The Soviet Propaganda poster above, translates to say, “Keep your tongue behind your teeth” or Keep quiet, which to me has always summed up what we have done about communism and the victims to whom it befell. Since it's Bolshevik infancy, the world has watched with silent eyes and still tongues, as it took hold of countless victims.
Today, June 12, 2007, marked a poignant day in our collective histories, as for the first time the victims of communism around the world have received an international memorial of their own. 16 years after the fall of the USSR, 18 years after the collapse of the Berlin wall, 48 years since Castro took Power, 31 years since the death of Mao…communism is just history to many. However for some it is the nightmare that still haunts them long after its last breath, and for so many others it is still part of their daily lives, as they can not escape it's hold.
Excitement was in the air for so many when it was announced that the memorial would be completed and placed in the nations capital, the center of world political influence to many, but the unveiling, though groundbreaking, was for some only a small step in the right direction. The statue stood before you, and regardless of its beauty one could not escape noticing its size was not at all grand, its placement was not prominent, and its effect was still unnoticed to the masses. As before the victims of communism still go unnoticed by the general populous, just ask most anyone walking down the street how many victims of communism there where, or if Stalin purged more than Hitler, and you will see instantly that there is much work to do to honor the victims of communism, and to aid those who continue to fight against its relentless grasp.
The memorial dedicated was opened by President George W. Bush, the date chosen was the 20th anniversary of President Ronald Reagen's speech to tear down the Berlin wall. The Victims of Communism Memorial dedication service included Represenatives Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.). Other events later in the day include a roundtable discussion with Richard Pipes, Paul Hollander, and Harry Wu; and a dinner with William F. Buckley and Elena Bonner (Andrei Sakharov's wife).
Joseph Stalin once said, “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.”, ironically true and we humans by nature pay little attention to large numbers, with the exception of the Holocaust, but are often moved by the story of one man. And thus for Stalin little attention was paid to the massive number of his victims, and to this very day the statistics on his killings are nothing more than a number, a number that most don't know exist, or a number that in their minds is seriously deflated.
Please note the memorial is not the only memorial to victims of communism, but the only international memorial to all victims of communism. One objective of the memorial is to educate children of the realities of communism, both past and present. Children suffered, and continue to suffer a great deal under totalitarian regimes, as communism effects all aspects of children's rights. A child may receive an education under communism, but an education under an isolated regime is not a true education. Millions of children under communism were ripped away from their families, endured forced famines, forced into harsh child labor, denied use of their native languages, and where removed from their homes.
Links and Related Articles:
Victims of Communism Memorial
White House: President Bush Attends Dedication of Victims of Communism Memorial
Memorial Day: Honoring the Victims of Communism
Bush opens victims-of-communism memorial: Reagan anniversary
Bush Pays Tribute to Victims of Communism
