Learning Kindeness From Anne Frank
Anne Frank was an author, poet and diarist from Frankfurt, Germany. Born in 1929 to Otto and Edith Frank, she spent her teenage years in Germany before moving with her family to the Netherlands when she was in 1933. While living there, Otto Frank discovered the diary of Anne Frank after it had been deposited with a friend who was shortly thereafter compelled by Nazi authorities to hand it over. The diary gave rise to one of the best-known stories of Holocaust survival and became a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
Otto Frank taught his daughter to be kind and sensitive to everyone, regardless of their background or religious affiliation. His lessons are said to have saved her life, as Anne Frank kept her faith in humanity during the one year she and her family spent hiding from the Nazis. In her diary, she wrote: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
We can all learn from Anne Frank's example of kindness. First and foremost, let's teach our children not to judge others by their appearances or the way they speak. Being polite is not just about saying "please" and "thank you," but also about being a good listener.
If we extend a hand of kindness to others, they might be more open to extending one toward us. Starting with simple courtesies, we can find opportunities to build trust and form bonds with people who might otherwise seem "different."
It's not necessary to spend huge amounts of time or energy on this; it's simply about being more compassionate. Let's celebrate our similarities and help one another by assisting those in need. By doing so, we're able to further enrich all our lives.
Another way we can honor the legacy of Anne Frank is to support freedom of information and the exchange of ideas.
Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor and human rights activist, reminds us that "you can't survive if you've only got one point of view." That's why it's so important to help others discover their own perspective. When we aim for a world where each person is encouraged to think independently, it creates a space where everyone's voice is valued.
Anne Frank recognized the power of words at an early age, and she let her diary be published after her death because she believed her writings could help people understand what happened during the Holocaust in a different way than they had before. Her writings have been translated into more than 70 languages and can be read by people of all ages around the world.
As we strive to make Anne Frank's vision come true, we should remember that words of encouragement can help others in their pursuit of happiness, security and success. As a society, we should work to ensure that everyone is heard and treated with respect. When we see each other as individuals worthy of our attention and care, it becomes increasingly difficult to hate or wish harm upon one another.
A final way to keep Anne Frank's legacy alive is to ensure that all people are treated with equality regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. In the 19th century, Anne Frank was able to survive in a time that sanctioned discrimination against women. While she did not live to see the end of her oppression and others have died for her beliefs, we can work to eliminate all forms of hate and discrimination and finally achieve true equality for all.
If you're interested in learning more about the life of Anne Frank, there are several wonderful resources available at our website. We also have a Facebook page with updates on our programs and lessons on kindness: https://www.facebook.com/amishkindness/
-- The Amish Kindness Team, www.amishkindness.org
This article originally appeared in the June/July 2017 issue of The Amish Courier.
Title: Brave Girl's Anti-Africa Trip Rebuttal
Response by Jennifer O'Brien, www.jenniferobrien.org:
How dare you ask me to justify why I want "to see all of Africa and touch the face of God. Why do I want to see all of Africa? Why must I engage in this journey?
My trip was sparked by the African girl that is no longer with us, but was last seen in my country of Nigeria. A girl who was raped and murdered four years ago.
This is not meant to be an attack on your readers because you have taken the time to write this response. I thank you for it, but there has been so much unnecessary rhetoric used against me and others who are making the effort to "see all of Africa."
I am traveling south because a girl from Nigeria recently gave birth in my country and died shortly after. The girl is from a Christian family and because of that, her killer was never caught.
My friends and I wanted to share this news with the world, so we decided to go see Africa. Because I am a person of color and in the LGBTQ community, I wanted to see this place that has been so many times portrayed incorrectly on TV and in movies. Now I am here.
As for touching the face of God, there are specific reasons why I have chosen to travel here. Yes, it is because of Christianity, but my trip has nothing to do with religion or politics; it is solely focused on legitimate conservation work as a part of the movement committed to fighting poaching.
I am unsure if you could have understood that. I am simply a young, black woman looking to share the news of my friends who are African and of this community among other Western and Eastern African journalists and aid workers who have worked with The Conservation Alliance to save some of the most endangered species in Africa.
We want to see all of Africa because we want to share our stories with the world and because we are not satisfied with how Africa has been portrayed negatively in mass media narratives.
You can visit us at: www.jenniferobrien.org
The Amish Kindness Team article was referenced by Yee-Lan Tan , a youth educator at Diocese of Ontario (Ontario, Canada), www.youthministry.co in a Facebook post . A rebuttal by Jennifer O'Brien, an anti-trafficking researcher, was published on her blog . The Amish Kindness Team responded to that here and here
Additional replies by Yee-Lan Tan and Jennifer O'Brien and a rejoinder by the Amish Kindness Team can be found on the blog of Dr. Kristine Keating, www.keatingkids.com/blog/2017/06/05/amish-kindness-team-scrutiny-from-the-left/#respondThe Amish Kindness Team stands by its article, with minor changes as noted below.
https://www.
Conclusion:
As the Amish Kindness Team's articles continue to be cited, so too does its website. Below is a page from Jennifer O'Brien's blog at which the quotes from Jennifer O'Brien and Joe Plummer-Fombuett are prominently displayed.
http://www.amishkindness.org/en/article/paralysis-of-speech/?cx=0094151749384356026%3AM0JH5YOQOQ%3D%3D&cof=FORID%3A9&crg=4031541461810945209
https://www.