ny115+Holocaust+Essay

Sometimes Not Knowing is Better...Or Is It?
==It is 1933. The Jews are being forced to do gruesome work and are being beaten to no end; the unlucky ones are dead. The Nazis have no mercy, sending the Jews to their death like you'd send chickens to the slaughter house. Little toddlers are experiencing something no person should ever experience. Now sixth-grade teachers all around the country are debating whether or not their students should learn about the Holocaust. I believe that sixth-graders should study the Holocaust. ==

==One reason sixth-graders should learn about the Holocaust is that knowledge is power. The kids who learn about the Holocaust are the kids who will help others who are suffering in the world. Some students might be immature about this traumatic, or horrible, event, but I think most would treasure this information and kind of get how the Jews must have felt. As a child in Lebanon, my mom lived through a war and experienced many horrible things. Being a survivor, she said, "Knowledge is power, and learning about history and the suffering of others is crucial to building character." If we grow up and are ignorant, or without knowledge, about the Holocaust, how can we appreciate the people who are suffering? ==

==The Holocaust is a cautionary tale to other countries in the world. Students need to realize that their safe little haven is not what the rest of the world is like. Twelve-year-olds in Egypt, for example, experience stress and protests every day. Maud Dahme, a Holocaust survivor, said, "Just to be alive is the greatest gift that God had given me. That is what I learned from this experience." This gruesome event might seem unbelievable, but this is what seventy percent of the world is like; Maude Dahme was thankful to just be alive! Thousands of innocent people die every day, and if we don't learn about the Holocaust, we wouldn't believe it. Six million Jews died. That is just cruel. ==

==One of the most of the most scariest things to think about is that if we don't learn from our mistakes, it will happen again. Back when the Holocaust occurred, America just sat there for most of it; if the future generation of politicians, soldiers, and doctors don't learn about this event, would another event like this happen again; where would they be in a time of need? George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned repeat it." Nobody would want to repeat this event! Sixth-grade teachers might disagree with me and say we lack the knowledge of historical events, but you'd be surprised how much we'd appreciate this knowledge. Jane Yolen recited, "...cramping the stomach, the stomach drained of blood, blood, staining the ground, a last breath, the alphabet of death." Who would allow such a thing to happen again? Blood staining the ground, cries of death, fear, and hatred surrounding you like a fog. Never again. ==

==Even though people all around the world are traumatized by this terrible event, I think the Holocaust is an important thing to know. So it might give kids nightmares, but it happened and was real! What else would teach kids to be grateful and respectful? A boring article? Sixth-grade teachers might disagree with me, but I believe that sixth-graders should learn about the Holocaust. ==