IN A democracy, people are supposed to be able to read _ what they want to read and say what they. want to say, ; provided they are not incit- ing violence. An fact, it is dangerous to deal with issues that powerful pressure groups do not want discussed. That's why we have the hate laws'and human righis Gestapos, plus book- -bannings that in essence are no different from the Nazi book-burnings of the 1930s. There was one thing to be said for the Nazis, though. They did . their book burning in public. We do it secretly. Thus, a well-researched book . about a man whom Jewish organi- zations love to hate has been banned from our sacred shores on the grounds that it is “hate litera- ture.” The Case For David Irving, written by Nigel Jackson, an Australian teacher; should be read by everyone who is interested in freedom of speech and the cow- aidice of politicians, The research is meticulous and the “hate:ii1 it is the story of what Irving’s opponents have been able to do. Thave a copy. But if you want one you will have to have it _. smuggled in. To such depths have we sunk, 50 years after winning a war for “freedom.” : Irving is, of course, the most controversial living historian and the gutsiest. . My emotions tell me to pick holes in some of his stuff, espe- - cially where his views on Winston ‘Churchill are concerned. But he is “a great writer who has written some brilliant.books, like the one ‘on Hermann Goering. . “And there is nothing “pro- Nazi" about it. You get Goering, ~ warts and all, As Jackson puts it, Irving “is Collins on the other lutnd indefatigable in his pursuit of pri- nuiry sources.” True. When | met him a few years ago in Washington, D.C., he was burrow- ing away in the archives for new material, as usual. He condemned himself tu a sort of Siberia, however, when he challenged the six million story and the alleged mass gassing pro- gram of the Nazis. Not that he denies that atroci- ties took place. On the contrary. {t also didn’t hetp that he testi- fied for the defence in the second Zundet trial. So the lobbies went after him. But whenever his critics dare to challenge him face to face he makes mincemeat of them. David Frost and 2 crew of hostile acude- - mics once tried it on TV and were swallowed whole. ’ Such people now know better and will not take him on. But in trying to silence him they confirm that he has a case. _ Here is a short fist of the actions taken against him. He was arrested while making a speech in Victoria, put in hand- cuffs, and tossed out of Canada on an immigration pretext. Gangsters get to stay, though. The Australians denied him a visa/ The Australian Federal Court found in his favor and awarded costs against the government, But he sD Tasav’t goa visa. He was denied entry to Soutlt Africa, fined 30.000 marks it Germany for “detuning the mem- ory of the dead”, and prevented from speaking in Argentina. He was arrested in Austria and iNegatly deported. Later, an Austrian coart found in his fiver Ilis expertise is formidable. In 1982. he was the first to denounce the so-called Hitler diaries as forgeries, even though Lord Dacre, the Regius Professor of History al Cambridge and an expert on (he Nazi period, had said they were genuine. He was alsa one of only wo mean who could transcribe Goebbels’ diaries when they were found in Moscow. He has been libelied and turned into a bate figure by lick- spittle media folk and by those who have something to lose if their version of history is chal- lenged. Author Jackson compares Irving to Alexander Solzhenitsyn. who also ran up against an Establishment. And he quotes the famous German playwright Rolf Hochhuth as saying: “We may not like what he (Irving) writes. But historians a hundred years hence will find it impossible to ignore the works of David Irving.” Pity you are not allowed to ’ read this book. But the Director of Prohibited Importations says it“ wouldn't be goad for you...” Did you know we have such an Orwellian department’? We do. eee (in my April 5 column, | described Bernie Farber as the communications director of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Wrong. He is the CJC’s director of community relations.) A CELL PHONE YOU CAN AFFORD TO USE. “Join BCTEL Mobility’s 50/50 plan before May 31st,1995 and for $49.95 a month you get: “Unlimited local calling for the first 50 days and 50 nights’ +50 minutes of weekday business airtime . * Unlimited local calling every weekend «Includes 36 months of detailed billing « Save $108 activation / Ist year annual system atcess fee’ » Special $99 purchase price on Nokia pocket phone NORTH VAN 987 Marine Drive 988-3300 (Parking in rear} COMMUNICATIONS INC. 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