Human Rights Violations and Atrocities Committed by Dictatorial Regimes - Essay Example

Buried by the Times and Have We Changed? Introduction Human rights violations and atrocities committed by dictatorial regimes form part of the world’s history. Historical injustices committed by the Nazis are of interest considering the extended implications of the holocaust on the victims. Besides the Jews, the holocaust continues to affect the entire global society. Bitter legacy of the holocaust continue to affect the world population, today. However, concerns rose over the possibilities of the holocaust’s prolonged occurrence because of unfair reporting by the Times. According to claims by Leff, the Times failed to report the holocaust comprehensively despite its dominance and extensive coverage during the 1930s. Few editorials and news about the holocaust reported regarded the holocaust as a concern of humanity rather than a Jewish problem. This subsequently delayed actions to save the Jews from Nazi’s brutal affairs. Currently, there are cases of biased reporting against Israel by the BBC that is tantamount to promoting anti-Semitism and hatred for Israel. Although to a relatively lower limit than the 1930s, the media still engage in unfair reporting. Currently, there is insignificant change concerning biased reporting by the media to end anti-Semitism compared to the 1930s. The Holocaust and anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism was among the central factors that prompted the holocaust. Prior to World War II, there were cases of anti-Semitism spread across Europe. Hatred for the Jews began long time back when the roman authorities depicted high levels of religious intolerance against Jewish religion. Having served as a soldier in the German army during the first war, Hitler maintained hatred for Jews. He blamed them for the country’s loss of the war in 1918. After his rise to power as the chancellor, Hitler wanted a pure German race in the country. He was a strong proponent of the elimination of the Jews from the country. As part of his strategies to achieve racial purity in the country, Hitler administration passed the Nuremberg laws in 1935 (Klein 49). The laws classified Germans as Jews and Aryans. Hitler’s administration further campaigned for the expansion of the Aryans in the country. In implementing the laws, Jews suffered the brutality of inhumane treatment. Hitler wanted to achieve full superiority of the Aryans in Germany. Between 1933 and 1939, Hitler set several concentration camps across Germany. Nazi rallies across the country also burned various literature by Jews. The Aryans were rising to gain superiority and dominance in the country. On the contrary, non-Aryans suffered exclusion from public service in Germany. Businesses owned by Jews could not operate across several towns in the country. Professionals such as lawyers and doctors of Jewish origin could not operate in the country. Jews also faced a serious challenge of stigmatization and frequent prosecution under the Hitler administration. Mass migration of Jews from the country was a major consequence of the stigmatization. Other remaining Jewish population endured uncertainty and fear for their lives. In 1938, attacks on Jews’ synagogues in Germany and destruction of various shops owned by Jews occurred. In 1939, September 1, Hitler ordered mass killing of people with mental illnesses and other forms of disabilities (McSherry 206). The incidence of mass killing prompted the holocaust. In 1941, the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union in a brutal warfare. Soviet Jews suffered during the attack. Concentration camps set by the Nazis in Poland were the first destination for Jews captured by the Nazi. Camps located in other areas such as Auschwitz also served as points of mass killings. Nearly two million Jews suffered the brutal treatment of the Nazis at Auschwitz and other camps. Many Jews died from starvation while serving as laborers in different camps. Diseases were a major cause of a high population of Jews kept in the camps. Beginning of the fall of 1944, German soldiers started leaving the camps in speculation of possible defeat by ant-Nazi forces. The atrocities ended in 1945. Although the Germans conceded full responsibility of the atrocities and offering compensation to the Jews, victims still blame anti-Nazi governments for slow response. Biased reporting of the Holocaust by the Times in the 1930s Most atrocities committed by the Nazis remained unreported by major news outlets. This kept the Nazi affairs and Jews’ suffering secretive from anti-Nazism governments such as America. Leff provides an analysis of the failure by most news centers and magazines to report the brutalities that the Nazis conducted in the concentration camps (19). According to Leff, the Times neither engaged in full coverage of the stories in the Nazi’s camps nor conducted particular reports to unearth the atrocities. Among the media that covered the atrocities included the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). By 1939, the Times had an extensive population of readers of almost a half-million, weekly. The Times also conducted nearly thirty-seven thousand weekly advertising. The Times reported different news including those of the great depression and, therefore, could as well cover the Jews’ sufferings under the Nazis. According to Leff, James Edwin was aware of the occurrences in Europe under Nazis’ operations (21). Edwin served as the Times’ editor by 1939. In response, there were complaints that the Times offered low coverage of the plight of the Jews. The Times had little coverage of the poverty that Jews in the Lower East Estate experienced (Leff 21). According to Leff, the Nazi’s regimes formed part of the important news that the Times should offer an extensive coverage (21). Being a preeminent newspaper in the U.S., the Times were a suitable news media to cover the occurrences undertaken by the Nazi. It would address the atrocities that Jews experienced in Poland. However, the Times seemed to consider the news about Jews’ persecution as unimportant and offered it little coverage. In 1933, the Times allegedly reported false news about the sufferings of the Jews during the First World War (Leff 21). Sulzberger, a publisher at the Times in 1933, considered it vital to handle news about the Jews’ sufferings in a rather scrupulous manner (Leff 22). In November 1939, editors at the Times had to seek guidance from the manager on how to handle news on the Jews and their state in Poland. It was surprising that Sulzberger was a Jew and, therefore, could use his position to convince Jews and non-Jews that Hitler’s claims were senseless. He could extensively cover Nazi’s brutality to convince readers that Jews demanded treatment as other humans in the world. However, Sulzberger failed to demand for extensive coverage of the condition of Jews in Poland. Sulzberger claimed that extensive coverage of the atrocities and suffering of Jews under Nazi might aggravate the spread of anti-Semitism (Leff 22). In his position as a publisher, Sulzberger was reluctant to employ Jews candidates for job positions. He shunned from possible prejudice as less educated, being a Jew. He also feared classification with fellow Jews as immigrants hence concerns of misjudge by Americans. In other instance, he declined to join the Jewish committee (Leff 27). His opposition of Felix Frankfurter’s rise to the Supreme Court was because of the fact that it would aggravate anti-Semitism. In the 1930s, most Jews in America preferred the New York Post to the Times because the former had comprehensive news about Jews in Russia. Occasionally, the New York Post would have publications about occurrences that were important such as the Kishniew massacre. These news, however, were unimportant to the Times. At the beginning of Hitler’s rise to the chancellor’s position, Ochs severed as the Times’ publisher (Leff 29). Ochs was uncomfortable publishing news about Jews in Germany because of his connections with the country, Bavaria being his origin. By 1933, Ochs suffered from mental and physical distortion since he could not tolerate Hitler’s atrocities directed towards Jews. Ochs succumbed to the pressure in 1935. Sulzberger succeeded Ochs. Sulzberger, in turn, did not respond to the persecution of Jews. Instead, he denied the occurrences and directed that they do not attain any time for reporting in the Times. In that manner, the Times buried the concerns of Jews in Germany. The Times carefully published any related report concerning the Jewish sufferings. Times editorials never addressed the issue comprehensively. Throughout the 1930s, reports published in the Times addressed the holocaust victims’ plights as non-Jewish problems. Instead, reports published addressed the concern of refugee crisis as a concern of civilization. According to the Times editorial, Jews’ plight was a problem of humanity. It was neither a concern of race nor creed. The occurrences were not Jewish or Gentiles’ problems. Equally, the Times reported that the problems did not belong to Europe or America (Leff 33). Little emphasis tackled the Jewish concerns in the situation. The Times editorial’s viewpoint of the state of German refugees as a concern of humanity restricted response by America to address it. Essentially, it never prompted America to review its immigration quotas. The Times, because of its extensive readership in America, provided a proper platform to campaign for the uplift of America’s immigration restrictions. By the 1930s, America had restrictions pertaining immigration for Germany and Austria. Regulations limited immigrants’ population. Only once did the Times support an initiative by Robert Wagener, senator for NY, to allow one thousand German-born children to America (Leff 34). Unfortunately, Wagener’s bill never passed the committee. The Times only published editorials that supported resettling of the victims to other safe areas and locations. Present situation Currently, information on various incidences of atrocities is available. The media reports nearly all instances of anti-Semitism in different places, globally. Anti-Semitism in Sudan, Darfur Since 2004, cases of extreme human rights violation instigated by anti-Semitism continue in Darfur. Cases of genocide in Sudan, for instance, continue to promote anti-Semitism. Sudan is notable a Muslim-dominated country. The Sudanese president continues to promote hatred for Jews in the country. This is a central cause of the genocide experienced in the country. He accuses Jewish organizations in the country for harboring interventions to create peace by the United Nations. He restricts Jewish organizations from distributing aid to victims of the instability experienced in Sudan’s Darfur area. He does not allow Jewish organizations to operate in the country. Victims of the genocide continue to suffer from starvation and diseases in refugee camps. On April 30, 2006, Jews organized a walk in Washington calling for an end to anti-Semitism in Sudan’s Darfur area. The rally organized by Jewish organizations, political leaders and genocide survivors. The rally aimed at promoting justice for the genocide victims in Darfur. Anti-Semitism in Burma and North Korea Cases of religious intolerance are rampant in Burma. Gross violation of religious rights in the country is a deep concern, today. Suppression of religious minority groups including Jews in the country is attracts international attention. Relations between Israel and North Korea remain marred by tension. The latter promotes anti-Jewish actions aimed at condemning Israel. North Korean government promotes the distribution of literature including the famous anti-Semitic book by Hitler, Mein Kampf. Kim Jong-un, the country’s leader, aids the distribution of the book in the country. Kim Jong-un represents the stance of other leaders in Iran in promoting anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism in Europe Besides concerns of rising concerns of anti-Semitism in Britain, a survey by the BBC reveal that it is a challenge in most of Europe (Bell 1). The survey reveals that anti-Semitism in Europe continues to spread through the internet. Dominance of anti-Semitism over the social media is a serious concern in most European countries. Muslim extremists in Europe are the greatest promoters of anti-Semitism in Europe. The survey reveals that leaders, who are proponents of left-wing ideologies, are second after Muslim extremists in spreading ant-Semitism in Europe. Anti-Semitism is a central challenge in countries such as France, Hungary and Britain (Bell 1). Anti-Semitism in Britain Political and religious leaders continue to address an alarming upcoming concern of anti-Semitism in Britain. Currently, there is an increase in the level of intolerance against Jews in England. Israeli officials claim instances to prove that English are showing signs that promote anti-Semitism (Harrison and Bloomfield 1). According claims by Shimon Peres, the British tend to show prejudice against the Israeli population. Differences between the British and Israeli governments concerning the condition of Gaza continue to create tension between the two sides. According to an exclusive interview with David Cameron, Gaza is comparable to a prison camp (The Telegram 1). The British leader accuses Israel of human rights violation in their operations at Gaza. Anti-Semitism is gaining prominence among the Muslim community in Britain. Ant-Jewish remarks are equally becoming acceptable among the Muslim community in the country. Current efforts to address anti-Semitism Dealing with concerns of hatred and racism against Jews remains a central challenge to the global community. Tackling intolerance experienced by Jews, globally, should adopt a holistic approach. Presently, there are appreciable efforts by the UN general assembly to adopt resolutions that discourage anti-Semitism and denial of the occurrence of the holocaust. Addressing the conditions in Burma and North Korea is a challenging role, as well. Efforts by the OSCE are of particular importance in promoting programs to combat anti-Semitism. The organization promotes holocaust remembrance among the European community. It discourages verbal harassment and brutal attacks targeted at Jews in the entire European society. It has programs to discourage hate-speech and denial of the holocaust among leaders and the entire European Society. The organization’s members express commitment to facilitate the exercise of best practices that discourage prejudice against the Jews in European countries. In addition, there are programs set to create awareness of the diverse challenges that Jews experience emanating from anti-Semitism. There are existing education and awareness programs targeting the public in OSCE region. Public awareness programs discourage intolerance to Jews in the European society. In addition, the United Nations calls for an end to funding of anti-Semitic countries. Dishonest reporting on anti-Semitism Addressing the challenge of anti-Semitism in the current world requires impartial and honest reporting by the media. Despite current avenues to address the concern, there are instances of media bias and unfair reporting directed towards Israel (Spence 1). The BBC news section allegedly made false reporting about Israel in a five-minute report on the Six-Day war. According to a case, the BBC’s radio 4 program allegedly reported biased news that did not favor Israel. The news aired during the program allegedly revealed an impression that Israel occupies over three times its initial land size. News reported during the alleged misleading program also stated that Israel was unwilling to exchange its land for peace. The program’s wrong reporting created the perception that Israel never honored the agreement to hand back its territory as agreed in 1967. Instances of biased reporting about the Israeli-Palestine tensions have high likelihood of worsening the situation. That has a high probability of promoting prejudice against Jews from Israel. Anti-Israel bias in news reporting by the BBC is a serious cause of anti-Semitism. The Balen Report The probe on the BBC follows the legendary case defended by the BBC to keep the Balen report from public access. The Balen report, published in 2004, is an audit and analysis of the BBC’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestine conflict. BBC defended the case against efforts to make the report public. The report, published by Malcolm Balen, was a response to allegations of possible bias exhibited by the BBC in reporting the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Failure to report matters of international importance by the BBC continues to attract critics’ condemnation, globally. Impartial and honest reporting is fundamental to handle the Israeli-Palestine tensions. Conclusion Biased of the holocaust by the Times sin the 1930s delayed efforts to end the sufferings. Currently, cases of anti-Semitism receive commendable coverage. There are efforts to end ant-Semitism set by various agencies and organizations. Despite current efforts, there are instances of biased reporting of on the Israel-Palestine tension by media outlets such as the BBC. Incidences of biased reporting hamper efforts to address anti-Semitism. Works CitedTop of Form Bottom of Form Bell, Bethany. Anti-Semitism on the rise say Europes Jews. BBC News. 8 November 2013. Web. 24 March 2014. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24857207 Harrison, David and Bloomfield, Adrian. Fury as Israel President claims English are “anti-Semitic”. The Telegram. 31 Jul 2010. Web. 24 March 2014. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7920330/Fury-as-Israel-president-claims-English-are-anti-semitic.html Klein, Ruth. Nazi Germany, Canadian Responses: Confronting Anti-Semitism in the Shadow of War. Montreeal: McGill-Queens Press - MQUP, 2012. Print. Leff, Laurel. Buried by the Times: The Holocaust and Americas Most Important Newspaper. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print. McSherry, Bernadette. Managing Fear: The Law and Ethics of Preventive Detention and Risk Assessment. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. Print. Spence, Alex. Rift grows after BBC watchdog upholds complaint over ‘biased’ report on Israel. The Times. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medianews/article4035797.ece The Telegram. Gaza is a prison camp, says David Cameron. The Telegram. 27 Jul 2010. Web. 24 March 2014. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/7912095/Gaza-is-a-prison-camp-says-David-Cameron.html Read More