Dr. David Frey, founder of the Resnick Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the US Military Academy at West Point, will speak at a free event on Feb. 11 in Atwood Memorial Center.
He will discuss why people entrusted with using deadly force should study the Holocaust and other genocides, using leadership and ethics examples of Nazi soldiers and peacekeepers in Rwanda.
“Dr. Frey teaches future military leaders how ethics work under pressure, and he is bringing the same lessons to SCSU that our nation’s top officers study,” said Dr. Emil Towner, interim director of SCSU’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Education (CHGE). “This event isn’t just for historians, Holocaust experts or public safety officers. This event is for anyone who cares about leadership, responsibility and the kind of community we want to be.”
SCSU’s CHGE dates back to the early 1980s with courses and programs taught by Scott and Lynn Bryce. That works continues today, where Towner hopes past lessons can be used to prevent hatred, antisemitism, racism and oppression.
“I hope people leave the event understanding that their choices matter,” Towner said. “Violence and suffering and atrocities are not inevitable or out of our control. Preventing hatred and violence starts with everyday decisions. In moments of pressure, fear or division, your choices can either contribute to harm or help stop it.”
The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 in the Atwood Theatre. It is sponsored by the CHGE and the Jewish Community Relations Council.
