Odessa

An auction service is having an auction today. In the offering were four Nazi items. The Meissners were inundated with phone calls protesting the auctioning of the items, especially on Yom Kipper. The Times Union article states:

Seth Rogovoy, of Great Barrington, Mass., editor of Berkshire Living magazine, learned of the Nazi items being auctioned in an e-mail from a friend who was disturbed by it. Rogovoy used an e-mail blast, Facebook and Twitter to urge people to call the Meisners and register their disapproval. Rogovoy, who is Jewish and who writes frequently about Jewish music and culture, enlisted members of a group he's active in, the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires.
. . .
"I'm thrilled she's pulling the items from the auction," Rogovoy said after learning she made the decision a few hours after they spoke. "I would hope those items don't go up for auction again. Selling them glorifies Nazis and what they stood for, and has the potential for misuse."

Are there people who glorify Nazis? Sure there are. I don't know any personally, but I am aware they exist.

Are there people who collect any and all World War II memorabilia? Yes, and far more than Nazi idolizing wackos. Do WW II collectors include Nazi items? Yes they do, and they do it as a part of history, not as a glorification of the Nazis. I know this because my father dredged up a gravy boat with a swastika on the side from the Atlantic Ocean. It was chipped but a WW II collector wanted it anyway. And he was not some Nazi wannabe wacko.

Being a Trekkie myself I liken owning Nazi items in a WW II collection to having the Klingon figure in my Star Trek collection. Only the hard core has items representing both sides.

Yom Kipper may not have been the best timing, but timing aside, historical artifacts are historical artifacts. Many Jews say "Never forget", but then they want to put a lid on one portion of history. I am on the side of those that remember ALL of history, not brushing aside those parts with which we are uncomfortable.

On second thought, maybe Yom Kipper is the right time. It is the Day of Atonement. What better time to ponder the atrocities of the Nazis - Just a thought.