As if a financial row wasn't enough, the museum has put the human rights cat among the ethnic pigeons by declaring that only the Holocaust and the Native American displays will have permanent galleries of their own. They should have known that by giving preference to the suffering of two groups, they would be met with challenges from other groups who have suffering of their own to relate. They are, after all, human rights specialists, they must know this much about human nature. And, of course, the challenges are coming.
But why the Holocaust? It wasn't a Canadian story. A case for its priority can be made, but then a case can be made for the Atlantic slave trade which cost millions of lives and massive suffering, went on for almost four hundred years, dramatically changed the histories of four continents and the effects are still strongly felt today. No doubt, good cases could be made for other atrocities. And probably will be.
The kind of me-tooism generated by the museum's decision is, to say the least, unbecoming. Unfortunately, unless the choices for permanent galleries are made on objective and clearly established criteria, it is inevitable. The best approach would be to follow the lead of the other 10 galleries which are based on themes. Place the Holocaust and Native American displays in their appropriate theme areas rather than suggesting, as the museum now does by allocating them galleries of their own, that they alone are as important as all other injustices of their kind. This way they could still be preeminent in their respective theme areas but without acrimony. And the museum could do with a great deal less acrimony.
I would suggest that the WW11 Holocaust IS a canadian story, in many different ways. First, we use it as a justification of War. We went to fight the Nazis because they were rounding up the jews et al. Mind you, we developed that line AFTER the fact somewhat. But it is still a very personal story to Canadians who were trying to get their families out, and couldn't. I have a close friend whose father tried over and over as a young man here in Canada to get his mother, younger siblings, aunt here to Canada. No one would help, and they died in Auschwitz. Not surprisingly, her father then led a troubled life, and all his children carry that burden too. BUT, our grandparents and elected officials joked that one was too many, and we pretend to have clean hands. It has become the standard to which other atrocities are measured. Like Niagara Falls. not the biggest, nor the most beautiful, but the most well know for comparitive purposes.
ReplyDeleteThere will be lots of other opportunities to note how we sat idly by as well, in other atrocities, but I think it is fair, reasonable, and since the holocaust indeed is part of the history of Canada, to include it in the Museum of Human Rights.
SM
It's very obvious that this museum is elevating the Holocaust above any and all other genocides, regardless of the 2003 letter from the Asper foundation promising the Holodomor would be featured permanently and prominently.
ReplyDeleteThat promise by the Asper Foundation in 2003 was made to the victims of the Holodomor.
Now the Asper foundation, with their barrel of public money, are running away from this promise.
The victims of the Holodomor and other genocides should be remembered with the same importance and reverence as those of the Holocaust. Anything less would be disrespectful to the memories of the victims of ALL genocides.
Shame on Gail Asper and the Asper Foundation. Shame on the museum's committee.
Please see: www.enslavedafricans.blogspot.com
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