Mailbox.

Dear Editor: us
“Doug Collins, Jim
Keegstra and Ernst. Zundel
+ aim. -to: ~ destroy, the. .most
-basic-values in’ our society:
Under the.cloak of freedom
of. speech, Collins and
Zundel. conceal their anti-
democratic, hateful - and
Tacist agenda. . *:

- The: basic flaw in Collins’
argument ‘is. that he- treats
freedom of speech.as an ab-
‘solute.’ Freedom of speech is
a limited and qualified right
that is justified only within a
wider set of rights aimed to
realize’ a just, -democratic
and ‘open: society. It is un-
‘conscionable for “freedom
‘of speech” to be-used as a

, Weapon to. slash away. the

rights and, dignity :of ‘ethnic
-Or ‘Feligious “groups, of fe:
males; or of other citizens. |.
t According to Collins there
is no crime in “saying that
‘the Holocaust is a figment of
Simon: Wiesenthal’s .. imagi-
‘nation.”’ - He -says “there is
nothing. swrong with
publishing | falsehoods... -
“* On’ the: contrary, * -every
freedoia has its rational
limits, If we. are to foster
truth - “and justice then. citi-
zens. must -have the right to”
freeiy: express, ‘themselves, .
‘even.when they are ‘manifest-
& wrong.. The- limit on ‘this:
‘freedom occ’ -:-
s. ‘when’ the « rights and
freedoms of others would be
jeopardized,: os

“If anyone publishes false-
hoods. with the purpose of:
“destroying . the rights - and
securities of. individuals ‘or
groups, ‘freedom OF

: speech’ i is no defense.
‘There: WAS ‘a Holociust .

and 'the- ‘brutality, - “suffering
and mass murders ‘were real.
The answer to the obscenity

and” disgrace : that.. was, the

Holocaust is: not revisionist

histories. It is no small mat- -

ter’ whether. persons are
allowed to publish a false
account of it. Are the surviv-
ing victims to‘ be victimized

_ again, to be called fiars? Are «: ”
the Nazi, - apologists, who

seek to exclide certain races
* from ‘citizenship’. rights, to
‘unleash’ violence ‘upon ‘tiem
and to kill them, to‘be aided
“and ‘supported. by: “freedom
‘of speéch’’?,*

Our: mir beliefs. and attitudes
care » “important . ‘and. the
Holocaus t graphically’. and
-/Allustrates this

j at 1075, Roosevelt Cres., N,Van.

Bg 985-8738 |

8- Wednesday, April 10, “1985 - North Shore News

truth. Millions of persons
suffered and died because of
racism. While the critical
policy decisions were made
by a handful of individuals
at the top of the Nazi hier-
archy, the actual impiemen-
tation of the Holocaust in-
volved persons from virtual-
ly all sectors of German
society.

The Nazis used the power
of the state to get teachers,
scholars, doctors, lawyers,
bureaucrats, police, soldiers,
etc., to assist in their pro-
gram to persecute and then
murder Jews and other
‘undesirables’ <”: The most
deadly. weapons “were not
_ guns, gas chambers or ovens
but racism -and
authoritarianism.

The ‘death and destruction
camé:: ‘from-:two things: a
willingness: to follow orders
unquestionably; and racist
identifications,:‘Freedom, to
express racist’ values: is a
license to kill.

:» What is at issue- is not
Zunde!" 's politics but whether
or net he has published
falsehoods with the intent to

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community.

What is threatened is the

dignity and security of per-

sons when freedom of

speech is used as a sword
rather than‘a shield.

Finally, Doug Collins is
not merely standing up for
freedom of speech, as a
principle, but he is trying to

foment racial prejudice and

intolerance. I respect diversi-
ty of opinion but Collins ex-
ceeds the proper limits of
freedom of speech. He
abuses his position as a
journalist by undermining
that“ core of decent and
democratic values that are
the basis‘ for :peace, justice
and freedomo 0.
Moreover the North Shore

‘News’ bears. an even greater
‘ responsibility. By choosing

to offer a regular forum to
Collins, this newspaper has

sided with bigotry and.

against fairness, decency and

_democracy.. T’ hat choice has

nothing whateverto do with
freedom of speech.

Dr. Michael Zlotnik

North Vancouver

-984- 4401

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