the commentator illustrated how the German's master plan was to destroy all Jewish prisoners and so on. I glanced at my Oma and saw the expressive I had seen so many times before. Pain. The problem I have with this report was it was incorrect and fallacious. My Oma was living inGermanyduringthewar. MyOpafoughtonthe Russian front in the middle of a Siberian winter. I submit to anyone reading this: they had no plans to kill Jewish people. They had no idea what was going on in all the death camps. My Opa was drafted, as was required of all German youths, to serve two years in the German army. He had just finished his two years when the war began. He was forced to stay another six years. My Oma lived at home with her sisters where they farmed. When the elections came they were allowed to vote- for Hitler. They weren't given much choice in the matter. Hitler bullied his way into the German state and that is a fact. Not once did Opa hate Jewish people. He only did what he was told- he fought for his country. He didn't know what was happening in the death camps. Yet when you watch most presentations on the Holocaust we were told it was the Germans who committed these horrible acts. It was not the German's, it was the Nazi's. I define a Nazi as anyone who supported what occurred in the death camps knowingly. I charge these well thought out programs with the fallacy of Guilt by Association. My Opa couldn't help what was going on. My Oma was just a girl in a society where the woman's place was in the kitchen. I implore anyone who cares to listen, the holocaust was ultimately wrong and needs to be remembered for all time, but please do not assume all Germans that lived through the war are guilty. If that occurs our society will become a place in which everyone is guilty of something. We can see this occurring with the Airborne Regiment and how it has caused a filter to be cast over our eyes regarding the Canadian Forces. As a single white male I guess I'm not supposed to feel upset because of how this society is completely my doing, but I do. I mourn the victims of the Holocaust but I will tell my children that they can be proud of their heritage because my family tried to do what so many today do not realize- they tried to live through the war. Paul Becker /6 /6 /6 Apathy for the Rich & Pathetic Dear Ed.: To all the students who droveexceedingl y fast through our student information line, I hope you have wealthy parents other wise you might not be able to afford your loan payments for your nice new cars. I would like to thank student union president for helping set up the P.A. system, even though he did not have the moral fiber to join the rest of the student union members on the information line. Thanks for the "apathy" Clarence!!!!! I would also like to comment on the mysterious disappearanceof some of our tuition fee increase protest signs. The removal of these..signs was unjustified, and formal action will be taken against the people who committed this crime. Straight from the X-Files is "The Case of the Missing Mega-Phone" that mysteriously disappeared after the Student Union had reserved it. I have a funny suspicion that the mysterious and very seldom seen "P.J. Munster" knows the whereabouts of this Mega-Phone. I would also like to thank the faculty for supportingus and the services people for bringing us coffee. We all greatly appreciatedit. Thanks!! There will be a big "Get Well Soon Card" for Lyn Savage, on the wall outside the Student Union Office in the 'E' building, please sign this card. (We will also be collecting spare change for get-well flowers for her.) In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that: EDUCATION IS NOT A PRIVILEGE IT IS A RIGHT. Robin Price MAC.b~ ~bbf<~ LlC.b: cA'tJ AolA'tJ . ~lA?:>WGl~G(<. cD(<.o'tJA C:lAl'tJG~~ -~~~UJ If! ...J _._: ~(<.l'tJC:l'tJ \.fDlA(<. Q"lAoG'tJT 1.o. A'tJo C:GT 10 ~lAX Dtt A ~AT cH DF ~GG(<. ()(<. Wl'tJG! HDlAf<.~: MD'tJ-F(<.l10-f, ~AT 9-6, ~lA'tJ 10-6, "PHD'tJG#:530-~f<.GW (2r 39) 20323 Fr:2AS6Q HiGt--lWAY LAr0GLe-t, ~.c.