Holocaust heroes; slavery and secession

Holocaust heroes

That was an excellent and important article about honoring Polish citizens who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. (“People who aided Jews during WWII honored,” July 13)

My mother and I were hidden in Slovakia during the Holocaust. People risked their lives to save others they often did not even know. They exemplify the best in humanity.

Unfortunately, they were a minority. About 23,000 of them have been identified, a large number but less than 1 percent of the population of Europe then.

The article said that Poland was the only nation where those caught helping Jews were put to death. It happened all over Europe, for sure in Slovakia, which aided the Nazis, in Holland and France — cases I know about.

When hidden Jews were found, they and the people hiding them were killed, often in a public place to warn others not to shelter Jews. There was no mercy from the Germans, even for their own citizens, some of whom have been identified as Righteous Among the Nations.

Now the small Jewish community, 13-14 million worldwide, needs the world’s help again. Our beloved U.S.A. has concluded a deal with Iran, where rallies repeatedly calling for death to the U.S. and Jews are commonplace.

Only 70 years since the end of the Holocaust and we still haven’t learned.

Will more than 1 percent speak up and act this time?

— Paul Kessler, Fort Worth

Slavery and secession

Anyone who believes that protecting slavery was not the prime cause for Texas seceding should read the state “Declaration of Causes: February 2, 1861.”

It includes:

“We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.

“That in this free government all white men are and of right ought to be entitled to equal civil and political rights; that the servitude of the African race, as existing in these States, is mutually beneficial to both bond and free, and is abundantly authorized and justified by the experience of mankind, and the revealed will of the Almighty Creator …”

— Harold D. Hammett,

Fort Worth

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Holocaust heroes; slavery and secession."