It Happened in Italy - The Book

A book that changed my mind or opened my eyes..........
There are many books I have read over the years but only a few that have had a deep impact on my life. One of those was It Happened in Italy. This book tells the story of what life was like for the Jews in Italy during World War II. The Jewish people in Italy were treated much more humanly and kindly than those in Germany, if they were under Italian rule. If the Germans had control they were still treated worse than animals. Thought I do have to say that not all the Italians were compassionate. There were Jews who died or were murdered in Italy at the hands of the Nazis.
In Campagna Italy there was an old convent that was used to house the Jewish people who were interred. They were allowed to practice their religion, and even had a synagogue and walk the streets of the town. When the Germans came Jewish people were sent out into the countryside to hide, and some even hid in ovens to survive. The Italians were a more compassionate people who showed that they could stand up to Hitler. They defied his orders to kill the Jews, and allowed them to live out the war. Many people of many different towns in Italy knew that there were Jewish families with false papers living in their towns, but they never said a word. One woman who told her story in the book talked about how she was the token Catholic in her family. She went to mass each week as the representative of her family to help hide the fact that they were Jewish. After the war her father went hack to apologize for lying to the people of town. They people told him that they knew all along he was Jewish. When he asked why that had not turned in his family they responded that it was because they were people. They were human beings. That is what the Nazis did not see. They did not see the Jewish people as human beings.
In other towns the Italian Jews returned after the war to find their home and all of their possessions still there, waiting for them. This was not true in other places in Europe. In other places people returned to nothing, no home, no photographs, nothing was left for them.
This book is well written and has much documentation which supports the stories included in the book. It also tells of the differences between the horror of the camps in Germany and the difference of the camps in Italy from the viewpoint of one couple who each survived, one in Germany and one in Italy, the wife who survived a year in Auschwitz and Ravensbruck and her husband who survived for six years in an Italy. She says and I quote from page 3 "The Italians treated them like human beings....No one could ever have survived six years in German concentration camps. That was impossible."
This book has shown that during a terrible time there were people with compassion who were willing to risk their lives to help others. It shows that man is not all bad and gives me faith that no matter how bad things may get, there are people who will help others to survive at the risk of their own lives. I pray that if I have to make the choice someday I have the courage to follow in the footsteps of the people of the many towns of Italy who helped the Jews in Italy survive.

Jury Duty

You know it is funny when you mention to people that you have been called for jury duty the response range from sympathetic to enthusiastic. One person told me they felt sorry for me. I asked why and they said because you have jury duty.
Jury duty is a civil duty. It is my responsibility, no my duty, as a citizen of this country. It is the responsibility and duty of every legal citizen in this country over the age of 18. The principle of a jury was established by King John of England when he signed the Magna Carta in 1215.
I feel that this is a privilege I have as a citizen of this country. I have a say in the law. I also believe that only God can truly judge, but punishment must be meted out to fit a crime and in our society we must do our duty to make sure that it does fit the crime and is not cruel and unusual punishment. There are times when people commit acts of such violence that they must be taken off the streets to protect innocent citizens and it our duty to make sure we are protected.
Many people feel that carrying a gun is the way to protect themselves, but I feel that violence begets violence. I do not believe in the death penalty, though there are times I do consider it might solve many problems. I feel that God is the only one who can truly met out such justice and if he feels that the time has come for someone to leave our world he will take them in his own way.
I do feel that I have a duty to step up when my number is called and serve my city, state, or country in the court room as a juror and to do so to the best of my ability.
I have served on a jury one time previously and it was a learning experience for me. I hope that I will gain more experience and knowledge in doing so again. I look forward to serving again as is my duty.

America's Downfall

I never liked President Bush, but then I didn't like President Clinton either. Hilary was a joke and no way were we ready for someone like her to try and tun our country. I do not think either party put its best foot forward during this election either. It was vote for which ever one I felt was the lesser of two evils. I did vote, and my husband and I canceled out each others votes, as we have done many times in the past.
It was not the time for a woman to win, though I believe a woman would do the best job, it is just that we have not found the right woman for the job. Personally, I think my mother would do a great job as she would go in and rid the government of all the trash and excess junk that appears to have been added over the years.
We are in the mist of a great war, one that looks be what will go down in history as WW III, the war to end all wars. Having a man with little knowledge and experience with regard to the military is not necessarily the best choice. That does not mean I feel that McCain was the best choice either, as he was lacking in other ways and experiences. I do think that there are others out there who have more experience in the ways of the military and with the economy who would have been better choices to run our country.
I asked many people why they voted the way they did and got a variety of interesting response including the following from my aunt.
She said she voted for Obama because she believes he will be assassinated and Biden will become president. She said she likes Biden, and thinks he will do a wonderful job. She didn't like either of the men running for office.
One of my students said she was voting for Obama because he was black. Now, realize that she is 18 and has no real experience with politics, but this is not a reason to vote for someone.
Another person I know voted for Obama because they want socialized medicine and that is what he preached. Others voted against him for the same reason. It is interesting when you talk to people how the reasons for or against someone or something have arguments that often go both ways, depending on where you stand and what you believe.
I do not like Bush, never have. I did not like his father either.
I am not sure that the timing is right for this man, Obama, to be president. I feel that we are asking for more problems than we know because of the election results, but only time will tell.
I am taking a wait and see attitude. It is not the time for racial issues to abound and I fear that they will ignite many fires across our great land. We are heading into a depression, all the signs are there and we need a true leader. We do not need a leader who will set up more welfare and public works programs that will still be draining our economy 60 years down the road like we have left over from what was then called the Great Depression.
I also know that if someone is stupid enough to assassinate Obama this country will erupt in to a great battle field. As one of my students put it, "We will have another civil war."