The U.S. has had a chilling history of apathy and ignorance towards genocide throughout its history, and despite its title of the “melting pot” of the world, it has a tendency to shun and push back against attempts of at-risk communities from entering the country.
Apathy in genocide and immigration
One of the most well-known genocides is the Holocaust, instigated and perpetuated by the Nazi regime and Hitler’s power over Eastern Europe. It was a horrific event that many, especially Americans, claim “cannot happen again.”
However, our responses to the Holocaust, and how we view and acknowledge genocide today, imply that it could happen again.
When Nazi ideals began to rise in Germany, antisemitism was unfortunately popular throughout the world. On top of this, the U.S. was struggling with socioeconomic factors and had limited immigration policies– ultimately, it led to a separate thought of the Holocaust.
The Holocaust Encyclopedia, written by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, explains in an article that the U.S. could have done more to prevent the overwhelming tragedy that happened.
“The economic devastation of the Great Depression, combined with a commitment to neutrality and deep prejudices against immigrants, limited Americans’ willingness to welcome refugees. Antisemitism further prejudiced Americans against Jewish immigrants in particular,” the article reads.
Despite popular belief that the U.S. was completely unaware of what was happening to the Jews– which I personally believe is a lackluster campaign that attempts to separate and “forgive” the U.S. for its lack of action– the U.S. population generally had reliable information about the persecution of Jews.
“The US government never made the rescue of Jews a national priority, even though the American people knew about the Nazi persecution and later murder of Jews. The United States alone could not have prevented the Holocaust. More could have been done, however, to save some of the six million Jews who were murdered,” the article reads.
I completely agree with this. The U.S. government has remained apathetic, even as the citizens cry out for change and retribution for violent acts towards minority groups, throughout its entire history. Even when violence is not occurring, apathy and inaction are occurring. One prime example is the immigration attempts of thousands of Jews to the U.S. prior to their persecution in Europe.
The U.S. and the Holocaust
In an article by Jeanne Dorin McDowell, she interviews the filmmakers who produced the three-part PBS documentary “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” in which xenophobia, immigration backlash and more are discussed.
Anne Frank is perhaps the most well-known Holocaust victim, especially in the U.S. She and her family hid in an attic in Amsterdam for years– however, some may not know that her father tried to emigrate the family to the U.S. only a few years prior, but were denied entry.
“[Anne Frank’s father], a well-connected German Jewish businessman, desperately tried to emigrate to the United States. He had the necessary affidavits and visas for admission, as well as the sponsorship of an American friend-turned-government official. But anti-Semitism and xenophobia permeated the U.S.’ foreign policy at the time, and the State Department was cracking down on immigration. Along with hundreds of thousands of others fleeing the Nazis, the Franks were deemed security risks and denied entry,” McDowell wrote.
An anti-immigrant and xenophobic mindset reigned in the early 1900s in the United States. Antisemitism was popular as well; during the documentary, the filmmakers provide a poll released shortly after the Holocaust that showcases the mixed views of the American public.
“One poll cited in the documentary found that two-thirds of Americans partially or wholly blamed the Jews for their own persecution. Others simply didn’t believe reports of the Holocaust,” McDowell said.
In a 2023 study done by The Economist, it was found that one in five young Americans believe that the Holocaust is a myth.
“Some 20% of respondents aged 18-29 think that the Holocaust is a myth, compared with 8% of those aged 30-44. An additional 30% of young Americans said they do not know whether the Holocaust is a myth,” The Economist article reads.
In the past, this ignorant mindset helped perpetuate the deaths of millions, as the United States shunned Jews from entering the country– today, this country’s majority continue to hold xenophobic views that push immigrants away from the “melting pot” country.
Apathy in voting
Boen Beavers discusses the political apathy of this country in a similar opinion piece published by The Colgate Maroon-News.
“Political apathy can be defined as a disinterest towards the nature and concerns of politics. It can manifest itself as both a physical and psychological disengagement — that is to say, one not only performs less civic duties but also thinks less about them,” Beavers wrote.
Many Americans believe that their vote does not matter– in fact, Beavers cites a poll that found that 53 percent of voters in the 2020 election believed that the results of the election would be insignificant.
In my opinion, the results of the 2020 election were overwhelmingly influential, as the country was able to begin its slow ascent back into economic and social recovery, especially after the Trump administration horribly reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course, with the results of the 2024 election, the improvements that we made have now become obsolete.
“This is a bleak look into what the future may hold for American politics. A country lacking civic interest is one willing to allow its government to deteriorate,” Beavers said. “If the people are the first and last source of checks and balances against power, what is the implication of a national consciousness which has grown largely apathetic to the tides of power?”
As I write this article, I am unsure if there is anything to be done. This country desperately requires empathy and sympathy, now more than ever, as risks of genocide and destruction are more prominent than they have been in decades.
If you are of legal age to vote, do it; if you are able to protest, do it. The U.S. saw plenty of pushback against the Trump administration via protest on April 5 thanks to the “Hands Off” protests, and similar protests are meant to happen again on April 19.
