Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Sports and Religion
Did We Kill Anne Frank Today?

Did We Kill Anne Frank Today?

Last updated on: July 3, 2018 at 9:10 am by Jim Meisner Jr.

Did We Kill Anne Frank Today? 2018-07-03T09:10:42-04:00 Jim Meisner Jr.

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Americans didn’t want more foreigners so legal immigration to the United States was intentionally difficult.

Federal policy severely limited the number of immigrants allowed into the country.

The rules were designed to screen out criminals and reject the kind of foreigners that some said threatened the culture of the United States or took jobs from Americans.

The application process was extensive, and many were denied the opportunity to enter the country. Quotas were limited, and filled quickly, with waiting lists years long.

Politicians were elected because they were tough on illegal entry and they put America First.

The United States turned away victims fleeing persecution, oppression and violence and told them to go home. They were rejected individually and by the boat-load.

One boat-load was the transatlantic liner St. Louis, with nearly 1,000 German and eastern Europeans fleeing the Nazis. They steamed close enough to the coast of Florida to see the lights of Miami and to send telegrams to the president and other officials begging for help.

The U.S. turned them away and the St. Louis sailed back to Europe on June 6, 1939.

More than 600 passengers eventually immigrated to Western European countries — countries subsequently conquered by the Nazis. More than 250 of them were murdered in the Holocaust.

They were turned away by the United States, and as a result, they died.

One individual who repeatedly tried to legally immigrate to the United States was Otto Frank. His applications were denied, and his wife and children were murdered in Nazi concentration camps.

The United States has made bigotry the law of the land dating back to the Alien and Sedition Acts, signed by John Adams on July 14, 1798.

Mindless anti-immigration racism in the White House continues to this day:

"We want people in our country based on merit, not based on a draw where other countries put their absolute worst in a bin," Trump said. pic.twitter.com/MeC6Q8QdHs

— POLITICO (@politico) June 22, 2018

Before Western European Jews, the hated immigrant aliens were Irish.

The United States hated the refugee boat people of Cuba, of Vietnam and of Hatti. The U.S. banned Muslims last year, while children died.

Today, when Anne Frank and her family appeal for asylum at the doors of the United States, the family is separated and 14 year-old Anne Frank is incarcerated alone. Eventually the daughters are sent back to the violence they tried to escape, and Otto Frank may never see his children again.

Voices cry for help, and American isolationism selfishly looks away, allowing Anne Frank to be murdered in her violence-soaked home country. Again.

Racists and bigots make excuses — limited resources, incidents of violence blown out of proportion, the quality of the applicants seeking asylum — and Anne Frank dies, again.

Thousands of Anne Franks are sacrificed on the American alter of bigotry. Every death is preventable.

Voices silenced, potentials lost, dreams destroyed, because Americans are too selfish and frightened to share their blessings with the less fortunate.

Anne Frank of Guatemala, Anne Frank of Honduras, Anne Frank of Nicaragua, Anne Frank of Victoria, Mexico will die, because the United States has turned her away, again.

About Jim Meisner Jr.

I attended seminary, earned a Master of Divinity and was the pastor of a church for a few years. I created this blog and Facebook page, Faith on the Fringe. I’ve been the pastor of my current church for more than three years. Jesus gives us a better way to be, but too many judgmental Christians get in the way and drive people away from the message of Jesus. I’m frustrated with both Christians and non-Christians who make judgments based on what they think the Bible says, rather than what it actually says. What they think the message of Jesus is, rather than what it actually is. The authentic message of Jesus remains on the fringe of the faith and many spiritual seekers are on the fringe of the culture. Here they can find faith on the fringe. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

June 17, 2018

Where is Jesus?

Next Post

July 1, 2018 A Person of Faith in a Profane World

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Celtic spirituality Christmas Civil Rights culture Easter Faith images in the news Prayer Quote Scripture Uncategorized vocational ministry Writing

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 July 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "My punishment is greater than I can bear"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Judas Esau Saul Cain