Country 29: Poland | This post is part of my 30×30 series. Read more here.
Many of us know Ray Allen as an NBA player—I used to love watching him play for the Celtics when I lived in Boston. But I had no idea he was also a gifted writer. He penned an opinion piece on why he went to Auschwitz and why he thinks everyone should go—a piece that’s deeply felt, elegantly articulated, and powerfully compelling. Please give it a read. https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/ray-allen-why-i-went-to-auschwitz
“We walked through the barracks and gas chambers and what I remember most is what I heard: nothing. I’ve never experienced silence like that. Apart from footsteps, the complete lack of sound was almost jarring. It’s eerie and sobering. You’re standing in these rooms where so much death has taken place and your mind is trying to come to terms with all that’s happened in this space.
One question keeps repeating over and over and over in your mind: How can human beings do this to one another?
How does somebody process that? You can’t.
This is not history. This is humanity. This is now. This is a living lesson for us as a people.”
Up and Gone 