I was nurtured on the understanding that the government possessed an unparalled power for evil. yet the few thin rays of light that also emerge from the dark years can sensitize us to the positive use of the powers we possess. Structurally. the same bureaucracies that in Germany were devoted to destruction were marshalled in Denmark in a conspiracy to save Jews and even preserve their wealth in escrow accounts so that they could be returned later to the rightful owners. As swiftly and imaginatively as Eichmann worked in Hungary to deport Jews to their death. a young Swedish diplomat from an aristocratic family risked his life to protect Jews against deportation and death. It will be my privilege within the near future to vote to award Raul Wallenberg honorary American citizenship for his deeds. which illumine a universe of darkness and teach reponsibility and concern in a world often bereft of both. I believe most deeply that the memory of our past must sharpen our commitment to a collective future.
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deportation