Maybe you have read it. Maybe you heard it on the radio. Or even seeing it on social media because it went viral all over the world. It happened right here in Rhode Island less than two months ago, and it was all hate. Sheer hate.

I’ll give this part of the story briefly because it’s about hate, but it should never be swept under the rug. This rug needs to be beaten and shaken to allow the dust to periodically fly into our faces so that we never, ever forget one of the darkest periods in our history, that of inhumanity and horror.

Last July, when we were enduring one of the worst heat waves this area has ever seen, a bar and grill in Tiverton thought it “funny” in the owner’s own words, to set up a meme with a photo of Anne Frank saying ‘It’s as hot as an oven, and I should know that. Yes of course there was a backlash, public outrage, it was immediately pulled and an apology halftones that seemed written by a lawyer were put in its place. But no matter. The damage was done. The real damage was done more than 80 years ago, when the Holocaust happened. The ‘Holocaust, something we heard about years ago in school. When I was a teenager, one of the most popular books, particularly appealing to teenage girls, was ‘Anne Frank: A Young Girl’s Diary.” This was an actual diary written by a 15-year-old girl describing her majority, his feelings, his fears and his joys while hiding with his family for two years from the Nazis. Sadly, his entire family except his father, Otto, was exterminated in the concentration camps, but Otto later found his diary in the rubble of their hiding place, had it published in 1947, two years later. liberation, and soon the world was to know the horror and redemption and yet eternal hope through the writings of this young girl.

When the new administration of our local Granite Theater announced its next season earlier this year, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Diary of Anne Frank” was scheduled to run October 14-29. July’s heinous event had yet to take place, but artistic director Erin Sousa-Stanley thought the work was big enough to hopefully schedule a few more matinee performances to allow middle and high school students to be exposed to history, an important part of our history. The Granite Board of Directors agreed and felt that the community might like to make a donation so that every student could see this important work without having to pay. To date, businesses and nonprofits in the area have generously come forward, but the community isn’t aware enough of this ambitious effort, so we thought we’d let you know.

The special student price for a ticket is $15. The theater has about 130 seats. If you own a business and are able to do so, you may wish to purchase the theater for a student performance, although any donation, regardless of amount, will be appreciated and will help our children locals to close the textbooks, step out of the classroom, and see and hear history unfold before their eyes. Yes, it may upset, yes, there may be tears, but our history has been watered down for far too long, and kids this age are strong enough and deserve to know the truth, no matter how heartbreaking.

While you’re there, buy a ticket or two for yourself for a regular performance. These seats are only $20 per person with a senior fare of $17. This important work should be seen by everyone.

Your $15, or more if you can afford it, will never eliminate hate in your lifetime, but it will educate the next generation so maybe they can. Either way, it will teach them hope and, in Anne’s own words, “I don’t want to have lived in vain. I want to be useful or bring pleasure to people even those I have never met. I want to continue to live even after my death. Despite everything, I still believe that people have really good hearts.

Checks should be made payable to Renaissance City Theater and sent or dropped off at the Granite Theater box office, 1 Granite St., Westerly 02891.

Rona Mann has been a freelance writer for The Sun for 21 years, including her “In Their Shoes” articles. She can be reached at six07co@att.net or 401-539-7762.