Written by Gerard Hoefling Ph.D
Posted by Michael Sauers
October 15, 2024
This past August 1st, I had the incredible honor of being invited by the University of Warsaw to participate in a remembrance ceremony marking the 80th Anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. This was the second of two popular uprisings occurring in 1943 and 1944 respectively. While similar events marked this important anniversary throughout the city that day, the university event honored those surviving insurgents who had been assigned to liberate university grounds from the Nazis.
During the campus event I had the privilege to sit among men and women who had taken up arms against their fascist oppressors. Now in their late 90’s and early 100’s these survivors were willing to sacrifice all as teens to try and liberate their city. Betrayed by the Russians who sat idle on the eastern banks of the Vistula, and with little aid able to reach them from the Western allies, their efforts were doomed to failure. Nevertheless, these bold and brave men and women set aside their own political differences to put the interests of their nation before party and politics.
That day and today, I pondered the likelihood of my fellow citizens being able to find the courage to rise up against similar threats to their nation. I have my doubts. I am appalled by the fact that there are those Americans willing and eager to support someone who has demonstrated disdain for Democracy, cozied to dictators, peddled lies, promoted hate, lacks character and principles, and led an assault upon our most internationally envied institutional process, the peaceful transition of power. When did this become acceptable?
In closing, I will not appeal to those committed to the darkest of sides. I believe they are unmovable. My appeal instead is to men and women of honor, integrity, and courage regardless of party affiliation. NOW, as in 1944, is the time to put partisanship aside and unite against the common enemy for the good of our common purpose, the preservation and elevation of our Democracy. Unlike those heroes I sat among who chose to rise up and risk all against evil, we have the luxury of a vote. We must use it and help ensure the continuation of the American experiment! To do less will be to dishonor the sacrifice of those who have precede us in the fight for freedom.