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Inna Rogatchi
POST-HARMONY Special Project

Something about decency. A quick lesson in two snaps

Sometimes, we can save time on teachers, extensive preparation of educational material, long planning and time-consuming executing. We can do it when reality snaps something into our faces, as if on its own. And in those snaps, there is an essence of the development and atmosphere around us blowing in our face with no filters. 

Recent days were historical, filled with expectations accumulated for a long time for so many people, for multiple reasons. The events were contrasting ones, ones filled with drama, risk and danger, the others were celebrations opening the new era for many. 

There are two pictures that the entire world saw just a day apart these very days, on the last Sunday, January 19th, 2025, and the following day, Monday, January 20th, 2025. 

Inna Rogatchi (C). History in Two Snaps. Collage. (C) Photos: Inna Rogatchi. 2025.

One picture was taken by anyone willing from the screens showing the first stage of the hostages release in Gaza. The other picture was taken by anyone with a phone in hand at the post-inaugural rally of the 47th American President in Washington DC. 

On the picture from Gaza, even super-distant TV transmission was as if frozen from a terror and intimidation deliberately set up by the sheer evil celebrating their public appearance with the help of beyond-disgusting Red Cross. We all were holding our collective breath for several days, without possibility of sleep, work, and a routine, full of excitement and  anxiety, because the human lives of our brethren were at stake. Spending hours in front of all kinds of screens, streams and reports, at one particular moment everything suddenly changed. No words or comments were needed. We saw an unleashed evil on the streets of Gaza, in a defiant manifestation which was allowed, and actually accompanied by the reprehensible Red Cross. The menace was palpable. It was done on purpose of course, and the Israeli authorities did react swiftly for all following possible actions like that one, with the Minister of Defense order to prevent such demonstrations of terrorists in possession of guns. But it is not the point in the context. The point is that this unleashing of evil has been allowed, permitted, sympathized with, and supported in many ways all over this planet for the previous 15 months. The cursed months of despicable cowardice world-wide. 

In the other picture from the US capital, the families of some of the Israeli hostages were invited to the stage to share it with the 47th President of the United States and take a very visible and honorable part in public celebration of President Trump’s assuming of the top world office by the people who despise terrorists and who are on the right side of humanity. That image of our people with their yellow scarves on that stage on this day was more symbolic than anything we saw after the October 7th assault on humanity world-wide. It was articulated, it was honorable, it was respectful, and it was fair. Very fair, indeed. Especially after all those tormenting 15 months, in all and every sense. 

It was a telling statement of a governing power which sees its priorities clearly and is not shy in stating it publicly – because such stating means policy declared, and declared policies are part of policies implemented, if things are going as they should. 

The thing with the second photo and what it states is that in fact, this should be the picture from every civilized high office world-wide for a good 15 months. Not the demos of hate, violence and incitement which had a feast of instrumentalism hatred for all this time, these terrible, inhuman 15 months. Not cowardice shying away from the truth and facts as practically so many governments demonstrated. Not mean and outrageously false equalizing victims with aggressors, innocent people with blood-thirsty monsters, as the international community and so many governments produced, in total shamelessness and total distortion of reality and refusal of a minimal decency. Not manipulative, sold-out to the bone media claims, which has put the 90% of them into the dustbin in perception of anyone who has a brain of its own. Not to speak about academia and cultural institutions infested with the falsehood beyond anything acceptable. 

The first picture taken on January 19th 2025 in Gaza did demonstrate to the world the truth which this very world has created by its alarming antisemitism which was sort of happy to be unleashed after October 7th, against all normal moral instincts. The outcry inhumanity we all were brazenly shown to in Gaza during the release of our first three young female hostages was, as a matter of fact, manifested not only by the terrorists with no mugs, covered in black and green, and not only by the crowds of aggressive ignoramuses all over who discovered their deep love of melons all of the sudden. It all has become possible due to the same sentiments barely disguised in so many places in the world for all this time. By every high office world-wide – governments, parliaments, presidential administrations – which did not find either courage, or decency to support those who they were expected in a normal society, the victims. There were some decent reactions in several, but so very few countries, but even though, the very same countries did allow all those pathologically hateful demonstrations against the victims, and against the people who did not do anything wrong to anyone, against the definite group of people, the Jews, which has been thrown onto the world which did not lift a finger to defend those who had been attacked in a crazy, dangerous, hateful racial violence. Until the first day in the office of the 47th President of the United States Donald J. Trump. This is the fact. 

The second picture should be normal. It should be a picture from any international organization world-wide, and any governmental or legislative office. Our people, families of our hostages which were tortured for over 15 months by the mad terrorists, should be welcomed, supported, helped and defended by the top international authorities and most important international bodies and governments. Instead, so far, the attention paid to them on the first day of President Trump in the office is an emphatic exemption. I hope it is the beginning of the process of justice and articulated fairness which has been delayed for 15 months. 15 months. 

Given the quality of the place in question, it is a great lead. Much expected, absolutely necessary, only natural – if we still would like to think about ourselves as decent human beings, who form decent societies, not distorted bunches dominated by hate, violence, sheer lies, and banal, low racism. Those voters and taxpayers who elect the people with a heart instead a calculator. Normal people with normal human reactions. With responsibility, courage, and will to lead and govern in the way to be remembered positively, not scornfully. Normal people with civilized morality.  

Yellow scarves on our people, families of our hostages, victims, were reigning proudly on the stage of a post-inaugural rally in Washington DC on January 20th, 2025. We all have been waiting for such a moment for a long tormenting 15 months. Additionally to fairness, care, respect and empathy, there was a hope at the moment at that stage. The hope for the return of decency, from Washington DC towards all civilized countries. It had been a very long overdue for that.

About the Author
Inna Rogatchi is author of War & Humanity and co-author of POST-HARMONY special projects originated in the aftermath of the October 7th, 2023 massacre in Israel. Inna is internationally acclaimed public figure, writer, scholar, artist, art curator and film-maker, the author of widely prized film on Simon Wiesenthal: The Lessons of Survival and other important documentaries on modern history. She is an expert on public diplomacy and was a long-term international affairs adviser for the Members of the European Parliament. She lectures on the topics of international politics and public diplomacy widely. Her professional trade-mark is inter-weave of history, arts, culture, psychology and human behaviour. She is the author of the concept of the Outreach to Humanity cultural and educational projects conducted internationally by The Rogatchi Foundation of which Inna is the co-founder and President. She is also the author of Culture for Humanity concept of The Rogatchi Foundation global initiative that aims to provide psychological comfort to people by the means of high-class arts and culture in challenging times and situations. Inna is the wife of the world renowned artist Michael Rogatchi. Her family is closely related to the famous Rose-Mahler musical dynasty. Together with her husband, Inna is a founding member of Music, Art and Memory, M.A.M. international cultural educational and commemorative initiative which runs various multi-disciplinary projects in several countries. Her professional interests are focused on Jewish heritage, arts and culture, commemorative art, history, Holocaust and post-Holocaust, October 7th and post-October 7th challenges. She is author of many projects of the commemorative art, and of several projects on artistic and intellectual studies on various aspect of the Torah and Jewish spiritual heritage. She is twice laureate of the Italian Il Volo di Pegaso Italian National Art, Literature and Music Award, the Patmos Solidarity Award, the New York Jewish Children's Museum Award for Outstanding Contribution into the Arts and Culture (together with her husband), and the other recognitions. Inna Rogatchi is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Community of Helsinki and Finland. Previously, she was the member of the Board of the Finnish National Holocaust Remembrance Association, and is member of the International Advisory Board of The Rumbula Memorial Project ( USA). Her art can be seen at Silver Strings: Inna Rogatchi Art site - www.innarogatchiart.com
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