If We Forget The Past, We Are Doomed To Repeat It

In the movie, Judgment At Nuremberg (1961), the Chief Judge in the movie, played by Spencer Tracy, delivers one of the most powerful speeches recorded on film. In this scene from the movie, Tracy's character is delivering the final judgement of the four German judges on trial for atrocities committed during the time of the Third Reich (1933 - 1945). 

Under extreme duress to let these men off with probation or light sentences due to the crisis with Russia over the ruling of Germany in 1949, the judge's ruling is fraught with diplomatic and political repercussions for all the parties involved. Yet, this judge, sums up the duty of the court and its responsibilities, to deliver a ruling, despite the outside pressure, and to properly judge the actions of these four men and their injustice toward their fellow man.

I invite you to check out this clip for yourself and then appraise our current social, political, and religious climate through the prism of this speech. How close are we as a society to discarding the morality of our God and embracing the weapons needed to sustain our present culture? How quickly can a nation embrace the unspeakable in the name of survival? How can people cast aside the value of their fellow humans when faced with the possibilities of losing their own lives? What does it take to embrace courage versus giving in to fear? 

I believe we are all one choice away from pursing the same journey of self-preservation that many of the people of Germany embraced over 80 years ago.