The Holocaust and Selective Memory

Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet troops. The day has been marked by ceremonies and memorials, and rightly so, along with lots of commentary in the blogosphere and the media.

Let me just ask a question: How many people died in the Holocaust? From most of the commentary, such as this otherwise fine article on LGF, you would think that 6 million Jews died. Not correct - 12 MILLION PEOPLE were killed in the Holocaust. 6 million Jews, and 6 million "others" - catholics, gypsies, blacks, homosexuals, communists, etc. Much of the commentary on the anniversary keys into the resurgence of anti-semitism in Europe and around the world. Again, rightly so. But it is a disservice to ignore the death of 6 million people in an effort to champion true tolerance. Their murder should not go unremembered because they didn't belong to the right group.