Labels In The Holocaust

Since the September 11th, 2001, the nation as well as the world has changed drastically. The curtain blocking the first world from the things going on in the Middle-East has risen. Stereotypes have been created and are often enacted against the innocent and fellow neighbors. But this is not the only instance of labels; labels have been placed on just about everything and often seem hurtful. Of course, these labels have helped in minute ways by preventing a small percentage of attacks and establishing a mental safeguard. But how do labels lead to discrimination? Although labeling appears to help in a post 9/11 America, the Holocaust shows labeling leading to discrimination and ultimately violence, which can be solved by promoting awareness of

Prior to the Holocaust, labels were made on the Jewish legally. The German government ratified the Nuremberg Laws, a series of laws released gradually, increasing with labels and discrimination each time. The gradual ramping of labels and discrimination nullified the blow and made it noticeable only to those enforcing them and the Jews being discriminated against. The laws show the progression of labels into discrimination by first broadening the identification of Jews as those practicing Judaism to “anyone… descended from at least three grandparents who were fully Jewish” (NSDAP 2.5.1). The laws continued by taking away “full political rights in accordance with the provision of the law” (NSDAP 1.2.3). The discrimination continued taking away more and more rights. The labels created by people evolved into laws and turned to discrimination. The repercussion of the labeling leading to discrimination was genocide on the Jewish race. The repercussions of labels leading to discrimination in modern times are controversial violence, as shown by international events like the formation of ISIS as well as domestic ones like the Ferguson and Boston Riots. If nothing is done, discrimination as well as violence will continue domestically as well as

The solutions existent to raise awareness on the issue and analyze history to learn from mistakes. In order to prevent this discrimination leading to violence, the snake’s head must be cut off. The only problem with this, however, is that labels are not going to be able to be stopped, as it seems instinct subconsciously forces mankind to do so. But, by raising awareness, the next link can be stopped. One can learn to keep these labels to oneself. By keeping labels private, the labels will be only with the individual and will not be centralized and collective. If the labels are not centralized and collective, they will cease to exist, inviting tolerance and equality. Another solution which should be combined with the prior is the analyzing of history to learn from mistakes made. As every day turns, history grows, and with it are the things that can be learned. Much can be learned from history and if every mistake exhibited was never exhibited again, the world as a whole would be much better. One specific example would be the removal of involvement of labels in law. A pivotal move in Adolf Hitler’s founding of the Holocaust was the labeling in law. By labeling, he was able to slowly make the Holocaust more and more legal unnoticeably. He made anti-Semitism labeling a “central political and cultural crusade, which entered into virtually every law, government activity, and administrative policy” (Axelrod). The acknowledgement of