Kristallnacht, or The Night of Broken Glass, was the national pogrom against Jewish German citizens devised by Hitler and his associates, and carried out by soldiers, and what we now refer to as "everyday German citizens". They myth that there was a more rational Germany hidden beneath the rabid lust for blood displayed by the nazis is nothing more than historical revision. Hundreds of thousands of people, some in uniforms and some not, actively participated in the bloodshed, beating Jewish people in the street, burning their places of worship to the ground, and robbing their places of business. Millions more "everyday German citizens", most of them good Christians by today's standards, cheered as the blood flowed freely in the streets. On that fateful night 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and taken to concentration camps, the first time Hitler issued orders to arrest people strictly because they were Jewish. As is the fashion of fascistic dictators, Hitler blamed the event on the murder of a German diplomat, but the plan had been in the works for some time prior. The nazis then codified their dastardly plan to exterminate the Jewish people by initiating a billion Reischmark atonement tax, and enacting discriminatory laws. Of course the only way that such an horrible plan could come to fruition was the evil genius factor or at least that is how some historians recall it. In fact, Hitler was an awful leader. His famed promise of a 1,000 years of German supremacy lasted only twelve years. Further, he completely ruined his own burgeoning economy, much of which was acquired by denying Jewish people the right to conduct business, by fighting battles that he had no chance of winning. His obsession with exterminating the Jewish race was also his downfall. Had Hitler not poured so much money into the despicable final solution, he may have been able to pull off a sound defeat of the allies. So, how did such an obvious buffoon become the nation's fearless leader? What happened to the moderates? Where were, as they like to call themselves, the voices of reason? Well, moderates are one of the reasons Hitler came to power in the first place. The motto back then, as it is today, was to simply not get involved, to allow god to handle it, or, in a blunt sense, to ignore all wrong-doing. This avoidance allows one to distance themselves from violent actions committed against their neighbors. You can always place the blame on others when you do not feel obligated to act. Had the German people not sat back and observed Hitler's party go from an obscure group of clowns to the identity of the nation, I would not even be doing this episode in the first place. I cannot possibly overstate the need for outspokenness in a time when our civil liberties are under constant attack. The right does not bow to intimidation, and neither should we. However, instead of charging the capitol like a bunch of buffoons, or subjecting our families to fear with unchecked militias, it is high time that we raised our voices against the pervasive idiocy of right wing extremism. The right has clearly demonstrated that they have no interest in working together, so it obviously follows that we should remain apart on certain issues. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing. Civil disobedience must be our call to action. We need not waste our time attacking conservative institutions; we need only show them for the shams that they all are, built upon the blood and sweat of our ancestors, they are the hollow tombs that Christians love to refer to. So raise your voice before it is silenced by the oath keepers who have rejected our way of life. Shout at the top of your lungs. Sing the song of freedom out loud for if you do not someone will force to sing a different song, a song that will no doubt be built upon the blood and sweat of your children. Do not be silenced. Do not be complicit. Do not be moderate. Do not be another innocent bystander.