Letter: History never repeats itself

World War II history enthusiasts parade in WWII vehicles in Ouistreham, Normandy, Saturday June, 5 2021 on the eve of 77th anniversary of the assault that helped bring an end to World War II. | David Vincent, Associated Press

I never understood why people always say that “history repeats itself”. To me, history never repeats itself. Instead, history is made in novel ways and people fail to recognize patterns. As if the only way to recognize evil was to see someone sporting a little square mustache, lift their right arm and barking non sensical hatred at Jews. But absent of these characteristics, we seem to fail to recognize evil and a strange complacency takes us over.

Our beloved America and much admired democracy, in the last 20 years, has witnessed terrorists tortured and denied due process, children separated from parents and records to reunite them never kept, racism, white supremacy and recently an attempted coup.

History goes on and never repeats itself. It is up to us to recognize when evil is committed and our principles trampled. Stay vigilant. Seek the truth beyond the noisy commentary. Recognize wrong independently from personal comfort. Have principles that transcend circumstances and maybe finally, we will learn from history.

France Barral

Millcreek

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