The Holocaust:    Denial        Mendacity        Hatred   An advertisement was recently placed in “The Bulletin” by an organization known equally for its mendacity and for its faulted principles. The editors of this newspaper rationalized the inclusion of that advertisement claiming that they were defending the advertiser’s rights of freedom of expression. We congratulate these young people for their lofty principles, but respectfully point out that, in this case at least, they are sadly mistaken. The right to express ideas, no matter how odious, is clearly covered by the First Amendment to the Constitution, but does this obligate a newspaper to publish hate tracts? Consider, for example, what the editors might do if the Ku Klux Klan wished to publish an advertisement stating that slavery was a myth. Or if an homophobic organization promoted their belief that homosexuals will be denied entrance to heaven? What if Stormfront wished to promote their ‘pro-white’, anti-Mexican rhetoric in this fine newspaper? The list is endless of those who have a right to express themselves but whose advertisements would be offensive to some or all of the readers of this newspaper. Would the editors of this paper raise their voices in protest to blatantly racist, mendacious, sexist or hate-ridden rhetoric? Why then did they tolerate advertising copy that was offensive to a small ethnic minority and to decent people everywhere? Holocaust denial is nothing more than a modern form of anti-Semitism. Deniers might cloak themselves in very respectable-sounding names such as the Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust, or the Institute for Historical Review, or the Adelaide Institute, but a brief perusal of their websites will convince all but the most obtuse that denial serves little other purpose than to bash Jews and blame them for all the ills in the world. Thanks to such a mentality there are now only fifteen million Jews in the world. No doubt many of such people like Mr. Smith wish that there were none. Schindler’s List is described by Mr. Smith as a ‘cheap novel’. It is his right. It might also be sour grapes given the enormous success that both the book and the film have had. Insinuating, however, that this (or any) historical novel based on facts is a lie is tantamount to a claim that the novel Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor describes a non-existent Civil War prison camp. There is overwhelming evidence in both cases to prove beyond any doubt that both books were based on true facts. For those inclined to doubt, a book entitled Schindler’s Legacy, by Elinor Brecher quotes personal testimonies, and publishes photographs and documents of the Jews who were saved by Schindler. An attack by Mr. Smith on the personal diary of a young and innocent girl who died in a concentration camp after the Nazis had torn her and her family from their home is utterly shameful. His claim that it was not her personal diary is a lie. The Netherlands State Institute for War Documentation presents irrefutable evidence of the diary’s authenticity. Those who doubt can read The Diary of Anne Frank: The Critical Edition , available in most libraries. Elie Wiesel is a Nobel Peace Prize winner. He does not need to be defended from Mr. Smith’s mephitical ululations. Those who doubt might benefit from reading some of Elie Wiesel’s moving and factual books starting with the three-volume collection of his writings: Against Silence edited by Irving Abrahamson. Holocaust deniers seek to rehabilitate Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist regime. To their shame and regret the Holocaust stands in the way of any such rehabilitation. Mr. Smith’s asks “… ‘what crimes against humanity’ [did] National Socialists commit[ted] that Republicans and Democrats did not commit…?” is symptomatic of the denier’s desire to whitewash the Nazi crimes. The answer to his question is quite simply: The Holocaust. This is not the proper forum to counter in detail Mr. Smith’s mendacious and odious advertisement. It would take pages of text to point out each of his lies, distortions, half-truths, and quotations taken out of context. We invite serious readers to visit our site on the internet and express their ideas and doubts to our members. Questions will be answered with documented information.  THE HOLOCAUST HISTORY PROJECT 600 Sandau, Suite 400 San Antonio, TX 78216 http://www.holocaust-history.org This is a response to an advertisement that appeared in The Bulletin on January 31, 2000. It is the work of Harry W. Mazal OBE who is alone responsible for its content. Please also visit the Mazal Library at http://www.mazal.org  © 2000 — Harry W. Mazal OBE
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