Ummm, Excuse Me? Did You Just Compare Gettysburg to Auschwitz?

Yesterday was rough day. Well, it didn't start out rough; for a Monday it was actually going quite well.

I woke up at 6 am, finished reading a book while listening to Schubert. -- I have always been a Debbie-Downer when it comes to classical music. (I mean, Elvis was born for a reason!) However, I would like to thank one of my very best friends Lawyer Lacey; for bring me to my senses. You're right Lawyer; classical music does make great background music for reading.

At 1 pm I went into work early. I made a quick stop by the admissions office on my campus to pay a balance on my account.

Here is what started my rough day-

I walked into the Student Services office. I waited a couple minutes while the Man behind the counter finished up his phone call with his wife before offering to help me. (I can only assume was his wife). All I heard of the conversation was, "Mmmm.. hmmm. Mmm...hmmm. Honey, can I call yaw back in a bit? A student just walked in. Okay. Love you, too. Buh-bye."

The Man hung up the phone and asked what I needed.

Me: " Oh, I have an outstanding balance on my account. I was just wondering if I can pay that off?"

Man: "Sure. Can I get you're student ID?"

I rattled off my ID.....

Man: "Okey, dokey. Looks like you owe $698.27."

Me: "Yep".

I start writing out a check.

You need to know what I was wearing for this story to make any sense:

I was wearing a red zip-up sweatshirt that has the word POLSKA and the Polish flag on it. I bought it while studying abroad in Poland last spring. Under my zip-up (which was unzipped) was a red Hillel t-shirt with visible Hebrew letters across the front.

As I was standing there trying to write out six-hundred ninety....on the check, the man (out of no where, I'd like to add) pokes my sweatshirt, and says "Is that from Poland?!"

I was taken a little off guard by the fact that this guy had just poked my chest. I answered "Ah, yeah.."

My main concern was spelling all the numbers correctly on the check I was writing.

I didn't agg on this conversation. I just wanted to write the darn check and get outta there. But this man, obviously thought I was there to chat it up.

Man: "Did you go there with school?"

Me: "Yes"

Man: "Really? I have always wanted to go to Poland! If I was going to go to Europe, I'd want to see something like that! Ya know, out-of-the-norm."

Me: "......Oh...that's nice" I said, while pondering this man's enthusiasm about Poland.

I tore the check out of my checkbook and handed it to him.

Man: " So, I hear when you go there, you get to see the concentration camps?!"

Me: "Death Camp. Yes, they took us to Auschwitz." -- of course I didn't want to be all I'm a Holocaust Studies Student on this guy, but there are noted differences between concentration and death camps. I only corrected his assumption that I had seen a concentration camp while studying with our school.

I was waiting for him to print my receipt.

Then, I kid you not, the Man says: "I went to Gettysburg a few years ago. I bet seeing the concentration camp it's a lot like that."

Thoughts in my head:

WHAAAATTT!!! Dude, are you actually comparing GETTYSBURG to AUSCHWITZ?!? Breath. Breath. --Don't agg him on Jules. Grab the receipt and walk out.

Okay, I get the 'death' theme in both cases and how it makes one feel knowing they're standing where thousands or millions have died.

But, comparing the attempted extermination of European Jewry to a three-day battle during the Civil War? Really?

I too, have been to Gettysburg. And yes, it's an ery feeling being on the battleground. But it's not really comparable to seeing the crematoria at Auschwitz.

Just sayin'.

I was almost speechless.

Almost.

Me: "seeing a death camp is pretty different than seeing Gettysburg. But yes, they're both emotional places to visit."

I grabbed my receipt, thanked the Man and walked out of the office. I stopped to put the receipt in my wallet and thought about the conversation I just had.

Gettysburg=50,000 casualties.
Auschwitz= over four million deaths.
I had on a Polish sweatshirt and a Hebrew T-shirt.
The Civil War vs. The Holocaust.

The Man was at least twice my age. He is working as a secretary at a state university; I can probably assume hasn't studied world history in a while. Maybe I should have cut him a little more slack?

Still, he flabbergasted me.

I wish I would have gone back into the Student Services office and given that Man a history lesson or two on the differences between the Civil War, World War Two and The Holocaust.

I could have exited the Student Services Office quoting Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind;

"Frankly My Dear, I Don't Give a Damn."

Well, I probably wouldn't have done the Rhett Butler impression. But it would have made me feel better.





It also might have made my day a little less rough.