Our Demise

The Noose tightens not just on me, but you.
I stare into the blank eyes of the world.
Your fear of the absent threat hatred grew,
From your consciousness this nightmare unfurled;



Oh we have made life in our own image,
We are the destruction, we are our end
Endless screams will be the lasting damage
Of the evils you cannot amend,
 
It is you not me that you should mistrust
You are the monster, you’ve made us animals.
The fire engulfs every one of us,
This fire that started from a candle


Out the Chimney my soul, ashes dispersed
My last breath to mankind “My curse- My curse”

Connections

In the propaganda display there was an illustration from the book The Poisonous Mushroom of a Jewish man luring innocent children with candy. The intention of this picture was clearly to strike fear in German households especially parents who were now concerned on how to keep their children safe from bad intentioned strangers such as Jews. In Maus on page 149 while Vladek is out on the street he encounters children who scream in fear “A Jew, a Jew!” and run to their mothers for safety. According to Vladek, mothers would tell their children that Jews will “catch you to a bag and eat you!”  When the children first shout that Vladek is a Jew, Vladek looks baffled at how even the children were converted to seeing Jews as monsters which shows how seemingly impossible it was to escape the Nazis. These passages reveal that propaganda was very effective and influenced an array of ages and it’s possible that the children’s fear of Vladek may have been due to them reading The Poisonous Mushroom or other propaganda that was targeted at children. It’s almost ridiculous to think that people were so gullible when told that Jews were pedophiles they would be utterly convinced it was true without any actual evidence verifying the claims.  This just proves how people reacted to supposed “dangers” and how much people were controlled by fear.

How can something like the Holocaust happen?

Many speculate on how an advanced country like Germany in the 20^th century could’ve conceived such an atrocious event as the Holocaust where an estimated 11 million people were eradicated in a nonsensical genocide.  One of the main explanations on why Hitler’s vision of a world without Jews started to become a reality was because of the simplification of differences, Good vs. Bad and Right vs. Wrong.  

Propaganda played a critical role in creating this anti-Semitism philosophy, the use of this tactic created fear which led to anger and eventually to hate. These ideologies become quite rooted in the people of Germany; Propaganda went as far as creating Children’s books such as The Poisonous Mushroom by Julius Streicher's Der Stürmer-Verlag which fortified anti-Semitism ideas. Like many other propaganda products The Poisonous Mushroom  took full advantage of using Jewish Stereotypes like “The Jewish nose is crooked at its tip” to try and illustrate how different and alien the Jews were. In addition the title itself The Poisonous Mushroom portrays Jews as a poison, a fungi spreading. The Nazis pointing out these stereotypes was an effective way to alienate them from the rest of the population and further contribute to the rise of anti-Semitism.

                The elimination of Jews and other minorities became an actuality not only because the Nazi’s put forth tremendous effort in the genocide but also because there was no opposition to the Nazi regime. The many bystanders of the Holocaust did not intervene for several reasons such as: they feared the consequences, many believed in the anti-Semitism ideas, but many did not speak out because they were not the victims therefore it was not their place to get involved. This is clearly demonstrated in the Poem First They Came by Martin Niemoller who was eventually thrown into a concentration camp. The poem expresses how even though the minorities were being persecuted he was not one of them, they were different, “I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;” But the continuing silence of the bystanders only allowed the Nazis to continue the crimes, “Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.”, shows that ignoring the atrocities did not exclude him from them.

                Unconceivable events such as the Holocaust continue to take place today which only further confirms the fact that differences whether it is race, religion, or social status, continues to cause conflicts. The Rwanda Genocide was a most recent event where nearly 800,000 people were murdered because of social differences between the Tutsis and the Hutus.  The artifact is an interview of a Rwandan Genocide survivor: Immaculee Illibagiza who recalls the horrors of the event where the minority Tutsis was “slaughtered in their tracks”. Like the Holocaust the Rwandan genocide was caused by one group thinking it was superior over the other which led to tension and eventually mass murder.

Nato names Stoltenberg next chief

Jens Stoltenberg, Norway's ex-Prime Minister has been appointed as Nato's next secretary in general replacing Denmark's Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Many agree that the crisis in Ukraine has demonstrated the need for Nato to show strong leadership and that Stoltenberg will be able to continue that legacy. The crisis in Ukraine has created great concern recently because of Russia's huge military build up on the borders of Ukraine. The new Nato general who will officially take office in October 2014 will also have to lead the withdrawal of Nato-led forces currently held in Afghanistan.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26791044


"Nato names Stoltenberg next chief." BBC. (2014): n. page. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.

Mass protest held in Taiwan against China trade deal

President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan made a trade deal that will allow both China and Taiwan better access to invest more freely in each others markets. However at least 100,000 people have marched on the streets of Taiwan's capital Taipei to protest against the trade deal claiming that it will make Taiwan too economically dependent on China. The protesters say that it will hurt small businesses and job opportunities for the local people, and demand that the government pass a law to monitor all future deals with China. In recent years China has been Taiwan's biggest trading partner but many worry that stronger economic ties with China could threaten Taiwan since China formally regards Taiwan as their territory though they have been self-governing for several decades. 


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26809066


"Mass protest held in Taiwan against China trade deal." BBC. (2014): n. page. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.

Syria crisis: UN says no aid improvement despite vote

Even though the Security Council passed a resolution last month that would increase aid deliveries, the UN has said that there has been no humanitarian improvement for the millions of Syrians who need it. Valerie Amos the UN humanitarian chief lays most of the blame on President Al-Assad's government which refused to give aid convoys access to the remoter areas. Since February 22nd there has been nearly 300 cases of sexual violence in the Damascus area alone, aid and assistance has only reached 6% of people living in besieged areas, 175,000 remain trapped by government forces, and 45,000 cannot escape due to opposition groups. Countries such as Britain and the U.S are discussing steps to punish the government under President Assad for what they consider an objection to the resolution.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26795153


"Syria crisis: UN says no aid improvement despite vote." BBC. n. page. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.

Thailand: Into the Void

The high court of Bangkok has declared the February 2nd election invalid and has ordered a new vote which will surely deepen the country's political crises. For four months extreme protests have been ongoing in hopes to overthrow the government, killing 20 people. The government supporters or "red shirts" claim that they will stage major demonstrations if the prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is impeached. The constitutional court ruled that the February vote had violated the requirement which states that elections be completed in a single day, protests and disruptions did indeed prevent millions of Thais from voting, therefore according to the court an entire new election is required.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/21/thailand-into-the-void.html


Samuels, Lennox. "Thailand: Into the Void." Daily Beast. n. page. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Deadly Ebola virus reaches guinea capital Conakry-UN

The Ebola virus has already killed 59 people in Guinea and has reached the capital Conakry, the fever spread fast from Southern Guinea hundreds of kilometers away. Currently there is no known cure or vaccine, it is spread through close personal contact of those with the infection and kills nearly 25%-90% of its victims. Ebola has never once been recorded in Guinea and the capitol, Conakry is an expansive port city where up to two million people live. The Guinean health ministry reports that they are overwhelmed by the virus, but are receiving medical aid and some 33 tons of drugs and isolationism equipment are being flown in from Belgium and France.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26701733


"Deadly Ebola virus reaches Guinea capital Conakry - UN." BBC . n. page. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

Police clash in Venezuela with anti-government protesters

In Venezuela anti-government demonstrators protested against the arrest of two opposition mayors: Daniel Ceballos and  Enzo Scarano who were both accused of planning a coup against President Maduro's government. In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas hundreds of demonstrators threw sticks and stones at the riot police who in return responded with tear gas and water canons. High murder rates, immense inflation, and the lack of basic necessities has been causing daily protests against the government under President Nicolas Maduro. So far dozens of supporters and opponents of the government have lost their lives in these protests and the number continues to grow.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-26676806


"Police clash in Venezuela with anti-government protesters." BBC. (2014): n. page. Web. 21 Mar. 2014. 

Syrian Forces Close to Taking Over Long-Held Rebel Town

Syrian Government forces pushed into the rebel held town Yabrud, a critical location for militants and refugees moving in and out of Lebanon. The Syrian revolution which originally started as non-violent actions for political rights has now turned into a bloody war killing an estimated 150,000. One of the fighters who were killed was Abu Azzam al-Kuwaiti, a Nursu front Commander who last week negotiated the release of women and children held by the Syrian government, which included members of his own family. The government forces have spent weeks edging towards Yabrud, and the fall of this critical location seems imminent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/world/middleeast/syrian-forces-close-to-taking-over-long-held-rebel-town.html?action=click&contentCollection=Middle%20East&region=Footer&module=Recommendation&src=recg&pgtype=article
Barnard, Anne. "Syrian Forces Close to Taking Over Long-Held Rebel Town." New York Times. n. page. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

Nigeria attacks: 100 killed in attacks on villages in Kaduna

At least 100 villagers have been killed in what officials say were attacks linked to tensions between ethnic groups, in the central Kaduna state of Nigeria. Though it is not evident on who the attackers were many blame members of the mostly Muslim Fulani tribe, in recent years thousands of people in central Nigeria have been murdered due to semi-nomadic Fulani herdsmen attacking Christian farmers. Houses were destroyed, food looted, and many of the victims in the villages of Ugwar Sankwai, Ungwan Gata and Chenshyi,bodies were so badly burnt that they could not even be identified. The Fulani tribe has also committed violence against the Muslim Hausa ethnic group in recent years.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26602018
"Nigeria attacks: 100 killed in attacks on villages in Kaduna." BBC. n. page. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution on Crimea

Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution which stated that a referendum on secession in Crimea is illegal. Russia's Ambassador  Vitaly I. Churkin believes that the referendum is an "extraordinary measure" and that the people of Crimea should have the right of self-determination. China was also put in a difficult situation due to the fact that they do not want to speak against its ally Russia nor does it want it to be seen as supporting the secession of Crimea because it may encourage a vote on independence for Taiwan or Tibet. Though it is not definite on what actions the council will do next the U.S. and European Union are likely to tighten or expand sanctions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/world/europe/russia-vetoes-un-resolution-on-crimea.html?ref=world&_r=0

Sengupta, Somini. "Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution on Crimea." New York Times. n. page. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

Libya Threatens To Bomb North Korean Ship if it Exports Seized Oil

Laessing, Ulf, and Feras Bosalum. "Libya Threatens To Bomb North Korean Ship If It exports seized oil." Huffington Post. 2014: n. page. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
The Libya's government has threatened to bomb a North Korean flagged tanker if it attempts to export oil from a rebelled controlled port. Since august the rebels have seized three major ports for leverage to demand more autonomy, these militias once helped overthrow Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but are now challenging the state authority. The countries oil output has been slashed to 230,000 barrels per day compared to 1.4 million in July due to waves of protests at oil ports. Western powers are concerned that Libya will fall into even deeper chaos as the government is struggling to assert control in situations such as these.

North Korea Holds First Parliamentary Elections under Kim Jong-un

Sang-Hun, Choe. "North Korea Hold First Parliamentary Elections under Kim Jong-un." New York Times. (2014): n. page. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/world/asia/north-korea.html?ref=world&_r=0
North Korea's elections are the first since the death of Kim Jong-Il, in the last elections a single candidate ran unopposed within each of the 687 districts and were all elected with nearly 100% support. North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly virtually endorse anything the Kim Jong-un commands, the elections are simply a tool to check on the political allegiance of the citizens. In the past Jong-un has done a series of political purges to eliminate potential challenges to his rule such as the recent execution of his uncle Jang Song-Thaek. With the newly elected parliament filled with those he believes loyal to him, it will help to consolidate Kim Jong-un's power.

Saudis Blacklist Brotherhood

Abboud, Assad. "Saudis Blacklist Brotherhood." Daily Beast. (2014): n. page. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.
(Article posted 7 Mar.)


http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2014/03/07/saudis-blacklist-brotherhood.html


Saudia Arabia have announced that they have officially listed the Blacklist Brotherhood as a terrorist group along with two jihadist groups currently fighting in Syria. They have also ruled that citizens fighting outside the country to return within 15 days or go to jail, the government is hoping that this will prevent them from becoming experienced extremists who may come back with their targets being Saudi Arabi'a rulers. Saudia Arabia's actions seem somewhat surprising since they previously supported the Blacklist Brotherhood's efforts to remove the Egyptian president. These decisions come after Saudi Arbaia, the UAE, and Baharain removed their ambassadors from the Blacklist supporting country of Qatar.