• kromem@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The word ‘holocaust’ goes back to a type of sacrifice in the Mediterranean where the animal bodies were burned in their entirety, coming from the Greek holos (‘whole’) and kaustos (‘burnt’).

    We call what the Nazis did “the Holocaust” because they systematically killed and then burnt the bodies to ash in crematoriums.

    So no, even if you think Israel is committing genocide in Palestine, they are not perpetuating a holocaust, unless they start gathering up the bodies of the dead and burning the majority of them to ash.

    The Holocaust was a genocide, but not all genocides are a Holocaust (in fact, it was pretty much just the one).

    • Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I mean… They are bombing countless civilians into ash and dust. But I agree with your point of view as a whole. We need a better word here for the horrors Israel is committing.

            • blitzkrieg@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              When you bomb civilian blocks, destroy 60% of housing, and displace 2 million people, then bomb them where you told them to go, and cut humanitarian aid from them, then it’s considered genocide and ethnic cleansing.

              Mind blowing stuff, right?

              • phillaholic@lemm.ee
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                1 year ago

                You’re describing war. Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Germany, Kosovo, Chechnya. Just to name a few. Civilians are killed. War is horrific.

      • Herbal Gamer@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        etymology of Holomodor

        The name Holodomor is explained as coming from the Ukrainian words ”holod” which means hunger, and ”mor” which means plague: ”In the Ukrainian language, the famine of 1932 and 1933 famine is called ‘holodomor’, which means extermination by starvation.

        There you go.

      • catsarebadpeople@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        Thank you. Trying to explain this away with etymology is pedantic and short sighted. The reason the word was used was to point out the hypocrisy that Israel continues to milk sympathy due to the Holocaust, capital H, whole committing genocide of their own.

        Now everyone who wants to draw that comparison has to explain that they don’t really mean holocaust they just mean genocide but they’re saying holocaust to point out hypocrisy? Absurd.

    • catsarebadpeople@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      This is absurd and distracting from the point being made by the OP. Even if you’re technically correct, it’s pedantic not useful to the conversation.