Holocaust Awareness Series

Schedule of Events

We hope you can join us for these events. For more information, contact Associate Professor of History Vincent Patarino, PhD. Please note all events are subject to change.

• April 1

  Moment of Silence Dedication for the Field of Flags Display 10:50am • Field South of The Plaza | Sponsored by the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department of Colorado Mesa University and constructed by many volunteers, the Field of Flags display on the campus green southwest of the University Center presents over 2,000 flags representing the major groups targeted by the Nazis during World War II, including Jews, Poles, Soviet citizens, homosexuals, communists/socialists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Freemasons, Roma, Sinti, and the disabled. Each flag represents 5,000 individuals and the colors match the various known schemes used by the Nazis. Flags will be displayed the entire week, from Monday, April 1 through Saturday, April 6. Grand Junction Pipe and Supply generously donated the flags. Members of the Genders and Sexuality Alliance originally created the posted signs with details about the Field of Flags.
• April 1

  Gendercide: A Comparative, Historical, and Global Discussion presented by Holly Oberle, Assistant Professor of Political Science 4:30-6pm • Houston Hall 105 | Gendercide, the systemic mass killing of a particular sex, has an uneasy relationship to the field of genocide studies. First, from the perspective of gender and women’s studies, the term confuses sex and gender. Second, from the perspective of international human rights law, the two are distinct despite their similarities in motive. Others point out that while ethnic cleansing has too often achieved its aims of near or total extermination, gendercide has never reached such extremes. Recognizing these difficulties, Dr. Oberle proposes a framework for incorporating gender into our understanding of peace and conflict. This presentation offers a comparative and historical analysis of global examples of gendercide and its aims and effects. Case studies include the missing women in China due to the one-child policy, male preference and sex selective abortion in India, the extermination of the third gender Joyas among indigenous communities in pre-colonial California, and the targeted mass killing of battle-age noncombatant males in Bosnia. Discussion will follow.
• April 2

  A Journey of Transformation: Screening of the film Paper Clips presented by Vincent Patarino, Associate Professor of History 6:30pm • Houston Hall 105 | Dr. Vincent Patarino will show the documentary film Paper Clips about a small-town middle school in Tennessee and their emotional journey as they wrestle with the enormous loss of six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. This is a story of one town’s struggle to prevail against the forces of intolerance and hatred that are as present today as they were in mid-twentieth century Germany. Sponsored by CMU Civic Forum, discussion to follow film.
• April 3

  The Rohingya: Myanmar’s Persecuted Minority presented by Jessica Bertrand, Adjunct Instructor of English 4:30-6 pm • Houston Hall 105 | The Rohingya are a minority Muslim people who for centuries lived within the borders of modern-day Myanmar. A stateless people without official recognition in Myanmar, are at the top of the list for as the most persecuted minorities in the world, having been denied access to civil liberties, education, and everyday necessities. The ongoing historic discrimination turned physically destructive in 2012. Thousands were killed and at least a million were displaced to become the new Boat People. Aung San Suu Kyi, one of Myanmar’s most beloved champions of civil rights, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991while still under house arrest from the military government, is now the one accused of the atrocities, along with Facebook, which the United Nations has said played “a determinative role,” in fomenting anger against the Rohingya. Gambia, an African nation 7,175 miles away from Myanmar, threw down their gauntlet late in 2019, bringing the accusation of genocide to The Hague for a decision on the actions of “the Lady.” Discussion will follow.
• April 3

  What They Did and What We Can Do presented by CMU Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta 6:30-9pm • Houston Hall 105 | The Phi Alpha Theta Honors Society and the CMU History Club hosts an interactive discussion based on three short documentary clips from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to explore themes of nationalism, fascist ideology, and the need for anti-hate policies. Acting as facilitators, the members of the History Club will, through a guided discussion historicize the Nazi genocide, American responses, and the modern-day legacies of the genocide in international law and the Jewish experience today. The main objective of the audience participation and discussion is to assess how every-day citizens can have a role in preventing genocides in an increasingly volatile atmosphere of political and social turmoil. Come join us for this focused exercise of civic awareness.
• April 4
  Keynote Speaker, Brett Stephens, New York Times columnist presents Why Anti-Semitism Matters 5-6:30pm • Moss Performing Arts Center Robinson Theatre | Bret Stephens is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist known for his thought-provoking analyses in The New York Times. Stephens offers insights on a wide array of topics, from politics to culture and foreign affairs. He's known as a vocal advocate for free speech and open dialogue, often engaging in debates that push the boundaries of discourse. Stephens frequently addresses the issue of anti-Semitism in his writings for the national newspaper of record. He brings a keen awareness to historical and contemporary manifestations, advocating both for recognition and condemnation. This session, presented by the CMU Civic Forum and the Alumni Foundation, will include a moderated Q&A by CMU Trustee David Foster and President John Marshall. Join us as together they explore why anti-Semitism matters, especially for non-Jews. Sponsored by the CMU Civic Forum, also as part of the Dignity in Dialogue Speaker Series.