cr> re: IP: Stokey Il yet again

1996-01-11

Richard Moore

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Date: Wed, 10 Jan 1996
Sender: •••@••.•••
Subject: Re: cr#1297> (Fwd) IP: Stokey Il yet again

The Simon Wiesenthal Center does very good work exposing the consequences of
intolerance, but it has a persistent problem recognizing it's own principles
in action.

Some years ago I attended a speech at the Center given by Christopher Simpson
a few months after the publcation of his book "Blowback", which deals
extensively and thoughfully with the role of Nazi's brought back to the US
after World War II (Operation Paperclip) and their influence on the creation
& early development of the Cold War.

After a number of questions had been asked, but well before the previously
indicated end of the evening, I asked specifically if the whole episode was
not simply a matter of shared interests and underlying ideological outlook.
In view of the West's support for Hitler in the 30s as a means to destroy the
USSR, this is hardly a far-fetched question. Anyone who has read the book
will recognize that this viewpoint is more or less there in the book (which I
had already read), but only implicitly. I was trying to draw him out, and see
how he would approach the thesis explicitly.

Mr. Simpson answered the question, basically in the affirmative.  Before he
could fully elaborate, the presiding Rabbi interrrupted and brusquely
announced that the even was over.  Several friends of mine overheard him
saying that I was a troublemaker who "had an agenda".

I must reiterate, the Weisenthal Center does a great deal of very wonderful
work.  It has considerable resources and influence for an institute of its
kind.  We should all encourage it to refocus its energies toward putting a
strong anti-intolerant message out on the net. Evil cannot be eradicted by
pushing it into the darkness, but only by confronting it with light.

Paul Rosenberg
Reason & Democracy
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 Posted by Richard K. Moore (•••@••.•••) Wexford, Ireland
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