A Lesson in Compassion: Jewish Refugee Ship’s Legacy

A boat load of refugees off Miami seeking safety in America turned away by fearmongering politicians…

Except it was Jewish refugees and this was 1931. Now in 2023 fear mongering politicians are at it again – stirring hate for votes. There’s a lesson in compassion worth remembering here because Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Paraphrasing German Lutheran Pastor Niemöller during the holocaust:

First they came for the Hispanics, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Hispanic.
Then they came for the Muslims, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for the Asians, and I did not speak out – Because I was not Asian.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

History repeats itself

In May 1939, as the Holocaust was beginning, the U.S. turned away the M.S. St. Louis, a ship carrying 937 mostly Jewish refugees from Europe. It was denied entry and forced to return to Europe where 254 refugees died. – JTA

“DeSantis says US shouldn’t take in Palestinian refugees from Gaza because they’re ‘all antisemitic’… he dismissed international entreaties for Israel to provide clean running water and utilities to the 2.3 million civilians in the territory.” – Associated Press

“Trump used the ongoing conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip to stoke fears about immigration into the United States, pledging to reimpose a travel ban on people coming from predominantly Muslim countries. Trump instituted such a ban shortly after he took office in 2017, barring people from seven countries from entering the United States. Human rights groups were outraged and called the move inhumane and discriminatory. The ban sparked fierce protests and widespread condemnation. – HuffPost

Politics of getting votes by race baiting

“Trump referred to African nations as “shithole countries,” adding that the U.S. should want immigrants from countries such as Norway rather than from Haiti or El Salvador…” – NPR

“Call me a non-white nationalist, if you want says Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.” – Politico

“Ramaswamy says he’ll deport children of undocumented immigrants born in the U.S. Those children, however, are American citizens under the 14th Amendment.” – NBC

akeAway: Compassion is an American value. Don’t fall for fear mongering politicians. You never know who they’ll target next…

Deepak
DemLabs

Resources:
This StoryMap can be freely shared with this link https://arcg.is/158rSn0
The tragedy of the passengers of the MS St. Louis – YouTube
Tragic tales of Jewish refugees killed after US turned them away – JTA
MARTIN NIEMÖLLER: “FIRST THEY CAME FOR…” – U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

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