Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day when we remember the persecution of millions of people and make a firm commitment to never allow that to happen again. The theme of this year's remembrance day is "Choosing to Act". This page talks more about what that means - here is a short excerpt:"Confronted with the persecution and murder of Europe’s Jews, witnesses had a choice of whether or not to intervene. Getting involved meant running the risk of severe punishment, and most people—even those who disagreed with the Nazis’ policies and practices—opted to do nothing... We must never forget, however, that for each person who was rescued and survived the Holocaust, countless more were killed. As we remember stories of rescue, therefore, we must first honor the memory of Holocaust victims by countering indifference with vigilance and apathy with action."
It is really a wonderful article and one that we highly encourage you to read. In thinking about this, our minds turned to a matter close to our hearts - military children, and children in general. So often, in schools, children are teased or bullied simply for who they are or how they choose to behave. Today - and every day - let's remember that those actions are a form of persecution. We challenge you, as we are challenging ourselves, to talk with your friends and children about not simply turning away when we see someone being "picked on" or maligned. Stand up with confidence to those who would try to bring harm or sadness to others. It is important that we all treat each other with kindness and respect. Isn't that what you would want for yourself and your children?
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