Anne Frank was 15 years old when she died in a Nazi concentration camp. Yet her words outlived her body. Words scribbled in a diary from a secret attic in Amsterdam became one of the world’s most powerful mirrors.
This summer, I found myself in Amsterdam for Mindvalley U. By chance, my Airbnb was on the street next to Anne Frank’s house. Each morning, I’d step outside and see the same canals, the same cobblestones, and the same rooftops Anne may have glimpsed in stolen moments when she dared peek out from her hiding place.
A few mornings later, I opened the news and froze. The Diary of Anne Frank had just been banned in Florida schools under new book-ban laws. Imagine that. In 2025, one of the most important human documents ever written—the testimony of a teenage Jewish girl hiding from Nazi genocide—was deemed “inappropriate” for children to read.
The synchronicity hit me hard. I was standing before the building where those words were written. Words that survived Anne, even though she did not. Words that outlived war, genocide, and cruelty—only to be silenced again today by politicians who fear truth more than hatred.
And this got me thinking.
If Anne Frank were alive today, what would she say about America? About Israel & Gaza?
What I’m about to share may feel uncomfortable—but Anne’s words demand we face discomfort.
Who was Anne Frank
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt in 1929. When the Nazis rose to power, her family fled to Amsterdam, hoping to escape persecution. In 1942, when deportations began, they went into hiding in a small annex behind her father’s office. For over two years, Anne, her sister Margot, her parents Otto and Edith, and four others lived in silence, relying on the courage of Dutch friends who smuggled them food and news.
Anne wasn’t just a symbol. She was a teenager—funny, sharp, sometimes rebellious, and always observant. She dreamed of being a journalist. She once wrote, “I want to go on living even after my death.” And, tragically, she did—not through her life, but through her words.
In August 1944, they were betrayed. The Gestapo stormed the annex. The Franks were deported to Westerbork, then Auschwitz, and finally Anne and Margot to Bergen-Belsen. In early 1945, both sisters died of typhus—just weeks before liberation. Anne was 15.
Only Otto Frank survived. After the war, Miep Gies, one of the helpers, handed him Anne’s diary. He published it, fulfilling her dream. Today, it has sold over 30 million copies and been translated into more than 70 languages.
Anne’s body was silenced. But her voice became immortal.
Anne’s words in today’s world
Anne once wrote:
“Terrible things are happening outside. Poor, helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.”
She was describing Nazi roundups in Amsterdam.
But doesn’t that sound eerily like ICE raids in America today? Parents taken in the middle of the night. Children left crying, bewildered, abandoned. Different time, different uniforms—but the same cruelty.
Anne also wrote:
“We are chained to one spot, without rights, a thousand obligations… waiting for the inevitable end.”
That could be the voice of Gaza today. Entire families locked in. Starved. Bombed. Denied freedom of movement. Children asking, “Why must we suffer simply because of who we are?”
Her words, written 80 years ago, read like dispatches from the present. History is not past. It is a loop—unless we break it.
A hard, controversial mirror
Anne’s diary teaches us to look at cruelty honestly, no matter where it comes from. And one thing history proves: atrocities don’t start with bullets. They start with words.
Dehumanizing language always comes first.
So let’s talk about Gaza, as uncomfortable as this may seem.
Consider the echoes:
- Nazi leadership (1943): Heinrich Himmler at Posen: “I am referring here to the evacuation of the Jews, the extermination of the Jewish people….”
- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (2023): On the Palestinian town of Huwara: “[Huwara] should be wiped out. I think the State of Israel should do it.”
- Hitler, Mein Kampf: Jews as “the typical parasite, a sponger who, like an infectious bacillus, keeps spreading.” Nazi propaganda routinely cast Jews as vermin.
- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (2023): Announcing a siege of Gaza: “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel… We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.”
- Nazi propaganda (Goebbels echoing Hitler): Jews blamed collectively for war, threatened with “extermination.”
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog (2023): “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible….” — words widely criticized as endorsing collective punishment.
- Nazi euphemisms: “Evacuation” as code for extermination.
- Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (2023): Suggesting a nuclear strike on Gaza was “one of the options.”
Different contexts. Different scales. But the same pattern.
Dehumanize → Justify → Destroy.
Anne Frank’s words remind us: when we hear this language, it is never “just rhetoric.” It is the runway to cruelty.
You see, cruelty always begins the same way: when leaders tell us to fear “the other.”
Fear the immigrant.
Fear the refugee.
Fear the neighbor who looks different.
Fear the people beyond your border.
That is the oldest political trick in the book. And it works—unless we refuse to buy it.
Anne Frank didn’t write her diary so we could cry in museums. She wrote it so we could recognize her suffering in others—and have the courage to stop it.
Why giving people a chance matters
This message hit me with even greater force because, while in Amsterdam, I also had a chance encounter.
I bumped into a young Syrian man who once worked for me back in 2016. At the time, he was a refugee in Malaysia. He and his friend had escaped a country torn apart by war. One had seen his home blown to rubble. The other had lost a brother when a bomb fell on the very place his brother was resting.
Both had lived through horrors most of us can barely imagine. And yet, when I met them, I didn’t just see refugees. I saw brilliant young minds. I saw hope, determination, and resilience.
That year, I had an idea for a new learning model called Quest and needed someone to build the app. These two young Syrians built it in record time. That app became the Mindvalley app—today used by millions worldwide and even featured in 200,000 Apple stores on the iPad.
Yes, our app was built by Syrians. Yes, it was built by refugees who were given a chance.
Anne never got her chance. But when we give people that chance, look what can happen.
This is why I am so adamant about this message. When politicians tell you to fear refugees, or immigrants, or minorities, they’re not just lying. They are robbing humanity of its future.
The rule we must all live by
If there’s one rule we must all live by, it’s this:
The moment a leader tells you to fear refugees, minorities, or immigrants, you are looking at a tyrant.
Do not believe them. Do not reward their fear with your silence—or your vote.
Because fear divides. And division always leads to cruelty.
What the world needs now is unity.
Unity across stripes, colors, races, and ethnicities. Unity across cultures, religions, and especially across borders.
Because the only way we solve the greatest challenges facing humanity—from climate change to war to poverty—is to remember this truth:
We are one humanity.
And kindness cannot stop at the invisible lines of race, religion, or border.
The higher vision
Anne Frank once wrote:
“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
That may be the most extraordinary line ever written. She believed it while hiding from people who wanted her dead.
If Anne could believe in human goodness then, we can believe in it now.
Let’s prove her right.
Let’s choose compassion over cruelty.
Let’s stand up for one another across borders.
Let’s silence the voices of fear not by shouting back but by choosing unity again and again.
Because Anne’s diary isn’t just a warning.
It’s a torch.
And it’s in our hands now.
So here’s what we can collectively do.
Stand for unity. Across color. Across race. Across borders. Across religions.
When you hear fear, answer with love.
When you hear division, answer with solidarity.
When a politician uses scapegoating, vote the other way.
The only way to honor Anne is to prove her right—that humanity is good at heart.
And that goodness becomes real when we act.
Because history doesn’t just happen to us. It is written by our choices—and our silence.
I’d like to hear from you: Drop a comment below—let’s create a conversation around unity, compassion, and what it means to stand for humanity in our time.
1,231 Responses
I really appreciate you Vishen, using your platform to speak out against the injustice we are witnessing now. This one particularly hit me hard. Anne Frank’s diary made a tremendous contribution to society. I remember reading the book in Junior High School and how I was able to see the history through the eyes of a young girl. I am saddened by what America is experiencing and what it is doing. Especially what we are allowing these days. Those who are oblivious or choose to remain quiet about these issues may be inspired to take action or speak up in their own communities. We need to unite against hate and indifference towards others.
Thank you Vishen for speaking up and using your platform.
Thank you Vishen!
It’s so important that you write all this! And banning Anne Frank’s diary is a disgrace!
When I saw you supporting Elon Musk a while back, i was really saddened and confused and no longer followed Mindvalley (despite having paid for a years membership) because MAGA (from a UK perspective) seems to go against so much of the ethos you were conveying. I cancelled X as soon as he bought it. They are bringing division and hatred to the world in the extreme. What is happening in America and in Gaza is despicable. In the UK we even have both elderly people and young women being arrested and put in prison for years, being called terrorists for opposing the Genocide in Gaza and holding up banners in protest!! Its insane that this is happening in 2025. Current rightwing political ideology in Israel, America and the infiltrated Labour party under right wing Starmer are spreading their xenophobic rhetoric as propaganda to the masses. It IS like Nazi Germany and it is very very scary. We have to unite as a people who care for love and decency to ALL.
I really love how you see the world. And rising such topics you aren’t afraid to lose some part of your audience (like before you made some statements in support of Ukrainians and challenged Russian audience which is big part for you) For me it is proof that the truth is more important for you than money. Love the way you are.
Thank you Vishen for this reflective article. I have a deep respect for you hiring the Syrian developers and being “part of the solution”. I’ve been struggling with how to fight against the injustices we see on a daily basis. Your actions show how we can practically and positively help oppressed people.
Tyranny, apartheid, genocide, famine, the execution of over 300 journalists in Gaza. All this butchery didn’t start on October 7, 2023. Don’t believe me? On March 16, 2003, an Israeli bulldozer crushed to death 23-year-old U.S. peace activist Rachel Corrie as she tried to prevent the Israeli army from destroying homes in Gaza. On May 11, 2022, American Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was working on reporting a story in Jenin, when she was executed by an Israeli sniper; a bullet was found in the back of her head. She was found face down in the dirt, wearing her press jacket. If they can do this to American citizens, imagine the horrific stories of local Palestinians you haven’t heard about. Including thousands of Palestinians, children as young as 14 and 15, snatched from their families, and thrown in inhumane conditions, tortured in Israeli prisons. No reason, no legally binding paperwork. No court dates. No allowed contact with family. For years. Does that not sound like being held hostage? They were uprooted from their homes, streets, with no explanation, all before (and after) October 7, 2023. I am not condoning what happened on October 7, 2023. But the cruelty upon which a colonizer inflicts on those “other than them” is the root cause of all this disruption and justification of wiping out of a people.
May we see the potential, the good in each person, regardless of who they are, as Anne Frank did. And as mature, level-headed humans (those of us left), we must stop expecting changed behavior from psychopaths. We need to pressure our representatives to let in the international press and aid into Gaza and free the hostages being held on both sides. We need the UN or International peace-keeping troops to protect civilians from any more suffering. Otherwise the atrocities will keep coming.
Thank you Vishen for this significant article and your humanity. I’ve followed you for years and have been waiting for this from you.
Very true thank you
All the people triggered by this post should consider what’s at stake for Vishen. Venturing into divisive politics and taking a stand while running a successful business can only mean one thing – you are going to lose customers and revenue. Despite this Vishen had the moral courage and clarity to stand up for what’s right. If you don’t agree with his views, at least give him credit that he is not doing it for ulterior motives.
Wow, that line “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you for sharing the utterly scary comparison here, it is a hard truth I’m not sure many people understand. I also believe no matter what people are good at heart and we all can do better, we all can rise up together for a greater good; to save humanity. <3
UNITY has been an important focus in my life since 1990. I’m white, but it’s just the color I was created. I’m no better nor less than any other skin shade or color. I live in an area of the USA where discrimination against blacks was prevalent.
I was excited to serve as a VIM (Volunteer in Mission) in Maua, Kenya, among the Meru Tribe. My ideal before arrival was that there would be no prejudice among a single tribe. That ideal was shattered by my Meru friends, who truly believed that the lighter your skin color is, the better you are. This idea haunted me until I worked through it by creating weavings of many colors to create beauty, the way I see the world. That led to creating “Unity Rocks,” as simple reminders that every individual is a unique creation of God. I also believe that Strangers are only Friends you haven’t met yet. My email address even contains “Unity” to keep me focused: sfm4Unity@protonmail.com
What a gift, to be in a conversation like this. For me, one of the central questions is: How big is the group I belong to?
I have lived both ends of that spectrum.
At times I’ve felt part of something vast — larger than the self, larger than anything I could name — a belonging that stretches beyond the individual.
And at other times, I’ve felt utterly alone. Singular. Cut off. Those moments of isolation, without connection to anyone else, have felt to me like hell.
Through my own journey, I’ve come to see that the painful emotions — sadness, fear, frustration — are often the residue of one thing: being met in the past with less than unconditional love. Someone’s inability to love me fully became something I took personally. Instead of seeing their behavior as about them, I believed it reflected something broken or unworthy in me. As if there were an invisible flaw in my own lovability.
That belief left me hurt, scared, and ashamed.
But over time, as I learned to recognize and allow my feelings — not repress them, not deny them, but feel them all the way through — something remarkable happened. By bringing them into awareness and compassion, I wasn’t just managing them; I was loving them away.
And underneath the fear, underneath the shadows, I found what had been there all along:
Love.
Unconditional love.
Not given by others, but discovered as the core of who I am — the very thing I had been longing for all my life.
Thanks for this reminder that fear of the “other” particularly by people in power can not be left unanswered. We are obliged to look in the mirror and address that fear on a personal level as well
Excellent and thoughtful article. Thank you. It is frightening what is happening to that beautiful country.
I’m glad you brought up this topic, people are generally afraid to speak their opinion about these things because it’s controversial and I’m really interested in having intelligent discussions with people, especially those who have a differing point of view. First of all, if we do something illegal, we have to know that if we get caught there are consequences. Just like if you are speeding, you get caught and will get a speeding ticket. Illegals in any country know they are illegal and take the risk to stay there. It’s unfortunate and sad that children are involved and have to endure the consequences of the decision of their parents. Second, while there are criminals everywhere, there have been many crimes around the world from refugees and illegals. If they are welcome into a country, why not behave? It gives a bad name to the many good refugees out there and causes this outrage. Third, when a refugee or immigrant enters a country, it should not change the face of the culture of the country they are entering. I believe they can keep their customs and culture at home, but they should assimilate, not force the host country to change their ways. Fourth, most countries already struggle with taking care of their own citizens, there’s still homelessness, hunger, unemployment, etc., even in the richest countries. How can these countries provide for non-citizens who are not paying into the system without the expense of own citizens? There are housing and job shortages in some countries because of the placement of refugees and immigrants. I’m all for helping and sharing, but it has to make socioeconomic sense. I’m all for helping people in need, absolutely. What I wonder is how to do it without dire consequences for one group or the other?
Your comparison of Nazi Germany to Gaza feels unfair. Israel was created after Jews were murdered/pushed out of other countries and is the only Jewish state in the world. You can criticize a government’s actions, but also you neglect to shed light on Hamas as a terrorist organization who attacked Israel on October 7th. Jews in Gaza are being held hostage, people were murdered, and women were savagely raped. Any other country in the media would be given the green flag to defend themselves and get their hostages back. Why is Hamas not being held accountable for their part? They want to eliminate Jews and Israel. When you compare that to Anne Frank it feels hurtful to the Jewish community. We want the right to exist, to not be attacked by terrorist. We don’t want war either. This is a reaction to an attack.
Hi Vishen.
I have been a member of Mindvalley since it’s inception. It came to me at a time when I desperately needed it. I had suffered massive blood loss and nearly died from severe complications following the birth of my son in 1993. In 1995, I experienced a spontaneous Kundalini awakening the first time I attempted to meditate. Being a non-religious western white woman born in 1955, I had no idea what had happened and the incredible gift I had been given. All I knew was that every time I sat or laid down to meditate, an other worldly energy would fill my body and give me enough energy to make it through a few more hours of my day before I would have to do it again.
I began a magical, mystical journey that led me to wisdom and wonder, and eventually Mindvalley. Through your beautiful teachers and healers, I began to recognize the common thread of knowledge I had been shown. When I began speaking light language and heard Regan Hillyer do the same, I felt less strange and had found my community. In 1999, Paramahansa Yogananda became my cosmic yoga teacher and guide, leading me to teach yoga classes for the past 24 years.
All of this is to say, Vishen, what an amazing contribution you are making to the world. You came to me at a time when I was no longer feeling like a “normal” human being, and connected me to others who showed me that was a good thing.
I had no idea you left California and the United States for the reasons you did. The state of our nation and world is so disheartening and cruel to so many.
Although I will probably never take my yoga/meditation wisdom into the world in a big way as technology leaves me further and further behind, I admire and appreciate all that you do, your vision for creating super humans and bringing peace, compassion and unity to a world that desperately needs it.
Thank you, Vishen🙏 You have made a world of difference 🎁❤️
The BEST message I have received Yet from you Vishen.
Thank you for the Reminder.
We often need it. It’s time we all wake up, take responsibility and become pro active.
Speaking for myself.
In Great Gratitude. 🙏 Iyari
i’m feeling very moved and supported by your words. Thank You. Sometimes it seems as if all the people with any potential influence are silence or in favour of this dreadful genocide. At the age of 71 I made the serious decision to travel to London and write on a piece of card, “ I don’t support genocide, I do support Palestine Action”. For this I was arrested and detained for many hours, 10 of them in a police cell in London. Soon I will be charged under section 13 of the terrorism act and will be called to a Magistrates Court to be told when my trial will be. Luckily under section 13 the most I will receive is up to 6 months in prison or a fine. Any longer and I would lose my home. This was an intentional act. Never in my life did I think myself to be a terrorist sympathiser and I do not believe that Palestine Action are terrorists.
Thank you for writing this. I appreciate it. It is unfathomable that the Diary of Anne Frank would be banned. We must stand up to dictatorship and cruelty. I wish there was a clearing house or information center that would organize the protests across the US.