On Friday, Jan. 26, the Sun Journal published articles on pages A2 and A3 that were obviously connected. The articles caused me to stop and wonder in sadness and dismay.
The story “Flashes of Memory” (page A2), concerning holocaust victims recounting atrocities of the Nazi regime via photo displays, caused my sadness. The story on A3, describing U.S. Customs agents’ surveillance of Maine bus riders in search of illegal immigrants, was dismaying. I could just imagine agents asking “your papers, please.”
Am I the only one who noticed the pronounced dichotomy? Yet, the stories are related on a base level. It is not difficult to imagine that the words “papers, please” were used in decisions to send innocent humans to certain deportation and/or death at the hands of the Nazis.
The incident at the bus station did not find any person in violation; no one was deported. Nevertheless, the article stated that such incidences were becoming more frequent. Sad, that in just over a year under President Trump, people are now subjected to increased governmental surveillance — behavior rooted in xenophobia; driven, yet hidden, within the realm of social justice.
I could imagine being a German Jew on local, state or nationwide transportation and being asked for documents confirming my ethnicity and nationalism. Decisions would be made that would allow me to continue my journey unhindered, or not.
Such changes must be observed, noted, evaluated and discussed, not camouflaged by the desire to eliminate those deemed undesirable by the powers that be.
Anthony Esposito, Auburn
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