January 27th, 2025 marks 80 years since Soviet forces liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp from Nazi control as World War II in Europe neared its end.
During the less than five years of its existence, the camp witnessed the deaths of over a million Jews, Romanis, homosexuals, prisoners of war, and others. In total, the Holocaust would claim the lives of over 12 million people, and the Second World War amassed between 50-85 million deaths, the vast majority being civilians. We would like to take this opportunity to pause and remember all those who were lost, as well as reflect on our current situation and the dangers of the recent rightward trend in global politics.
2024 saw over 60 countries hold elections, with results showcasing the staying power of right-wing populists. In Europe, France, Austria, Romania, Portugal, and Germany all saw significant gains for right-wing and far-right parties. The United States reelected Donald Trump to a second term along with a Republican-controlled Congress. The situation is much the same in parts of Asia and Latin America, particularly in India, Indonesia, Argentina, and El Salvador. These shifts, along with the rhetoric which accompanies them, should cause us all to take a step back from our partisanship and remind ourselves of the deeper humanity which binds us together as a single family on our single planet.
Events such as the Holocaust are a part of what led us to develop the Philosophy of Unity, the guiding beliefs and values of Atlas. We stand opposed to all parties, ideologies, and systems which separate peoples into groups with conflicting interests. We believe this is a fundamental mistake that results in inequities, discrimination, and conflict. It has caused wars, colonialism, climate disasters, and, of course, the Holocaust. On this somber anniversary, we ask that you consider the ways in which radical differences in wealth and power lead to not only the extreme suffering witnessed at Auschwitz, but the immense suffering which millions of people experience today. Our Philosophy of Unity and the Survival Bill which grew out of it are founded upon freedom, equity, and well-being. It necessitates standing in solidarity with freedom struggles, admitting Palestine and Taiwan into the United Nations, establishing a global truth and reconciliation commission for colonial crimes, seeking the familiar in what appears different, building our transnational political party, and creating a system of democratic global governance. We believe we can honor those lost at Auschwitz and other concentration camps by not only pausing for silence, but for taking action to ensure those crimes are never repeated.
By Trent Trepanier.
Picture: ABC News