While people were pressed into camps not called concentration

[sovay]

spatch has been relaying me select portions of the conservative protest against the term "concentration camps." I have been quoting To Be or Not to Be (1942) at him: "Yes, we do the concentrating and the Poles do the camping."

I like David Schraub's not-statement on the matter:

But anyone who thinks that litigating the question "is it proper to refer to these detention centers as 'concentration camps'" is more important, or as important, or maybe not quite as important but still within the same order of magnitude of importance, as full and unqualified opposition to Trump's border practices deserves naught but our contempt and scorn. If you want these comparisons to be made cautiously, great, I agree. If you think that investing energy in policing whether this or that comparison was sufficiently "cautious" is a worthy use of your time that can justify departing even for an instant from unflagging opposition to Trump's border policies, then you need to re-examine your priorities.

(In the meantime, I fall within that portion of the American Jewish population that hears "But this comparison is offensive to the Jews!" and says, "Well, actually . . .")

Comments

[sara]

I've yet to meet a Jew who didn't think it was profoundly offensive to lock kids in penal facilities when they've not committed any crime. There are probably some out there but I don't want to meet them.

(also my friend with the second-most-Polish surname of anyone I've ever known is a super enthusiastic camper so I laughed pretty hard at that one even though it's funny ugh-oh, and not really funny ha-ha)

[poliphilo]

I believe the term "concentration camp" was first used of the detention centres into which the British herded Boer civilians during the South African War. They weren't designed as death camps- but a lot of people died in them.

[rachelmanija]

All the Jews I know have been making that comparison since this whole thing started.

[wpadmirer]

Yeah, I'm annoyed at people who are focusing on semantics and not what's happening.

[asakiyume]

Hearty agree.

[cmcmck]

Just so.

The British invented the concept during what gets known as the 'Boer' war.

It looks like one, smells like one and runs like one, therefore............

[dewline]

Amen. Just...amen.

This is a real obscenity that's really happening.

[gwynnega]

Exactly.