Drizzt
March 4, 2003, 01:21 PM
Holocaust survivor concerned with history repeating itself
By Rick Elia, New Castle News March 01, 2003
Helga Hooper points to her homeland of Germany when stressing the importance of the right to bear arms.
Hooper is a survivor of the Holocaust. She was placed in a concentration camp when she was 5 years old.
She spoke at Laurel High School yesterday afternoon and last night at the annual Sportsmen's Night Out sponsored by the school's conservation club.
"In 1934 and 1935, the German people had to register all their firearms, pistols, rifles," she explained. "The Germans only had hunting weapons. They were great hunters.
"It's very seldom that Jews owned guns, but my whole family were avid hunters. My parents had to register their guns in '34 and '35, in '36 they were confiscated" by the German government headed by Adolph Hitler.
They allowed Hitler to have "total control over the people," she said. "First they (guns) were registered, then they were confiscated, then came concentration camps."
Hooper is concerned the same scenario could occur again.
"Our forefathers who wrote our Constitution knew that wherever there is power there can also be violence," she said. "Our Constitution writers protected the American people against their government. They have a right to bear arms.
"Every time when something happens here, a school shooting or an accidental shooting where children are involved, it is always we need gun control. Immediately, they jump on that.
"It's all geared to one day confiscating our guns. They are afraid of the American people. They want to do what they want to do, and we should not be armed."
Hooper was invited to appear at the Sportsmen's Night Out by Robert Miles, Laurel Conservation Club adviser, after they met at a convention of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs last year.
The 65-year-old resident of Clifford, Pa., is the only female county delegate in the organization.
"He asked me then if I would come to speak," she said. "I told him absolutely. That's what I do. My passion is Second Amendment rights."
By Rick Elia, New Castle News March 01, 2003
Helga Hooper points to her homeland of Germany when stressing the importance of the right to bear arms.
Hooper is a survivor of the Holocaust. She was placed in a concentration camp when she was 5 years old.
She spoke at Laurel High School yesterday afternoon and last night at the annual Sportsmen's Night Out sponsored by the school's conservation club.
"In 1934 and 1935, the German people had to register all their firearms, pistols, rifles," she explained. "The Germans only had hunting weapons. They were great hunters.
"It's very seldom that Jews owned guns, but my whole family were avid hunters. My parents had to register their guns in '34 and '35, in '36 they were confiscated" by the German government headed by Adolph Hitler.
They allowed Hitler to have "total control over the people," she said. "First they (guns) were registered, then they were confiscated, then came concentration camps."
Hooper is concerned the same scenario could occur again.
"Our forefathers who wrote our Constitution knew that wherever there is power there can also be violence," she said. "Our Constitution writers protected the American people against their government. They have a right to bear arms.
"Every time when something happens here, a school shooting or an accidental shooting where children are involved, it is always we need gun control. Immediately, they jump on that.
"It's all geared to one day confiscating our guns. They are afraid of the American people. They want to do what they want to do, and we should not be armed."
Hooper was invited to appear at the Sportsmen's Night Out by Robert Miles, Laurel Conservation Club adviser, after they met at a convention of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs last year.
The 65-year-old resident of Clifford, Pa., is the only female county delegate in the organization.
"He asked me then if I would come to speak," she said. "I told him absolutely. That's what I do. My passion is Second Amendment rights."