Holocaust Survivor From Illinois Has a Message After Pittsburgh’s Mass Shooting

A Holocaust survivor from Illinois shared a timely message in Pittsburgh just a day after the mass shooting.

The Daily Herald reports that Magda Brown of Skokie, IL "was scheduled to give a presentation [on Sunday, Oct. 29th,] about her experiences surviving the Holocaust.".

When news of the synagogue mass shooting reached her. Magda was more than determined to go and share her message. She said "Now the world needs to hear the message even more... Let's go."

Ms. Brown shared to those in attendance at Chattum University's chapel that "Hate has always been around but it spreads faster now. The world is more connected, for better and worse."

She further went on to say that "Nowadays a teenager who is very impressionable can be brainwashed. And brainwashing works, I'll tell you that much. Propaganda and brainwashing work hand in hand. And people listen. Young people follow a leader."

Her words of advice for Pittsburgh and to everyone is to

"Have faith...Exercise determination and drive."

"Don't train your children to hate. Push back on the deniers."

"Believe that tomorrow will be better. And jealously guard your freedom."

"Once you lose it, you lose everything," she said "So work for it."

Coming from a woman who experienced much horror an hate as a young girl, all because of her religion, we should all heed her words wisely. She lived in and through a time when "the world once gave her every reason to despair" but she didn't.

She's living proof that the horrors of hate "[start] slowly, here and there. In the details.....They reduce your step by step" and that's why we must guard our hearts and stand up for what is right.

Wow! That's pretty powerful.