Esther Praw - May 22, 1983
Conclusion
Is there is anything else that you'd like to add before we end, something that maybe you've wanted to say but just never did?
I cannot think. Just thought it never was going to happen. No. If they are going to try to do something before, if they see any anti-Semitic things going around they should fight right away back you know. When I read something in the Jewish news, mostly they write about the Jewish defamation, like that you know. I am so interested in it. I really think about it, you know, that anything, if somebody say something they should go right away and stop them. The one thing what I would like to finish is to say is this. Still doesn't go in my brains, in my mind, to figure out how in the free world after so many suffering, after so many deaths, after so many thing, they let the Nazis go around and wear swastikas on their arms. I went to a, to the temple, and a Nazi hunter was there.
Beata Klarsfeld?
No. Start with a W too. Not Elie Wiesel. He's--maybe it is. He's a Nazi hunter, Elie Wiesel?
Written books.
No, so it was another one. I don't know the name. And, the middle of his speak, speaking, he start--we hear outside noises, and I was proud because all the American boys, they stood up, all of them, and they went outside to them. And I am very disappointed, even it is a democratic country, but they should never, they should make a new law now, and they should go, our Jewish people, and fight about it! That if any man wears a swastika, he shouldn't be allowed to do it. Not only to march but not to put it on. Because after what happened, and today in a free country, we people, when we see a swastika, we just cannot, we cannot understand, we get sick. When I see it on television I get sick. And what, I cannot, it doesn't go into my head, I am still--I don't have enough brains to understand how they can let them do it. I know it is a country, a free country, freedom of speech. Fine. But this is, this is something, an exceptional thing what happened. And this exceptional thing, the congress, the senate, the president, they have to do... [interruption in interview]
And that's why I'm talking and saying now. That it's a, it's a beautiful country, I never had so much freedom, I never had so much food, I never had anything like I have now, because in Europe we didn't have nothing you know, even the rich people couldn't reach what we have here, the poor people... But one thing is, I would give up everything what I got, to live the rest of my life in poverty, but to see that the Germans, the, the Nazis cannot walk out, and wear a swastika, or put up the uniform they are wearing. And I don't know too much about politics, and I don't know, but I think if the congress and the senate can change a little law, they can do it. They could do sometimes something, they can change the law too. It is freedom, like I mentioned, but freedom for what? To let murderers go out on the streets and come to something like that again? And why the people doesn't do something about it, I don't know. All American Jews, they should go all together, and write petitions, and do something about it. Did anybody mention this before, did they get hurt about it? No really? Because I get very, very hurt. [phone rings]
Thank you, Mrs. Praw.
Yeah.
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