Nietzsche, Hitler, the Holocaust, Slavery and Racism
The will to power is a prominent concept in Nietzschean philosophy,
And exerted a strong influence on some major movements in history.
Its effect can be traced to the fields of politics, evolution, and psychology,
And provides useful insights into the subject of African slavery.
Nietzsche’s belief in the concept of higher or master morality,
Lead him to disavow ideas of egalitarianism and democracy.
Master morality, which values pride and power was thought to be superior,
And slave morality, which values kindness, empathy, and sympathy inferior.
Hitler was attracted to and influenced by aspects of Nietzschean philosophy.
And the Nazis selectively used his philosophy to justify their infamous activity.
Ideas are not immaterial they are important in shaping our views.
It was erroneous ideas that lead Hitler to kill six million Jews.
The Nazi order praised the Antebellum South and its existing societal order,
Which kept African Americans at the lowest rungs of the social ladder.
Hitler believed that a Confederate victory would have made America a great nation,
One ruled “by a real Herren-class,” and based on inequality and black subjugation.
While Americans reject Nazism, the idea of white supremacy persists in our society.
And we must realize that this idea is antithetical to the principle of democracy.
If our nation wishes to eradicate systemic racism and correct the effects of slavery,
We must remove from public places the monuments and symbols of the Confederacy.
But the removal of monuments and symbols alone will not atone for our nation’s iniquity,
America must finally acknowledge the national sin and evil of black slavery,
Reform its educational system that still perpetuates the myth of white superiority,
And remove the barriers that prevent blacks from achieving social and economic parity.
Over a century after the abolition of slavery, the evil of racism still haunts this nation,
That prides itself as a bastion of equality, liberty, and a model of cultural integration.
It is time for this generation of Americans who live in a society built on injustice,
To take responsibility for proactively addressing injustice and ending racial prejudice.
Copyright © David Richmond | Year Posted 2020
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