Did the Holocaust happen so long ago that it is no longer important?

Answer 1

The Jews and others affected by the Holocaust still say, "Never Again". The contempt for any human life different than our own must be acknowledged and people who demonstrate that kind of disdain must never allowed to again destroy people just to achieve their political ambitions.

During and before WW2, when NAZI's were killing Jews in secret, rumors were getting out of Germany that described what was going on. "Enlightened" people around the world turned their collective backs on the problem and pretended that it didn't involve us.

If we want to pretend that we're civilized, perhaps we can get by without caring. But if we are ever to evolve past barbarism, we must care what happens to those who are being victimized by that kind of brutality and put an end to it.

The holocaust is as relevant today as it ever was. Evil political leaders still destroy their own citizens in an attempt to secure their political power.

No, as long as there is hate and racism, the story is relevant. We can never allow people to forget that so many Jews were killed, simply because they were different and perceived as a way to pay for Hitlers war. The Holocaust is still relevant. Sadam killed millions in the name of religion and was still actively trying to kill the Jews. Middle East religious extremists still want to kill all "non-believers", and yes, even today people want to kill blacks, hispanics, orientals and just about anyone who is different. If anything, the Holocaust is even more significant today. Hate and power drove Sadam to do the things that he did. Hate and power are driving the Middle East extremists to do the same thing; they aren't any different really.

Um, no. The holocaust didn't happen 500 years ago, it happened 60 years ago, and there are still people walking around who survived the death camps. The study of history does not 'work' in the way that the question suggests. For example, the American Declaration of Independence is much older than the Holocaust but that does not make it unimportant. What really matters, is whether something is seen as important or relevant or not.