This week Senator Obama spoke movingly on Memorial Day of his Grandfather’s service during World War II, and specifically of his role in liberating victims of Auschwitz. As was pointed out, Obama was mistaken, and that it was in fact Buchenwald that he helped liberate, as Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviets. Obama’s campaign quickly corrected the mistake. After all, it was an honest mistake, family stories get passed down and facts might be forgotten. However, the Republican National Committee jumped at him with wild abandon, noting that his grandfather would have had to be part of the Soviet Army to be at Auschwitz, and that maybe he was in fact a Soviet Soldier. To suggest that a patriot who served faithfully in World War II in the American Armed Forces was a “red” as it were is an outrage. To impugn the dignity of the service of heroes of our greatest generation is beyond contemptible, it’s frankly offensive. Some, even worse, have pointed out that Buchenwald was merely a “work camp,” somehow less horrific than other Concentration Camps. Trying to equate any forced incarceration by the Nazis is absurd and reprehensible. To downplay the horrific nature of Buchenwald is an affront to the estimated 56,000 prisoners who died there. Most died from exhaustion and starvation, but many died of being unceremoniously executed with a shot to the back of the head. It was the temporary home of legendary Jewish author and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. Anyone who has read his numerous works knows of the pain in every word, words brought to fruition by Buchenwald. Many have suggested this outcry is pay back for criticism of Sen. McCain’s failure to distinguish between Sunni and Shia insurgents in Iraq. If so, this charade will have reached a new point of insanity. There is a big difference between fudging facts on honorable family history, and a supposed expert of foreign policy not knowing the fundamental players in the biggest foreign policy issue currently on the books. Sen. McCain and the RNC owe two things: better fact checkers and an apology.
