An 85 year old Georgia man is being (for lack of a better word) harassed for something that happened over 60 years ago. Paul Henss is accused of being a World War II concentration camp guard. According to news reports:

Paul Henss, 85, served as a prison guard and attack dog handler at the notorious Dachau and Buchenwald Concentration Camps in Nazi Germany

First of all, I didn’t know that there was a special “elite Nazi tracking force” in the US Justice Department, nor do I think there should be. Part of the problem is that people do not know when to stop. The man is 85 years old. Its clear from his responses to the reporter that he honestly has no idea whats going on these days. The fact that they want to persecute some one his age is a little absurd. The “crimes against humanity” that he allegedly committed happened 60 years ago and while I abhor what happened in Germany in the 1940’s, I would think that our government could put their resources to better use these days then tracking down senile 85 year old Germans.

Secondly, he has to go to court over all of this. The chances that he gets a swift and speedy hearing are laughable as well. He may well spend the rest of his life (whether or not its 1, 5, 10 or 15 years) waiting to get his name cleared. I think what needs to be done in this case is every one needs to sit down and take a look at things. Mr. Henss has been, from what I can tell, a productive member of society since he came to the US in the 1950’s. He hasn’t harmed anyone. He doesn’t train dogs to attack people and he certainly isn’t trying to reform the Third Reich in his basement (is he?). His neighbors say he is a nice old man. can’t we just leave him alone and focus on more pressing issues?