20092296-mmmain.jpg

Photo courtesy of Jamaica Ponder

By Theodore R. Quann

"What were they thinking? That had to be the reaction of many people when they learned that about a half dozen Princeton High School students were involved in a drinking game called "Jews vs. Nazis."

The incident came to light earlier this month when a junior at the high school posted a comment about the event on her personal blog after she discovered a photo taken by one of the people present at the "game" held in a private Princeton residence. That photo wound up on Snapchat, a popular image messaging app.

The photo depicts a version of "beer pong" called "Holocaust pong" or "alcoholocaust," according to several websites that describe the game. Beer cups are arranged in a Star of David and swastika formation on each end of a table.

The "Jews" are allowed to "Anne Frank," or hide, one of their cups. The Nazis are allowed to "Auschwitz" their opponents, requiring one to sit out a round, websites say.

The report about the event in The Times of Trenton was picked up by media outlets around the country and abroad. It prompted a response of outrage and concern.

"I am deeply upset that some of our students chose to engage in a drinking game with clearly anti-Semitic overtones and to broadcast their behavior over social media," Steve Cochrane, Princeton school superintendent, said in a statement.

Jamaica Ponder, the 17-year-old Princeton High junior who found the beer-game photo online, was equally upset by the action of her fellow students.

"I am unsure as to what's worse: the static silence from my peers, or the fact that this happened in the first place," Ponder wrote on her blog. "They must be trapped in the delusional mindset that making a drinking game based off of the Holocaust is cool. Or funny. Or anything besides insane."

Princeton police are now investigating to see if any laws were broken regarding underage drinking. But police pointed out that possession of alcohol by minors on private property is not a crime.

"However, if there is evidence that someone bought alcohol for minors or provided a place specifically for them to consume it, that is illegal," police Lt. John Bucchere said.

Unfortunately there is no law against stupid, bone-headed behavior.

Some might just chalk it up to "kids being kids." Indeed, the teens involved in the drinking game probably gave no thought to the consequences of their action.

But in this case, they crossed the line of decency. Their conduct makes a mockery of the millions who were the victims of Nazis atrocities.

For Joshua Cohen, a regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, the photo was particularly "alarming and outrageous." In an article in the Forward, a Jewish-American newspaper, he said, "I think an incident like this underscores and highlights a number of different issues. One, the trivialization of Nazis, Hitler and anti-Semitism by teenagers. I think it underscores the critical need for Holocaust education."

Even though the school district has no control over what happens in private homes, Superintendent Cochrane is mindful that schools and the wider community all play a role in educating our children to make sound decisions.

"As a community we all have a role in teaching our children to make good decisions, to be legally responsible, and to be respectful members of a diverse society," he said. "An incident such as this one, forces us to take a hard look at our efforts in education our children in the values that may be most important to their success in life."

If nothing else, this unfortunate escapade has started a conversation that has exposed just how insensitive and hurtful these types of actions can be and serve as a caution for us all.

Theodore R. Quann is a contributor to the Times of Trenton editorial board.

