HUMOR is an effective weapon for social commentary, bonding and dealing with challenging issues. 

However, not all jokes are accepted equally, and some might result in severe blowback.

Jokes about Nazis and the Holocaust, for example, are frequently considered inappropriate and might result in public indignation or cancellation. Nazi jokes are regarded as “canceled,” taking into account their historical context, ethical considerations, and societal influence.

In the thick of graduation season, a photo has gone viral on Facebook, showcasing a student in a Nazi costume, which has turned people’s heads right now.

The graduating student changed his Facebook profile photo to an Adolf Hitler outfit with the comment, “Graduation pic goes hard.” 

Despite his expectations for a favorable and hilarious reception on social media, the student experienced the opposite. Netizens who saw this picture were outraged and expressed their dissatisfaction in the comments area.

Screenshot from: Facebook account

“Dami talagang mangmang na Gen Z ngayon. Naturingang Pilipino pero nakiki-white power supremacy,” said a netizen who commented on the now-deleted post.

Other comments suggested that the child may encounter difficulties in the future as a result of his silly acts. Some netizens believe that his digital footprint will have an impact on his college/university entrance and subsequent professional career.

On the other hand, several netizens did not openly endorse the student but questioned the level of sensitivity of social media users who perceived the joke as “dark.”

“Ang OA niyo naman, may pa employer-employer pang nalalaman. Bata lang yan. Ang pagtuunan niyo ng atensyon is yung school na pinapasok yan HAHAHAHAHA,” a netizen said.

After receiving criticism, he removed his profile photo and made an apology on Facebook. “I apologize to everyone offended by me regarding the trending post of me wearing Adolf’s Uniform.”

“I want to inform you all that I never intended to offend anyone and I never expected it to go viral,” he wrote. 

As of this writing, the user seemed to have deactivated his account.

He proceeded to clarify the caption he placed on the photo, and further affirmed that his school had nothing to do with his pictorial; the photo was taken outside the school grounds, keeping them in the dark about his plans.

“As for the caption ‘Graduation pic goes hard,’ that photo was taken outside the school, and that was never my actual Graduation picture, since of course, no school allows pictures like this to be taken as a Graduation pic.”

His post is no longer visible, and his account has been deactivated as a result of his violation of Facebook’s community standards.

The Holocaust

To recall, the Holocaust is the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its accomplices during World War II. It is a global historical event with far-reaching consequences.

The Philippine Commonwealth Government, led by former President Manuel L. Quezon, even devised their own solutions to the horrible situation. The administration gained recognition for its efforts to assist Jewish refugees. 

Quezon, along with other American-Jewish businesspeople, was instrumental in enabling the arrival of Jewish refugees in the Philippines, a crucial role in facilitating the entry of Jewish refugees into the Philippines.

From 1937 to 1941, Quezon’s government implemented an “Open Door” policy, allowing approximately 1,200 Jewish refugees to seek refuge in the Philippines.

This renders Nazi jokes invalid, as they intersect with deep historical trauma, ethical considerations of respect and empathy, and the societal influence of humor in our modern, interconnected society.

The significance of the Holocaust as a historical event, along with the potential harm of trivializing such terrible grief, makes these jokes especially insensitive.

In a society that values empathy, respect, and the responsible exercise of free speech, Nazi jokes frequently cross a boundary that many find intolerable. As a result, the backlash against them serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to honor the memories of past atrocities and foster a culture of sensitivity and respect.

Follow republicasia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get the latest.