Day 66 - Anne Frank House

Most people I'd meet along the way recommended going to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. I was aware of the book and the story but never actually read it myself. I did bump into a few people in the same situation and they still found it worthwhile.

As what most people had commented, the space these 8 people managed to live in was quite small. Even walking into the place, little things really start to jump out at you - like going to the toilet or taking a shower, not really an option. Not being able to go outside, ever, for years on end, would have to send you crazy.

For me, having been to Auschwitz and knowing this person and their family would go there, not a pleasant thought. There was an interesting quote to the effect "While it is good that we can put a face of Anne Frank to the holocaust, it is good that there are many others we can't ... the pain of it would be unbearable."

At the end, there was an interesting multimedia display on 'Freedon of Speech' vs 'Discrimination'. It would present many contemporary situations, both sides of the story and then ask which should win out between the two. Seeing it presented in this way was quite confronting at times and a difficult thing to have a 'principal' with.

I guess I always come down on freedom of speech side. Even though I may not agree with some group out there professing hatred of another group, they still have a right to do so, much the same as I have a right to disagree with it. Otherwise, you need someone to form an opinion as to socially acceptable right and wrong which is a disaster in itself.

I guess I've also been on the end of 'reverse discrimination' winning out over free speech when the discrimination argument being put forward was totally unbased, but wrap it up in a few key words and it goes out the window due to 'mob' mentallity.... maybe more on that another day.