One of the reasons I believe citizens must keep and bear arms is that I don't believe people are essentially good. I believe a slight majority of people are willing to be civil, if it isn't overly burdensome. I believe the overwhelming majority will look out for number one when it comes down to screw or be screwed.
When it comes to government, I'm more pessimistic. Individuals don't advance in bureaucracies by being altruistic and ethical. In fact, I believe that it's likely that people who've made careers in national government, and have frequently advanced, are likely to have a much higher percentage of sociopaths in their ranks than the general population.
I also believe human nature remains relatively constant over time. It seems to me that few people have any grasp of history outside their lifetime, and regard a mere generation back as obscure history, with even older events beings completely irrelevant to the present.
That being (my perception of) the case, when facts like this are documented, the overwhelming response is....no response at all. But even a casual observation of history will reveal that this wasn't the last event of it's kind; think Cambodia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, etc. Note these events to a person in their twenties, and watch the blank look. Ask about their thoughts on "ethnic cleansing" or genocide. More than likely, the only thoughts will be "what the hell are you talking about" or "that doesn't have anything to do with me".
The forties weren't that long ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see something like this in Europe again in my lifetime.
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