Humanity,Humanism,Holocaust

Humanity,Humanism,Holocaust
Thewaragainstthedivineimageinman
ByTzviFreeman

TheHolocausthascommonlybeenconceivedofasarevoltagainstreason,theultimate
exampleoftheirrational,designedandexecutedbythepathologicallyinsane.Butifreason
wastheobjectoftherevolt,itwasalsothechiefally,adialecticsomonstrouslyrationalthatit
couldoverrideallthetraditionalboundsofmorality.
TheHolocaustwasnotsomuchtheoverthrowofreasonasitstriumphovermorality.It
allowedascientificultrarationalitywhatHitlercalledicecoldlogictoprovidemurderwith
rationaljustification.
WilliamTucker,TheScienceandPoliticsofRacialResearch
Fromthatselfsamenationwhichwasthemostadvancedinscienceandinethicscamethe
ultimateactsofinhumanitytothepointthatnoonewasabletobelievethathumanbeings
werecapableofsuchbehavior.Thecause?Becausetheirintellectwasnotbasedonthe
foundationandbaseofallthings,whichistheknowledgethatthereisaMastertothis
mansiontheCreatoroftheworldanditsDirector.
TheRebbe,RabbiMenachemM.Schneerson1
Athisessence,thehumanbeingsensessomethingsacredaboutlifebothhisownandthat
ofothers.Yetthehumanbeingisalsoasocialbeing,andassuchwillquiteeagerlycastaway

hisidentityuponthepyreofthewhole.Inthatoffering,hesacrificesnotonlythesacredness
ofhisownself,butyetmorereadily,thatofthosewhostandoutsidehisowntribe.
Atnotimeinhistorydidthisstrugglebetweentheindividualandthecommunityculminateas
ferociouslyandasconsummatelyasinthe20thcentury:fromtheriseoffascism,theracial
cleansingprogramofNaziGermany,theHolocaust,anduptotheAmericancivilrights
movementwhichfollowedinitswake.Whatisleftforusistopickupthepieces,examine
themwell,andaskourselveswithallearnestness:Arewecapableofproducingand
preservingasocietyinwhicheveryindividuallifeissacred,fornowandforeternity?

Canaworldbebuiltonhumanreasonalone?Ormustweacceptthe
sanctityoflifeasunquestionabledogma?
Andyetmorepractically:Cansuchaworldbebuiltuponhumanreasonalone?Ormustwe
simplyacceptthesanctityoflifeasanunquestionabledogma,apivotpointwithwhichnoone
musttamper?

TheBirthofHumanDignity
ItwasduringtheEuropeanawakeningofthe17thcentury,whenthevaluesthatenabledour
currentglobalsocietywerejustbeginningtorubtheireyes,thatthedignityofhumanlifewas
firststretchingitsarms.AtthecenterofthedebatesattheHebrewBible.
Itmayseemodd,butforthegentileworld,theHebrewBiblewassomewhatofanoveltyin
thosedays.Ithadonlyrecentlybeentranslatedtothevernacular,andonlyrecentlyhad
learnedmenbeguntolookatitasasourceofpoliticalideals.Inthefoundationworksof
Locke,Hobbes,Harrington,Selden,Grotius,Cuneaus,Leibnizandotherluminariesofthe
period,theHebrewBibleisbyfarthemostcitedofanyworkgenerallymorecitedthanall
otherwritingstogether.2
Theseweretimesofgreatsocialupheaval,ofhistorysfirstregicide(CharlesIofEngland)
andofattemptstogovernnationswithoutkings(bothinEnglandandintheNetherlands).The
conflictbetweenthedivinerightofkingsandwhatlaterbecameknownashumanrightswas
atitsapex.Itwasacenturywestillknowtodayforitswealthofbrilliantandnovelthinkers.

AndwhatscreamedouttothosegreatmindsfromtheancientHebrewtextwasjustripefor
thepicking:
TheretheyfoundaffirmationthateachhumanbeingbearsthedivineimageofhisMaker,so
thatthemurderoroppressionofanyoneofthemisanassaultagainstGd.Thatthemidwives
ofEgyptarerewardedbyGdfordisobeyingthecruelcommandoftheirking.ThatGds
nationwasformedbyallthepeoplenotthekingaloneenteringintoacovenantwithGd.
Eachmanhasdivinerighttohisproperty.ThatthepaupercriesoutandGdHimselftakes
heed.Eventhekingstandsbeneaththelaw.Thekingistheservantofthepeople.Allare
equalbeforethelaw.Evenakingcanbetriedandpunishedbythelawwhichtheyduly
performed.
Manyofthosemostchargedbytheserevelationswereeventuallyforcedtoleavetheirland.
Theytraveledacrosstheseaandplantedtheiridealsonsoilwheretyrantshadnevertrod.
Eventually,astheydeclaredtheirindependence,theyincludedthesewords:
Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowed
bytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights...

ThomasJefferson

Bravewords,butpuzzling.Thesentenceseemsinconflictwithitself.Whatissoselfevident
abouttheequalityofallmen?Andifitisselfevident,whydowerequirethereferencetotheir
creationbyaCreator?
Andindeed,adeepconflictdoesliewithinaconflictbetweentwoverydifferentmindswith
twoverydifferentsetsofvalues.TheoriginaldraftwaswrittenbyThomasJefferson.The
wordsheusedweresacredandundeniable.ItwasmostlikelyBenjaminFranklinwho,with
heavybackslashes,crossedoutthatphraseforhispreferenceofselfevident.3

Thedistinctionischasmic.Thatwhichissacredisundeniable.Thatwhichisselfevidentsits
precariouslyinthehandsofhumanreason,whimanddesire.Thatwhichissacredis

undeniable.Thatwhichisselfevidentsitsprecariouslyinthehands
ofhumanreason,whimanddesire.Thesanctityoflifehadonlyjustbeen
incorporatedintothenationsembryonicfiber,andimmediatelyitwasgivenovertothe
surgeonsscalpel.
JohnLocke,Jeffersonsmostfavoredphilosopher,waskeenlyawareofthedanger.Inanote
scribbledtohimself,ineerieprescienceofthecenturiestocome,Lockehadobserved:
Ifmanwereindependent,hecouldhavenolawbuthisownwill,noendbuthimself.Hewould
beagodtohimselfandthesatisfactionofhisownwillthewholemeasureandendofallhis
actions.
ButFranklinwasmoreimpressedbyhisScottishfriendDavidHume.ForHume,reason
trumpedall.Whichseemsquitereasonable.But,asthehistoryofthecomingcenturieswasto
demonstrate,reasonandhumanreasonarenotnecessarilysynonymous.
AcrosstheAtlantic,wherethesacredwassynonymouswiththedespiseddogmaofthe
establishedchurchofthecrown,humanreasonhadalreadyrejectedthenotionsuponwhich

Jeffersonssacrednesswasfounded.Voltaire,thegreathumanistandcynic,couldnothave
putitmoreplainly:
ItisaseriousquestionamongthemwhethertheAfricansaredescendedfrommonkeysor
whetherthemonkeyscomefromthem.Ourwisemenhavesaidthatmanwascreatedinthe
imageofGod.NowhereisalovelyimageoftheDivineMaker:aflatandblacknosewithlittle
orhardlyanyintelligence.4
HumankindwasalreadytoosmartforitsCreator.

SomeLessEqualThanOthers
IntheNewWorld,thefirsttestoftheequalityofallhumankindwas,ofcourse,slavery.5
Eighteenthcenturycolonialslaverywasquiteprobablythemostbrutalslaveryinhistory.In
England,WilliamWilberforce,adevoutQuaker,foughtwithperseverancetooutlawtheslave
tradethroughouttheBritishEmpire.Yet,inAmerica,allthefathersoftherevolution
themselveshadslaves.Theabolitionistspursuedtheircauseonbothreligiousgroundsand
byreferencetotheDeclarationofIndependence.YettheagrarianSouthcouldnotaffordto
giveuptheirslaves,andtheindustrializingNorthcouldnotimaginetreatingthesepeopleas
equals.
Thehumanmindcannotlivewithcognitivedissonancetoolong,andsoanexceptionhadto
bemade.ItwasdeterminedselfevidentthatNegroeshadnotbeencreatedquiteasequalas
others.Incasetherewasanydoubtofthedefinitionofselfevident,avocalproslavery
activistsuccinctlyprovidedit.Ifthisindeednotbetrue,heproclaimed,Americanslaveryis
amonstrouswickedness!6
Inthecenturyfollowingtherevolution,sciencerushedtotherescueofethicalintegrityinthe
formofSocialDarwinism.Scientificmeasurementsweremadeofskullsfromeverypartofthe
globe,theresultstalliedandpublished,andtheconclusionsacceptedbyallmenofscience:
Negroeswerenotofthesameraceastheirmasters.Iftheywere,theywerenotatthesame
stageofevolution.Itnowbecameselfevident,scientistsclaimed,thatsomemenwereless
evolvedthanothers.Andifso,lessequalthanothers.
Andso,theselfevidenttrumpedthesacredonceagain.


Bythe20thcentury,thefocusofsuchstudiesturnedfromtheblackswhoalreadyinhabited
AmericatotheEuropeansburstingthroughitsgoldengates.Again,scientificreasoningwas
rolledouttothebattlefront.Psychologistsandsocialscientistsrushedforwardforthejob,
eagerfortheopportunitytofinallywinfortheirdisciplinessomerespectasreal,hard
sciences.
Inaprogressiveworld,theydeclared,sciencemustreplacereligioninthemeasurementof
humanworth.RobertYerkes,awellknownHarvardpsychologist,assuredthepublicthat
psychometricshadadvancedsufficientlyforthetask.WritingintheAtlanticMonthly,he
declaredthatmanisjustasmeasurableasisabarofsteel.
Indeed,Yerkesconcluded,eventhevalueofmancouldbeappraised.7

Andappraiseditwas.PsychometricstudiesatEllisIslanddemonstratedthat83%ofJews,
80%ofHungarians,79%ofItaliansand87%ofRussianswerefeeblemindedthe
thenpopulartermforthoseincapableofmakingintelligentdecisions.Andfeeblemindedness,
thepublicwasassured,wasahereditarytrait,somethingthatnoamountofeducationcould
change.

Datainhand,menofreasonlaunchedafrontalattackagainstthesillynotionsofreligionand
othersentimentsoftheignorantpastthathadindiscriminatelyopenedthegatesofAmerica
andprovidededucationandsuffragetoall.Untilnow,thebusinessofeugenicsandSocial

Darwinismwassimplytoprovideexceptionstotherule.Nowdemocracyitselfcameunder
scientificattack.

TheDeclarationofIndependencewasthereforetobehonoredinthe
samemannerasotheroutmodedscientifictheoriesasthedead
bodiesoverwhichwehaveadvanced.
WhobettertoleadtheattackthanDr.JamesMcKeenCattell,aprestigiousAmericanicon,
thefirstpsychologisttoexplorecognitivetestingandtocointhetermmentaltest.InhisNew
YorkTimesobituary,CattelwouldbeproclaimedthedeanofAmericanscience.Inthehighly
respectedScientificMonthly,ofwhichhewasfounderandeditor,hedeclaredthatallsocial
andpoliticalinstitutionsmustbebasedonthetruthsdeterminedbyscience,andnosocial
system,nopoliticaltheory...canbemaintainedwhenitisnotinaccordwithscience.The
DeclarationofIndependencewasthereforetobehonoredinthesamemannerasother
outmodedscientifictheoriesasthedeadbodiesoverwhichwehaveadvanced.8

Dr.JamesMckeenCattell

Whatwerethenewtruthsdeterminedbyscience?Thatintelligence,moralcharacterandthe
potentialwithinanindividualtocontributetosocietyweredeterminedfrombirth,principally
accordingtorace,andthatitwasasfutiletoexpecttochangesuchmattersthrough
educationasitwastotransformabrunetintoablond.Hardlyavoiceinthescientificor
intellectualcommunityprotested.G.K.Chestertonstoodoutasaloneoutspokenvoice,

takinggreatexceptionwithhisgoodfriend,GeorgeBernardShaw.Buthisdissentwasbased
principallyonhisreligiousmoralvalues.InAmerica,theonlyvoicesofprotesttobeheard
fromtheacademicworldwerethosewhohadaselfinterestinotherwords,Jews.

TheGreatRace

PumpingthroughAmericas
veinsatthetimewasMadisonGrantspopularworkof1916,ThePassingoftheGreatRace.
Grantwasperhapstheearliestconservationisthehasbeencalledthegreatest
conservationistwhoeverlived,foundingtheBronxZooanditsparent,theNewYork
ZoologicalSociety.HefoughtalongsideTheodoreRoosevelttopreservetheCalifornia
redwoodsandAmericanbison.Yetheislittlementionedtodaybyscientists,whoarerightly
ashamedofhismoreexecrablecontributions.Notsatisfiedwiththepreservationofanimal
species,GrantwasalsoconcernedwithpreservationoftheracialpurityofAmerica.
ItwasMadisonGrantwhofirstclassedtheCaucasianraceitselfintothreecategories:
1. Nordics,thegreatraceofblondhaired,blueeyedgiants.

2. Alpines,whodominatedmuchofCentralandEasternEuropeintoAsia.
3. Mediterraneans.
Americawasagreatcountry,Grantexplained,becauseitwasprincipallyNordic.Butthe
NordicpeoplesofEuropehadbeenpollutedbymiscegenation(interbreeding)withtheother
twofarinferiorsubraces.Germany,forexample,hadbeentotallybrutalizedinthehandsof
AlpinepeasantsfollowingtheThirtyYearsWar,andonlyrecentlyhadtheNordicaristocracy
beguntoreassertitselfthere.ButAmericawasnowingreatdanger,withtheincreasinginflux
ofworthlessracetypes.
Thesolution?Strictimmigrationquotas,sterilizationofthefeebleminded,andghettosfor
nonNordics,alongwithrestrictionsofintermarriagewiththem.
ThePassingoftheGreatRacereadstoustodayasabsurdcharlatanryshamanismor
astrologyappearaspuresciencesincomparison.Whichmakesitallthemorestunningto
discoverhowwidelyaccrediteditwasbymajorscientistsofitstime.Theintroductionwas
writtenbynolessthanHenryFairfieldOsbornofAmericanMuseumofNaturalHistoryfame,
oneofAmericasmostinfluentialpaleontologistsandgeologists.Yes,therewerecritical
reviewsbut,asonescientistputit,onlyinnonscientificjournals(andbythose
selfinterestedtypesagain).TheYaleReviewsummarizedGrantslessoninbiology
succinctly,warningAmericaofthedangersofitsfetishesofequality,democracyand
universaleducation,concludingthatwemustdrasticallyreviseourimmigrationpolicy.
Americahadoutmodeditsownprinciples.


Itwasntlong,andGrantwasgrantedallhisthreewishes.Legislationforcompulsory
sterilizationhadalreadybeenpassedinsomestatesandwasnowaccelerated,sothat
betweentheyears1907to1963,over64,000Americanswereforcibly
sterilizedpredominantlyaboriginals,blacksandimmigrants.Thelastforcedsterilizationin
Americawasperformedin1983.From1913to1948,thirtystatesoftheUnionenforced
antimiscegenationlaws.
Andin1924,afterextensivetestimonyfromgeneticistsandsocialscientists,Congressshut
thegoldengatesofEllisIslandtothetired,thepoorandthehuddledmasseswithquota
restrictionsdirectlyparalleltoGrantsrecommendations.TheAmericaneugenicistsevenhad
theiropportunitytocontributedirectlytotheNazicause:In1939,whenalmostathousand
GermanJewswaitedoffshorefortheirredemptioninthelandofliberty,HarryLaughlin,
secretarytotheEugenicsSociety,testifiedbeforeCongressthatthesequotasshouldbe
reducedby60%,andevenrecommendedthatsomeimmigrantswhohadattainedcitizenship
bedenaturalizedanddeported.TheshipreturneditsloadtothelandoftheFinalSolution.


PassengersoftheSSSt.Louis

BackToEurope
AsAmericawasretreatingfromitsfoundationvalues,muchofEuropeansocietywas
experiencingitsownformofsocialregression.Astechnologyhurtledhumanityintofrontiers
previouslyunimaginable,ascitiesgrewandcommercebustled,thearistocracyaswellasthe
massescravedforareturntotheorderandauthoritylostwiththedemiseoffeudalism.In
Europe,itwasmucheasiertopromotethenotionthatthegoodofsocietyoverridestherights
oftheindividual.
Prussianculture,inparticular,wasdrawntosuchnotions.In1904,ErnstHaeckel,oneof
Germanysmostinfluentialbiologists,openlyadvocatedthedestructionofsicklynewborn
infantsandtheeliminationthroughsomepainlessandrapidpoisonofthoseutterlyuseless
livesthatservedonlytoburdensociety.Inthesameyear,theSocietyforRacialHygienewas
formed,quicklyestablishingitselfasoneofGermanysmostprestigiousorganizations,
includinginitsmembershipsomeofthelandsmostdistinguishedscientistsandphysicians.

GrantsbookwasacknowledgedbyHitlertobehisBible,inafan
letterwrittenpersonallytoGranttothankhim.
YetitwasnotuntiltheriseoftheThirdReichthatAmericansocialsciencefounditselfputto
practicaluseonEuropeansoil.GrantsbookwasacknowledgedbyHitlertobehisBible,in

afanletterwrittenpersonallytoGranttothankhim.HansGunther,asocialanthropologist,
hadtranslatedtheworkandfromitfoundedthescientificbasisforNaziracialtheory.
NationalSocialismfoundtheoldmodelofmedicalcare,bywhichadoctorwasprincipally
concernedwiththeindividualwelfareofhispatient,tobeunscientific.Themorescientifically
enlightenedviewofthelandthathadgiventheworlditsgreatestadvancesinsciencewas
thatmedicinesprimepurposewasforthebettermentofthegenetichealthofthepeopleasa
wholewhichwouldofcoursenecessitatethedenialofmedicalassistance,andevenofthe
righttolife,tocertainindividuals.Bysomescientistsestimates,thosetobedeniedaccounted
foraboutathirdofthepopulation.
The1929studyofGosneyandPopenoe,twohighlyinfluentialAmericanphysicians,
SterilizationforHumanBetterment:ASummaryofResultsof6,000OperationsinCalifornia,
waswidelycitedbytheNazigovernmentasevidencethatwidereachingsterilization
programswerefeasibleandhumane.PopenoehimselfreviewedtheNazisterilization
programand,quotingwidelyfromMeinKampf,judgedittobeapolicythatwillaccordwith
thebestthoughtofeugenicistsinallcivilizedcountries.Afterthewar,intheNurembergtrials,
doctorscitedtheAmericanprogramsastheinspirationfortheirown.


GermanphotoofPaulPopenoeshowingacoupleapedigreeof"BlackPeopleofArtisticAbility."

SterilizationwasfarmorerapidinGermanythaninAmericaover40,000withinthefirstyear.
Yetthis,too,wasnotfastenough,consideringthehugedrainoftheuselessparasiteson
scarceGermanresources.Aeuthanasiaprogramwasestablished,beginningatfirstwith
childrenbelowtheageofthree,eventuallyincreasedtoageseventeen.Thelistofillnesses
thatqualifiedacandidatealsogrew,includingsuchproblemsasbedwettinganddifficultiesin
education.

Murder,HumanitarianStyle
Thetruththatstaresuscoldlyintheface,thetruthweallwishdesperatelytoignore,isthat
theworsthorrorsofNazismwerenotonlyrationalized,butlicensedandfueledbythatlands
devotiontoanethicsofreason.GermanywasnotSudanorUganda.Itwasalandwhereas
HannahArendtnotedevensuchahalfwitasAdolfEichmanncouldquoteandelaborateon

theKantianmoralimperativewithutmostclarity.Itwasalandthat,morethananyother
nation,fromLuthertoKanttoNietzchetoHeideggertothebrothersGrimm,hadsucceededin
calibratingwiththeprecisionofGermancraftsmanshipwhatisrightandwhatiswrong.Andit
wasthattool,morethananyGermantechnology,thatenabledgoodmenandwomento
committhemosthorridcrimesagainsthumanity.

KonradLorenz

KonradLorenzwasananimalloverfromyouth,whowaslatercalledthefatherofethology
(thestudyofanimalbehavior)andawardedaNobelPrizeforhiswork.Readinghisworks,
oneisstruckbyhissensitivityanddepthofcharacter.Afterthewar,hewaswellknownforhis
environmentalactivism.Beforeandduringthewar,however,hewasamemberoftheNazi
party.Ina1940essay,heprovidedperhapsthemosteloquentanalogyforthe
implementationofdrasticracialcleansing:
Ontheonehand,bodieswithacanceroustumor,ontheotherhand,apeoplewithunfit
individualsamongthem.Justasincancer...thebesttreatmentistheearliestpossible
recognitionanderadicationofthegrowthasquicklyaspossible,theracialhygienicdefense
againstgeneticallyafflictedelementsmustberestrictedtomeasuresequallydrastic.

Inhisautobiography,Lorenzwastorationalizehissupportandthatofhiscolleagueswith
equaleleganceconvenientlysidesteppingthatdrasticword:Noneofusasmuchas
suspectedthatthewordselection,whenusedbytheserulers,meantmurder.
Thewordsseemalmostfarcical,yetLorenzspeaksearnestlyforhimselfandmanyofhis
colleagues.Inhisclassicwork,TheNaziDoctors,RobertLiftondiscussestheidealismand
dedicationofmanyofthosewhoparticipatedintheeuthanasiaprogram.Itwasnotaspiritof
cruelty,certainlynotirrationality,thatdrovethesemen,hewrites,butonthecontrary,an
embrace,evenaworshipofscientificmedicalrationality.

AlbertSchweitzer

KarlBrandt,forexample,wasHitlerspersonaldoctoranddirectoroftheeuthanasia
programs.Yetthefhrerwasonlythesecondrolemodelinhislife.AlbertSchweitzer,the
Germanmissionarywhohadmadeareligionofreverenceforlifeandwhohadlefthis
comfortablehometoprovidemedicalcareintheCongo,hadbeenhisfirst.

AlongwithDr.Brandt,GermanyneverforsworethespiritofAlbertSchweitzer.Rather,it
reasonedthatsuchreverencemustbeevengreaterforthehealthofhumanityasa
wholeandwiththesamedevotionandcommitmenttoreasontherebytransformedsublime
moralityintoabsoluteevil.

GermanyneverforsworethespiritofAlbertSchweitzer.
Inthefirstchapterofhisworkexploringhumanviolence,ASignForCain,FredricWertham
providesoneofthemostthoroughstudiesofthepsychologyoftheNazidoctors.Oneepisode
summarizesitall:
Aspecialceremonywasheldinonementalinstitutiononthecremationofthetenthousandth
patient.Allthestaffmembersfromthedoctorstothesecretariescelebratedtheoccasionwith
beer.Theheadofthisinstitution,whopersonallyopenedthegascontainersthatkilledmany
ofthechildrenandotherpatients,acknowledgedbeingtornbyhisvictimsagony,but,he
continued,reassuredtolearnwhateminentscientistspartookintheaction.9
NeithersciencenorGermanethicsbroughtabouttheHolocaust,justastechnologydoesnot
causewar.Butneitherwerescienceandethicssimplywillingpartners.Scientists,
philosophers,menofreasonandhighvaluesprovidedthemeans,therationaleandthemoral
justificationthatenabledotherwisemoralindividualstocommitthemostunspeakablyimmoral
acts.

HowWeGottoToday
Itwasnotscientificprogress,butraw,humanoutragethatrepudiatedracismnotreason,but
indignationattheNurembergLawsandKristallnachtthatbegantoturnthetide.Itwasonly
aftertheworldsawtheimagesofAuschwitzandBuchenwaldthatscientists,graduallyand
reluctantly,begantoseekouttheflawsofscientificracism.ItwasonlyaftertheNuremberg
trialsthattheNurembergCodewasestablished,tothisdaytheuniversalfoundationof
limitationstoscientificexperimentationonhumansubjects.

In1948,inresponsetothehorrorsrevealedthroughthosetrials,theUnitedNations
DeclarationofHumanRightsmadeJeffersonsconvictionafoundationstatementforthe
globalcommunity,initsveryfirstarticle:
Allhumanbeingsarebornfreeandequalindignityandrights.Theyareendowedwithreason
andconscienceandshouldacttowardsoneanotherinaspiritofbrotherhood.
ItishardtochallengethenotionthatthecivilrightsmovementinAmericawasthemost
successfulandinfluentialsocialmovementofourtime.Ittransformedthewaywelookatone
anotherandcareforoneanothermorerapidlyandmorethoroughlythananymovementin
historyofwhichIknow.Itwasbornnotinthelaboratory,notinthehallsofacademia,butin
thefierywordsofpreachers,citingthewordsoftheBibleandoftheDeclarationof
Independence,teachingtheirflockthatweareallGdschildrenandsingingcommunal
hymnscomparingthemselvestotheChildrenofIsraelleavingEgyptland.Itsleaderswere
notscientists,notprofessors,butdeeplyreligiousblackBaptistsandindignantpostHolocaust
Jews.


MartinLutherKingwithAbrahamJoshuaHeschel

Therewasnothingeverselfevidentabouthumanequalityorthereverenceoflife.Thosetwo
wordswereafallacyfromthemomenttheywerescribbledabovethosedeepslashes.Whats
mostselfevidentishowdifferentweallare.Todayouramazingworldofsevenbillionhuman
beingssharingasingleplanetispossibleonlyduetothosewhoconsiderthesevaluessacred
andundeniabledespitethosedifferences.Andthatishowitmustbe.Lifemustbeheld
sacred,beyondreason.

WhatHaveWeLearned?
Uponthestageofhistoryplayoutthemostinnerconcernsofthehumanpsyche:AmIreally
hereasaperson,oramIjustanothercoginagreatwheel?DoIhavevalueinmyownright,
oronlyaccordingtomycontributiontothewhole?AmIhereonlytoservethegreatergoodof
everyoneelse,orissocietyheretoprovidethegardeninwhichIcanflourish?Perhapsallof
humankindsgreatstorycanbereadasthisstrugglebetweenthehumanandhumanity

betweenthedignityoftheindividualandthetriumphoftheinstitutionsoverthedignityof
thosethatformthem.

Ethicscrumbleswhenheldwithinmansgraspthetighterthe
grasp,themoredevastatingthedisintegration
Inthelastcentury,thereweremenandwomenwhobelievedthatthesequestionsweretobe
resolvedbyscienceanditwastotheirvoicethatboththelawmakersandthemasses
hearkened.Todayitshouldbeblatantlyapparenttoallthatethicscannotbeobservedina
laboratory,measuredwithacaliperorweighedinascale.Neithercanthehumanbeing
establishhisownboundariesthroughhisownselfaccounting.Wedidnotgivelife,andwe
arenotcapableofmeasuringitsworth.Thelessongoesmuchfurther:Wehaveseen
firsthandhowethicscrumbleswhenheldwithinmansgraspthetighterthegrasp,themore
devastatingthedisintegration.Theknowledgeofethicsmustderivefromanentirelydifferent
plane.Itmustbeestablishedfromanauthorityfarbeyondhumansubjectivity.
Manysocialscientists,politicaltheorists,psychologists,biologists,andeveneducatorshave
rationalizedthetradeoffofindividualrightsforthebenefitofsociety.Ihaveyettofindasingle
humanistrationalethatwillplaceanysingleindividualsrighttolifeabovethesurvivalofthe
collectivewholeasTalmudiclawasserts.Yetthereisanempiricalone,forwhichthelast
centuryserveswellasalaboratory.Fromthatcenturywelearnedalltoowellthatthesociety
thatwageswaragainstthedivineimageofGdwithinmanwageswaragainstitself,whilethe
societythatcherishesthatGdlinessthrives.
True,humanitycannotbeexpectedtoaccept,nomatteronwhathigherauthority,thatwhich
doesnotappealinsomewaytoitsownreasonandexperience.Thetenetthatallhumanlife
issacredhastheseadvantages.Itisgiventousasadivineedict.Yet,additionally,it
resonatesuniversallywiththeinnatemoralsenseofhumanbeings.Andithasbeen
demonstratedtous,particularlyinthehorrorsofthehistoryweyetstruggletoleavebehind,
thatthisisthevitalbedrockuponwhichasustainableworldmustrest,aworldinwhicheach
oneofuscanflourishandliveourlivesinharmony,buildingtogetheraworldofpeace.