Poll: Would you harbor a nazi?

[CrazyGirl17]

If he did feel sorry for what he did, I'd try to convince the guy to turn himself in, to at least atone for his crimes...

As cynical as I am, I do at least believe in redemption and forgiveness...

 

[Brinnmilo]

I'd turn him in even if all he'd done was steal an ice cream because, well, it's the law.
Call me a heartless dick but don't do the crime if you wont do the time.

 

[sixkiller5]

But you have to define Nazi because there is a diference between someone who wanted to be a nazi and someone who was forced. Because in the first case I would say yes turn him in. in the second I would be more forgiving. BTW I would harbor the pilots from the Enola gay and the bockstar either.

 

[Homo Carnivorous]

I was talking about something similar with my english teacher. We are both very convinced that rehabilitation is the best solution to crime, but for very severe crimes there is an instant desire to make someone pay. Usually harshly. This is that internal debate at its logical extreme.

It is entirely true that the nurnberg defense (i just followed orders)fell on def ears. But it should not be lightly disregarded. While it is true the individual is responsible for his her own actions it requires A LOT of gut to go up against the majority oppinion of your own nation. You can expect alienation, ridicule, prosecution and in extreme cases certain death.

Point in case: http://www.criticalconcern.com/Benderman/ and many others who had to balls to call bluff on the middle eastern wars.

We have like all other animals an instinct for self preservation that also works in the social sphere. We may believe we are elevated above our instincts such as this, but here is a fact:

<-you

And when you live in an emotionally charged environment you can expect your instincts to be in overdrive.

Put yourself in the old mans shoes. There you are, Germany is as high on national socialism as US aspire to be today. Rampant nationalism and a sudden burst of conformity, a tidal wave of propaganda targeting children. The whole ball of fascist wax as it repeats itself through the ages. Then dissenters either leave are publicly ridiculed and scorned for speaking the truth and later they are quietly dealt with. Those that are still very against it all but have no means to leave/are allready enrolled. Start to shut up and do as they are told. Noble dead is dead all the same.

There you are, officer at the camp you were placed in by forces outside of your influence. Your government seems to have convinced the majority of people (not true should be said, just like North Koreans are not KJI fans to the extend his government and press makes it appear) that what you are doing is not only justified and rightious. It is destiny itself. At what point do you decide to tell your mates in the camp that you have had a sudden change of heart and that you in fact think you are all being assholes and that you intend to go home? Would you dare to have spoken the words in Russian or Italian which would have rewarded you the same?.

Political decisionmakers and to level executives and lobbyists are the ones to carry the full blame IMO- And the media who are always at the heart of propaganda should -yet again, be ashamed of itself for being a notorious 10c whore that help fertilize the ground for ill seeds. as usual.

I would help him. I am under no illusion that my own government are any more pure and rightious than the nazi one. It simply doesnt have as much means or size and we are a small tribe that are easily angered. But politicians are the same everywhere. Read the history of Babylon, Rome, Europe and you can only come to the conclusion that in politics. Nothing ever changes. But you can rest asure that some dope that are only partly to blame (often simply by being a dope at the wrong place at the wrong time) will take most of the fall when the heat is on.

Whoever has most power is right (also, rightious). Was true then, is true now, will be true when english is a dead language.

 

[erto101]

I'd turn him in. He's committed crimes against humanity, and you cant just say you're sorry and think to get away with it. Even if he's sincere, the message needs to me sent.

This happened to me before anyways, and I did the same thing (though not a nazi, but same principle). A guy volunteered at the Salvation army. And he was the nicest guy. he did all our fundraisings, did any jobs they needed, never asked payment.

Turned out he was stealing part of what he raised, and he had just raised so much no one bothered to ask him about it. I shipped his ass to jail, and didnt lose a wink of sleep.


There's never an excuse to skip punishment for what you did wrong.

If the raisings fell alot after his "depature", would it not have been the lesser of two evils to keep him? Or even for the greater good? Not saying you were in the wrong at all, just wondering

 

[Auxiliary]

Time will kill them soon enough.

 

[Snake Plissken]

This reminds me of something.

Has anyone here ever read Preacher?

There is a story arc in it where Jesse becomes sheriff of a small town in Texas, and discovers that a Nazi lives in the town as a sort of political refugee. He tells Jesse that he became a spy for the Nazis for the sole purpose of being sent abroad so he could just leave and never return. It turns out that he wasn't really accurate in his story, Jesse finds out, and confronts the man. The man has committed atrocious crimes against humanity, and begs Jesse to understand that a second chance at a good life is what America means to him. You know what Jesse does?

He ties a noose, gives it to the man, and lets him decide what to do with it.

I really wish I had some scans of those pages. It's a really haunting part of the story.

I'd probably do something similar.

 

[Kouryuu]

Have some people just fought the idea that killing 7 million Jews is on the same level as a few war-crimes by the allies? Ohhhh dear, it is in no way at all the same thing.

On a different note, No, i'd give him in. Being a nazi isn't being a regular German. It is promoting and commiting hate crimes for their own twisted beliefs. Let him 'repent' in prison and I can keep a clear conscience.

How many did the allies killed? do you know the nummber? may be you should count!

and if you think that a Number is a reason I am really sorry for you.

Sure, I can't agree more. But that only depends if he would tell you the truth about what he did ( because I would turn him in within a blink of an eye if he really killed innocents just for being jewish or whatever the reason - and note again, I'm talking about innocents, not opposing soldiers ), even if after so many years, he was the true definition of a saint . So it just boils down to depends, depends, depends.
Also, there's alot of repenting and doing good in a prison, God knows the people in there need it.

P.S. I know it's just an example but I would not kick a dog for anything in the world maybe just in self-defence.

I put the Dog example as a substitute.
Why do we insist that 16, 18 year old boys coming from heavy propaganda schools serving in the army because of patriotism.
if I would think that he is acting, there would be no doubt of who would I call.
I think that being outside of jail he can do more good then inside.
p.s. there is always internet to get to know everything.

What the fuck happened to people? Would you harbour a paedophile too, if he said he was really sorry, honest, and would never, ever do anything to hurt anyone ever again. Would you believe them more if they cried a little bit, and got a wobble in their voice?

Of course, if they're truly sorry.

Some people have a scary belief of what "Justice" is... At least the polls say there are more civilized people here.

Some of you are pretty biased.

"Would you harbor a Vientman veteran?" Exhange that for any recent war in which the US and others have masacarred thousands. Not following order, always. The nazis had a pretty monstruous philosphy and they deceived their country; but soldiers from Western countries have done pretty awful stuff too.

So, would you harbor a war veteran?

I would, even a Russian soldier, and I despise them for what Russia did to my country in the WW2, could hide at my home. All the horrible things are done by a fraction of the soldiers. as long as I am sure he is not one of them, they are welcome.

 

[Littlee300]

I'd feel like turning him in would be like turning in someone for committing a crime in a past life. They are not even the same person.

 

[blindthrall]

Kinda surprised most people wouldn't turn him in, I thought this would be a witchunt. I wouldn't turn him in simply because Israel would get ahold of him, and he wouldn't get a fair trial. If I lived in a country with no extradition, I'd ask him if he ever killed anybody personally. Lots of camp guards on the eastern front were Volkssturm conscripts who had only been there a week or so, while the actual SS guards ran away.

 

[ShaqLevick]

As a Jew, I fucking hate Nazis! As a child weened on video games I have been trained to kill Nazis from a very young age. For me it's only second nature to take him out.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Not out of the goodness of my heart, give me enough money and I may do it.

 

[Kouryuu]

What the fuck happened to people? Would you harbour a paedophile too, if he said he was really sorry, honest, and would never, ever do anything to hurt anyone ever again. Would you believe them more if they cried a little bit, and got a wobble in their voice?

We have a brain, you don't, we use more than 2 colours, you don't, we are educated, learned history, taken a moment to think it over, you, as it looks, did not.

Simply said, with such comments you just show that you do not use your head the way it was supposed

I have researched the issue. I have looked into the post-Versailles Germany, the Second World War, and the Concentration Camps. So don't you dare tell me that I know nothing on the issue.

For soldiers who simply fought in the battles, I have sympathy. They may not have wanted to be there, but been forced to join, and that is always a terrible position to be in.

For those who worked in the camps, however, I have no sympathy. Why should I, when they showed no sympathy to the millions they killed?

I am aware that the war itself was far from a black-and-white issue. I am aware of the Dresden bombings, and similar incidences. However, when it comes to innocent civilians being rounded up, stripped of all their property and possessions, herded like cattle into camps, kept in inhumane conditions, then killed in the most horrific, barbaric ways possible, then it does become an issue of black and white. The Jews were not killed out of self-defense, or as a horrible yet necessray part of the war. They were killed because the German leader was a psycho who had some truly backwards ideas on race. There is no defending that.

Defend the humble German soldier, or those who got caught up in the conflict against their will, fine. But do not defend those who created one of the greatest atrocities of the Twentieth Century. I use my head the way it was 'supposed': I research issues, remaining as impartial as possible, but I also take a stand against that which I find to be morally reprehensible. The idea of sheltering someone who was part of a plan to exterminate an entire race, when the decent thing would be for them to turn themselves over... that idea sickens me, and is an insult to all those who died in the camps.

could you recognise a 80 year old man from seeing photo of him in his 20 ?

that's the only evidence they can produce, then they have a name that's all.

A Jew comes in and said he cannot forget this face and you believe, but whoops the court official has mixed the times and it was not a Nazi at all.

that's the problem at the time the Word Nazi for you is a sinonim for guilty why? in my country is a 5 year window to start a court case or he is free, I am not sure for you, but 60+ years later its just ridiculous.

Look up the SS from the Baltics look up how many Nazis where vindicated, and the number of the ones died while on trial.

 

[Devious Water Fowl]

He committed horrible crimes, he murdered people, he tortured them, he watched people suffer without saying a word. If he is truly sorry then he should understand the gravity of what he's done and be ready to face punishment for it. He shouldn't be instantly forgiven just because he says "I'm sorry." What he did was still wrong and he should still be ready to own up to what he did.

 

[Kouryuu]

He committed horrible crimes, he murdered people, he tortured them, he watched people suffer without saying a word. If he is truly sorry then he should understand the gravity of what he's done and be ready to face punishment for it. He shouldn't be instantly forgiven just because he says "I'm sorry." What he did was still wrong and he should still be ready to own up to what he did.

Not said, presumption, guilty of ignorance

 

[dyre]

snip.

Sorry to say but that's extremly racist

I said forgive the man, with a historically Jewish God, a Jewish Savior, with a mixed ancestry that would have been looked down upon for being not being of a certain descent, and you have the right to claim I am racist?

This is the foolishness I just spoke of. So many sides are given the full right to use what is and isn't racism, yet in this case the Germans are not by any stretch of the imagination. Even then, the constant reoccuring imagery and force-fed notions that it was worse because it was done to the "Chosen People" could be seen as racist as well.

What the hell are you talking about, dude. We're not talking about prosecuting random Germans, we're talking about prosecuting a Nazi that committed crimes against humanity. Unless you think Jews don't count as a part of humanity, in which case you're a racist. And racism is bad, no matter who spouts it.

Sorry, you've made yourself look foolish.

Are you really claiming jews are a race?

Well, in common usage, the term "race" is misused as an arbitrary way to categorize people of different cultures/ethnicities, so I see no reason why I can't call Jews a race. In any case, just replace "racist" with "prejudiced," then. Do you have anything to say about my argument, or are you just nitpicking terms?

 

[Jack Cheal]

of course I'd send them in, they're a nazi, fair enough he's tried to rehabilitate himself, but if the police are apparently searching for him, then he must have done something exceptionally wrong. So no, i wouldn't harbour him.

 

[Kouryuu]

War veterans didn't try and eliminate the entire Vietnamese people, just because of their race.

If a soldier in the US took part in what would be classified as 'War Crimes', then of course I would expect them to stand trial for their actions. Same as those soldiers in Iraq who took photos of themselves abusing prisoners. They have decided to treat the other side as less than human, and as a result should be judged by the courts for their actions.

Anyone responsible for the inhuman treatment of others should be brought to task. I don't care if this Nazi guy is in his nineties, and runs a weekly bingo night, the fact that he was part of an operation to eliminate the entire Jewish race, and in being part of that killed and abused millions of innocent people, means he should be turned over to the authorities.

Then why has a allied soldier never been on trial?

Being a Nazi is not a crime
Being in a camp was no crime too
Killing Jews would be a crime, but this is outside the given parameters, your assumption

Trial 99% will be doped because, of missing evidence
travel to trial + stress from it 35% lethal to the defender.
Hope you can do it
I can not without knowing that he is guilty, may be not even then, if the regret is genuine and crime not genocide.

 

[Fooz]

he would say hello to my baseball bat................ repeatedly

 

[Omgsarge]

I will answer the original post and not elaborate on where the discussion has gone to.
Before doing anything, I would talk to him more. How did he get into all this if he seems to be such a well meaning individual now. What decisions did he make in his life.
I would decide what to do after that but given that he must be like 80-90 years old now. What good will it do to arrest him now? Will it give the people that were affected by his actions any peace if they are even still alive? Maybe, I dont know.
Since he participates in so many charitable activities he probably has regret and seeks to make up for his crimes and seeks forgiveness. I dont know if that is enough to excuse whatever he has done and if he was really a fanatic but I give people the benefit of the doubt, more often than not. Regret does not make his actions vanish but they do lessen my scorn for these people.
Of course, the easy way to deal with that is to think, "Hey hes a Nazi! They are all evil! Fucking burn him alive!" The easy way is also to what your told and execute Jews every day. I belief both actions don't require much thought.
I think I would answer "Other". Spend more time with him and then decide.

*addendum: I would probably call the police in the end. If they are after him, then they probably have evidence on his actions. Let the court decide then. (And the trial and being confronted with what hes done would be a fitting punishment)