Police in Berlin have called for help from the public in catching vandals that defaced a memorial to queer victims of Nazi genocide.
Law enforcement reported that the memorial in Berlin’s Tiergarten Park was vandalized over the weekend.
The concrete memorial features a window where passers-by can look in to see a same-sex couple kissing. Police say vandals painted over the window sometime Sunday night.
At the time of this writing, police have not named any suspects, nor will they divulge if video surveillance caught the act of vandalism on camera.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Though often glossed over in history classes, the Nazis persecuted queer people–mostly gay men–throughout their rise and subsequent rule in Germany. Estimates say at least 15,000 gay people were sent to concentration camps for their sexual orientation.
In 2002, the German government issued pardons to more than 50,000 men convicted of deviant behavior for their sexual orientation during the Nazi era.
Related: LA gay couple return Nazi art to Poland, get engaged
controversial2019
I disagree with the pardoning of people who committed crimes in the past, simply because they’re not crimes now.
Whether we think laws are just, fair or moral, laws are laws and should be obeyed. If you break them. You pay.
It’s great (and right) that being gay is no longer illegal in Germany. But it was when these people were convicted.
Are States or countries who have now legalised cannabis pardoning and releasing those convicted of drug possession during the period of illegality? No. Yet it’s the same premise. It WAS illegal. The government changed their mind and decided ‘we were wrong. It wasn’t bad like we said’ and so made it legal. Yet for most crimes that’s not sufficient for convicts to be pardoned. Yet for those convicted of acting illegally during those times…they get pardoned?
There needs to be consistency.
Hermes
Drug possession is a grossly miscalculated comparison. Smoking pot Is an optional activity. Being gay isn’t. Pardoning these victims was Germany’s way of apologizing for past transgressions – it’s a symbolic gesture recognizing injustices created by their former government counterparts. It’s not like it’s a legally binding retroactive reversal of a law that would free incarcerated individuals. They are all dead now most likely.
Considering we live in a world where many countries still criminalize homosexuality and homosexual sex acts – this pardon acts as a message to all of them. It compares what they are doing now to the policies of one of the most heinous regimes in all of human history.
It’s unfortunate that the message needs to be sent – but it clearly does.
If you want prison reform, or legalization for recreational drug use – then vote for candidates that support your opinion. You could actually get it accomplished! And it’s certainly possible that amnesty is warranted for those individuals and populations that were unjustly targeted. That could be accomplished too! But Gays in Nazi germany didn’t have that option. There wasn’t a referendum, or a representative that would’ve backed them. They were helpless to defend themselves. Convicted for an act of love. And killed for it as sanctioned by the ruling party.
It’s extreme. It’s unthinkably tyrannical. And it’s contrary to common human decency. When a “law” is so obviously malicious as this – it certainly merits an open apology. At the very least.
RickHeathen
Yes, there should be consistency. Everyone punished for something they did in the past that are not crimes now should be pardoned, period.
RickHeathen
Well said, Hermes.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
What a vile abhorrent smcubag you are…..You are perfectly ok with laws making being Gay illegal?! I was born Gay and had no more choice than someone being born Black or blue eyed
You however DID have a choice to be a noxious reprehensive gutter troll…
Erma Ferkingerd
You disagree. You are not even on topic with the article. You are here to present a “controversial”2019 view.
Ok.
I’ve read enough blog comments to know when people try to frame a comment to lead the reader to think or believe something is true. Dropping references to being gay and it is right that the laws were changed, etc. Your intent is that a gay person thinks this.
You take a very hard stance on following the law. It’s obviously an important issue to you. I agree with “Hermes” comment that drug use is not on the same level as The Holocaust. Your even stating because the law was the law at the time, the murders by the Nazi was wrong but justified. You also have an interest in international law and favor authoritarian rule.
You also introduce a new concept to make a comparison, which is probably the real reason for your post.
You stated “we don’t choose to be attracted to someone, but we do act on that upon that attraction.” However you want to frame it, my life and the lives of people in other countries are none of your business.
Your gay and favor oppressing law in international countries? Even against gays because “the law is the law.” Yeah right.
Also that HABIT you guys have of CAPITALIZING certain BUZZWORDS is annoying.
TroyCollins1457
I disagree with the pardoning of people who co….- You are really right But i am here not only to discuss this article but I would like to share with you new but absolutelly brilliant website for gay singles only. It is still private, but you can find it easy. Just google: “mnqjYjUgYRCxlvHxxWLfugu6lu5225692” .
ducdebrabant
If “It’s great (and right) that being gay is no longer illegal in Germany” then it was shabby (and wrong) that the same behavior was criminalized then. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds. What’s it to you if Germany rehabilitates and apologizes to the people it victimized for decades? Is decency not to be practiced unless you also pardon every woman who was ever arrested in the 1880’s for wearing pants on the street? You want all mercy subjected to a test of uniformity, then, because you value neatness more than justice? Being a trade unionist in Germany was illegal too, under the Nazis. The fact that a law was once made to oppress a class of people does not mean that they must be its martyrs forever. Pardoning them is a way to dramatize how sorry the nation is, and how much it has changed. I applaud it.
controversial2019
@ Plays Well With Others:
Clearly you did not read my post, merely glossed over it. Had you read it, you’d have known I said (quote) “It is great (and right)” that Germany decriminalised being gay.
As a gay Male, it would be ridiculous of me to say that being gay should be a criminal offence. So please do read comments properly before replying, thanks.
@Hermes:
I disagree that it’s a miscalculated comparison.
Sure, we (me included) don’t choose to be attracted to people of the same sex BUT we choose to act upon that attraction. As someone chooses to take drugs (although they’ve not control over the fact the drug exists).
Now, as mentioned, it is RIGHT that we are permitted to act upon that attraction; two consenting adults should be permitted to act on mutual attraction regardless of gender (or non-gender identity), race, religion etc.
However, in countries where it was (or is) illegal to perform gay acts (for the laws do centre around ACTS of homosexuality rather than thoughts), then those laws, however wrong they are, NEED to be followed.
So as @RickHeathen said, there needs to be consistency and either all of those convicted for formally illegal crimes need to be pardoned, or none.
I, personally, am on the side of none. Because my belief is that no matter how much a law might be unjust and immoral, it is (unfortunately) a law and so should be obeyed. Those who break it should be punished. And if that unjust law changes, great…but those who broke it when it was law shouldn’t be pardoned because they didn’t KNOW it would be changed. They CHOSE to break the law when it was in place.
RickHeathen
I’m on the side of what’s right. The law can screw off. Authoritarians are the problem with this world, and I respect no authority that only cares about the law over that which is right. Unfortunately, there is much to not respect these days.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
controversial2019
“I disagree with the pardoning of people who committed crimes in the past, simply because they’re not crimes now.
Whether we think laws are just, fair or moral, laws are laws and should be obeyed. If you break them. You pay.
It’s great (and right) that being gay is no longer illegal in Germany. But it was when these people were convicted.”
You clearly stated that Gays should NOT be pardon for a law on the books. No matter how vile nor based on hatred of Gays the law was enacted. I 1000% stand by my order assessment of you…,,
controversial2019
@Erma
It’s interesting you seem to think you know who I am, when you don’t.
I don’t know if this site usually has anti-gay trolls, or left-wing tyrants spewing hatred and therefore because I’ve said something which isn’t ‘pro LGBT’ I’ve automatically been labelled one of them, but I can assure you I am real, I am gay, and there are things to do with the community I do agree with and others I don’t.
My opinion in this matter applies to all former laws, actually.
It’s could be as banal as an 1802 rule saying ‘You’re not allowed a dog’ (which would be a stupid, unfair and unjust rule) – if the person owned a dog and was convicted, then once they decriminalised it, I wouldn’t agree with those convicts being pardoned.
Of course we in the community consider the former law in Germany to be wrong and immoral, but they are our subjective opinions. As they were back then. But subjective opinions of morality are not above the law. If you break the law (whether it’s moral or not), you shouldn’t be pardoned once the (immoral) law is no longer law.
The reason for my name is because I’ve read articles on this site for years, I’ve read articles in newspapers, I’ve watched the news, and there are quite a few LGBT ‘things’ I don’t see the same way as the rest of the community. And so the username is based on the fact that whilst some of my comments will be in line with the other users here, I’m certain there will be a fair few which will be ‘controversial’ (note: I’ve used no caps locks [used by me for emphasis] in order to avoid ‘buzz words’)
Juanjo
What I am seeing is a troll who is in love with his own positions and logical fallacies such as false equivalencies. I am also amused at a man who is defending the Nazi laws and system of judgment not to mention has no idea what the legal term “pardon” actually means. Then there is the extreme stupidity of this statement – “Whether we think laws are just, fair or moral, laws are laws and should be obeyed. If you break them. You pay.” The fact that Nazis thought their laws were just and fair and enforced them is one thing. This is how they justified locking up gays, political opponents, Jews, Gypsies, mentally/physically incapacitated and other “undesirables”. It is also how they justified starving people to death while forcing them to work as slaves, not to mention simply murdered them.
Subsequent generations have decided that these laws were not just, fair, or moral. They have removed them from the statutes and pardoned those who were convicted under these unjust laws. So go learn some logic and study basic law.
Erma Ferkingerd
Then why not post in the name in which you have participated for years and not controversial2019. The year is in your screen name.
You can disagree all you want and offer your opinions, but you can’t insist your positions are imposed on others. How is your opinion the law? Apply it to yourself if you want to live under tyranical rule. You could not exist now with this “I’m gay too” stuff if people who came before you put their heads down and followed the law because someone decided for you how you should live. Yes it is dangerous in some countries to openly challenge the laws and they have to decide if it is worth the risk.
No, you are not gay. Prove it. It’s 2019 after all. Get your cellphone out (everybody has one) and post a video on youtube and post the link in these comments. MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN.
Why do you place law above yourself?
Cam
Notice the desperation of the troll account to deflect from the actual topic. Which is, Bigots defaced memorial to LGBTQ people who were murdered.
luvbug1
1) Bad news that it was defaced
2) What an ugly memorial. I would not kiss my partner inside a dumpster.
3) Just some additional info. When the camps were finally liberated the very last people to get resettled, to get medical care were those who were forced to wear the pink triangle. Some were put back in prison for the crime of ‘indecency’. Remember the past.