by Ernie McCray
I’m remembering walking up a stairwayin Amsterdam
through narrow doorwayslooking into nooks and crannies
in Anne Frank’s hiding place, an annex attached to a home
where she chronicledin a diarythat stands as a gift to humanity,
the trials and tribulationsof her people,Jews,targeted by an overly maniacal
form of hatet hat wanted themeliminated from the human race,and being an empathizer
by natureI felt overcome with emotionas I strolled through her living space
imagining myselfbeing her, covered in fear,and then amazingly findingi
n me a measure of hopeas she showed
when she wrote:“I have the feeling that friends are on the way,”in reference to hearing the news
that the Allied troopsseemed to be coming throughin her people’s behalf,paving a path for them
to feel safein the world…
But, oh, hatred dies a lingeringlyslow death,like a chicken flappingwith its head cut off,
as today,the loathing of human beingsconnected in any way to Judaism,is an animositythat too many Nazi-minded folks
can’t let go,|compelling them toopenly threatendescendants of Abraham
with death threatsand anti-Jew graffiti,their antisemitic deedsleading tothe closing of Jewish day schools,anxiety for students in Ivy League schools,
Jewish grandmothers and mothersbuying and learning how to shoot guns
to defend themselves againstsuch tyranny,leaving our world society
with a missionof not letting Anne Frank’shopes and dreams die.
Our quest for dignityfor everyone lives on.