Face to face with the Hitler within...

Recently in the Eastern Cape, namely PE, there has been a spate of collective violence in the form of individuals being "necklaced" by an angry mob for allegedly committing crimes against the community.

Reading these stories my first instinct was to assume that the angry mob must have been littered with criminals. I felt that this would give a logical explanation for their actions especially after watching YouTube footage of necklacing. I could not bring myself to accept that good men and women would be willing participants in such atrocities. My mind wanted to assign the act to some monster.

As I was sitting cloaked in my coat of bewilderment and judgement, the words of a young Holocaust survivor came to me. When she was asked about her thoughts on Hitler and the men and woman that worked for him in the concentration camps carrying out his vision but at the end of the day went back to their warm homes and families. Hugged their wives and kissed their children goodnight when only a few hours earlier they had just closed the door to a fiery furnace full of Jewish bodies.

She stated that she believed that there is a Hitler in each and every one of us and until we acknowledge and confront him then the world will still experience atrocities similar to the Holocaust. Collective violence in its various shapes and forms is indeed perpetrated by good men and woman.

Before pointing a finger at the mob in PE, I looked myself in the mirror and asked the question; have you come face to face with your inner Hitler? Have you been in a situation where you have allowed the darker side of you to take over? Oh yes I have! When I think about the guy who murdered my brother, at the time if the opportunity had presented itself for me to end his life, I would have.

We’ve all had situation similar to mine where you come face to face with your inner monster and realise that with just a small push, you could. Now how can I or anyone possibly sit in judgement of what was done by the people in PE, in the Holocaust in any other violent situation. When I know that deep down we are all capable of such acts, given the right set of circumstances and opportunity.

But we must for we have free will. You can come face to face with the Hitler within and not necessarily succumb to him. Our rule of law clearly states that “though shall not kill”. When you do kill we must stand in judgement of you and the circumstances surrounding your actions. Without this we will be left with anarchy and that is no way to live.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Well said. PE has a history of such violence. In the early 80s, during the UDF days, where necklacing of the so-called impimpis/informers where performed. It seems now history is repeating itself, their inner hitlers have woken up. One wonders how the pepetraters deal with the do after the did. I'm not judging.In the early 80s, during the UDF days, where necklacing of the so-called impimpis/informers where performed. It seems now history is repeating itself, their inner hitlers have woken up. One wonders how the pepetraters deal with the do after the did. I'm not judging.
August 5, 2011 at 3:39 PM
Anonymous said…
Not just PE but there is evidence of collective violence all over the world, lynching being a prime example. As long as there have been human beings there has been such forms of violence. Sad to see that although times have changed human behaviour has not changed that much. Sad to see how little we have evolved as a society when it comes to such matters.
August 6, 2011 at 9:07 PM
Ziyanda said…
That's actually a very valid point annon1, how do they deal with themselves after what they have done if in actual fact they are just good men and women. surely their conscience bothers them? but humans have the ability to take something that they cannot deal with in the conscious mind and put it in their sub-conscious and therefore forget about it all together. this is where self examination and introspection is so important because if a lot more people do this, then they would not allow themselves to be pushed to the point of no return.
August 7, 2011 at 8:57 PM
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