But it is also of its time. Reading passages from history that have blatant racism or misogyny really hit us hard today, but that is “just the way it was back then…” The Jews had been marginalized throughout Europe (and North America — let’s not forget why Joseph Kennedy Sr. was never president…) and although Anne’s experience in the secret room was somewhat extreme, it would likely been seen as a logical extension to the ghettoism they already felt.

And yes, I understand how horrific that sounds.

Amsterdam is an interesting city. In a lot of ways, it seems a lot freer — the Red Light District, the coffeehouses, etc. But in a lot of ways it hasn’t changed. The Dutch are still generally xenophobic, though today that is usually aimed more at African and Asian immigrants.

So could the same thing happen there? Could it happen here? I need to believe that yes, it could. Because that way we are always vigilant.

I’ll be honest, as an outsider looking it during 9/11, I was awfully worried when Bush went ahead with his plans without a UN resolution. He didn’t listen to ally countries that told him there wasn’t enough proof of WMDs. It was either they were with him or against him.

What actions was he ready to take in the name of “freedom”? Let’s not forget too that Hitler got into power by promising freedom of his own: freedom from outside oppression (the Treaty of Versailles), reparations, lack of dignity not allowing Germany to have an air force or troops in the Rhineland… And look where that power took him.

History does repeat itself, and genocide, racism, and all those other horrors Man is capable of have been around a long time. If we are not keeping an eye out for it, it will creep up on us and sweep us away before we know what’s happening.

So I for one am glad that 1 million people go to Anne Frank’s house every year. We can’t forget the horrors that happened then or ever, or we’ll be doomed to repeat them.

~Graham

(Wow, is that ever heavy. Shall I comment on some of my Amsterdam experiences to lighten the mood…? I’ve got a good one about a deck of cards, a box of firecrackers, and a trip to the Heineken Brewery.)

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The literature says that 1 million people visit Anne’s house every year. That’s more people than a actually live in Amsterdam.

I’m glad her diary has retained its luster and importance over the years.

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