The Activist, the Bystander, and the Perpetrator

In a Dictatorship, (A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator and not restricted by a constitution, laws or opposition) people tend to be in one of the three camps: In a Dictatorship, (A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator and not restricted by a constitution, laws or opposition) people tend to be in one of the three camps:

The Activist

The Bystander

The Perpetrator

#1. The Activist (or Resistor): One who actively engages in open or secret resistance against the government and believes strongly in democracy. They agitate and try to remind their countrymen and women that no one is safe in a dictatorship. One who actively engages in open or secret resistance against the government and believes strongly in democracy. They agitate and try to remind their countrymen and women that no one is safe in a dictatorship.

Mahatmas Gandhi India: 1930 After trying to break the hold of mighty British Empire, Gandhi developed the idea of non-violent action. Using mass peaceful protests, defiance, and hunger strikes to provoke a response, Gandhi was able to bring independence to India.

Rosa Parks Alabama: 1955 Parks, a 42 year old seamstress refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. Setting the wheels in motion for Martin Luther King’s non violent bus boycott, Rosa Parks is considered the "mother of the civil Rights movement"

Sophia M. Scholl Munich: year old German Sophia Scholl was a member of the non-violent group called the White Rose. Opposing Nazi rule, the group members were arrested when a custodian saw them leave their leaflets on the desks of their university. The Nazi Party had the group beheaded, yet their spirit went on to inspire others.

"Tank Man" China: 1989 An unknown man steps in front of a column of tanks in protest of the bloody repression of students by China's Communist government. m/watch?v=SB70mW XrzEE&feature=player _embedded m/watch?v=SB70mW XrzEE&feature=player _embedded

#2. The Bystander: These are people who don’t necessarily support the dictator but whom say nothing against it. They try to go on with their daily lives and to "Weather the storm." Today, it is easy to judge from the safety of our homes and couches. We watch documentaries on the History Channel and declare that if we were in Nazi Germany we would fight the system. Would we? Would you? Or would we keep our head down and hope things would improve? Are there situations when peaceful protest will not work? These are people who don’t necessarily support the dictator but whom say nothing against it. They try to go on with their daily lives and to "Weather the storm." Today, it is easy to judge from the safety of our homes and couches. We watch documentaries on the History Channel and declare that if we were in Nazi Germany we would fight the system. Would we? Would you? Or would we keep our head down and hope things would improve? Are there situations when peaceful protest will not work?

"In Germany they first came for the Communists, and I didn't’ speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't’ speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one else was left to speak up." - Martin Niemoller

Question: Does peaceful protest always work? Peaceful Hippies under scrutiny by police. Late 1960’s. Would peaceful protest have worked in Nazi Germany 1933 – 1945?

#3. The Active Participant or Perpetrator: These are people who see opportunity and use the fear, hate and violence of a dictatorship to further themselves at the expense of others. Unfortunately the list is long and infamous. These are people who see opportunity and use the fear, hate and violence of a dictatorship to further themselves at the expense of others. Unfortunately the list is long and infamous.

Irma Greise The B**** of Buchenwald This SS Guard showed extreme cruelty towards the inmates of Buchenwald. After the war, Greise was captured and executed during the Nuremburg trials of This SS Guard showed extreme cruelty towards the inmates of Buchenwald. After the war, Greise was captured and executed during the Nuremburg trials of 1945.

Roy Cohn Architect of the Red scare Assisting Joseph McCarthy, Cohn helped "investigate" (i.e. torture people in order to get information) communist infiltration in America during the "Red Scare." Assisting Joseph McCarthy, Cohn helped "investigate" (i.e. torture people in order to get information) communist infiltration in America during the "Red Scare."

Adolf Eichmann The Banality of Evil Eichmann was the bureaucratic of the Holocaust. Thanks to his orderly and efficient manner, Eichmann was put in charge of shipping thousands of Jews to their deaths. Eichmann was the bureaucratic of the Holocaust. Thanks to his orderly and efficient manner, Eichmann was put in charge of shipping thousands of Jews to their deaths.

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