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Nazi Tactics
Question:
My town is re zoning against college kids and their housing. They are trying to dicate that only so many "related" and "non-related" people be allowed to live in a household. Also lease agreement pertaining to college rental must be signed and submitted to city hall.
I view this as Nazi tactics and would like similar examples how the Jews were limited as to where they could rent, live or own. Could you help me in this area? We need to stop this "re zoning" before it goes to far!
Brian Harmon answers:
Hello, I am one of the volunteers answering questions for the Holocaust History Project. You may receive additional responses from my colleagues.
I'm doubtful that more restrictive zoning laws by themselves are "Nazi Tactics". Before the Nazis enacted laws concerning rental agreements with Jews, they first stripped Jews of their citizenship, took away their voting rights, prevented them from marrying non-Jews, expelled Jews from public service, forced them to sell their businesses, forbade them from attending public events, arrested them without cause, and so on. Somehow I don't think your town is considering measures of this magnitude.
You can read more about the chronology of Nazi persection at:
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Holocaust/chron.html
I humbly suggest that you try a different approach, perhaps arguing that the law is unfair or uneeded on its own merits rather than attempting a strained comparison to Nazi persecution.
- Brian Harmon
Harry W. Mazal OBE answers:
Thank you for your recent query.
My colleague, Dr. Harmon has expressed an opinion on your question with which I heartily concur. It might be more appropriate for you to refer to Thomas Jefferson who stated words to the effect that:
"When you give up a small amount of liberty to obtain a small amount of order, you will end up losing both."
Harry W. Mazal OBE
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