Connection between Wiesel and Friendswood

In Eli Wiesel's speech, "The Peril of Indifference", he explains to former president Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, the danger in people being indifferent, or not care, about imperative situations. He explained that when he was in Germany during the Nazi regime, how knowing that the United States, or any other super power in the world knew about the mass execution of a group, and did nothing about it. They were indifferent, and that was much worse than being oblivious. In conjunction to René Steinke's book, Friendswood, the people of the town knew what happened to Willa, and did nothing about it. Wiesel says, "It is much easier to look away from victims", and that is exactly what happened to Willa (Wiesel 2). She was raped at a party, and everyone in town knew it was wrong, even Cully, but it was easier for this religious community to turn an eye, and just ignore the situation. Indifference elicits no response, and the quietness of the community was enough for Willa to feel alone.

Wiesel talks about how much harder it was to have hope when everyone in the camps knew about the indifference of the United States. Both the prisoners and the US knew what the Germans were doing was wrong, but it was easier for the US to not get involved, therefore letting the Jews suffer. In Wiesel's article, he says, "Indifference is not only a sin, it is a punishment" (Wiesel 2). These people felt as if it was even more of a punishment that the rest of the world condoned the behavior of the Nazi party, instead of fighting against them for what was right. Lee has a similar relationship with the community of Friendswood. She is fighting for justice in her community for the chemical dumping in the neighborhood of Rosemont. Everyone knows that chemical dumping is wrong, and covering up unsolved chemicals is wrong, however the EPA, city council, and community are indifferent about Lee's fight for justice and does nothing to help. It is a much worse feeling knowing that other people understand what you're doing is right, but refuse to help because of indifference.

It is dangerous for people in any community to become too lazy to fight for what is right. The peril of indifference causes wrongdoing to be unaccounted for. By not doing anything is almost just as bad as advocating for the opposing side. It ruins any hope someone has when knowing the community condemns the actions of others. They believe that they are alone, and that everyone is against them. Lee felt as if everyone thought she was crazy for fighting for the health of her and others. She started to believe she was crazy when no one supported her fight. Same with Willa, and same with the prisoners at the Nazi Germany containment camps. If being indifferent becomes more commonly used, then it creates an environment of no one standing up and fighting for what is right.

Work Cited

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood. New York: Riverhead , a Member of Penguin Group (USA), 2014. Print.

Eidenmuller, Michael E. "American Rhetoric: Elie Wiesel - The Perils of Indifference." American Rhetoric: Elie Wiesel - The Perils of Indifference. N.p., 12 Apr. 1999. Web. 10 Apr. 2017. <http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ewieselperilsofindifference.html>.