Pela Liberdade de Expressão
Holocaust deniers in Tehran Photo: AFP§
Holocaust Day void of substance
Harsh punitive measures need to be imposed on Holocaust deniers
Noah Klieger
Published: 01.23.07, 14:14
§
Several countries worldwide will be marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day over the weekend, after the United Nations decided three years ago to designate January 27th for this event – it was the day Soviet troops entered the Auschwitz death camp.
On this day various ceremonies, assemblies and exhibitions will be held, speeches and statements will be made in parliaments and institutions, plus TV programs will be aired.
Millions of people will perhaps be saddened for a few moments by the bitter fate of the Jewish people under German occupation during WWII, just as they are saddened by the victims of the bombing on Hiroshima and Dresden, or by the millions of victims in the former USSR under Stalin's rule. Later they will immediately resume their normal activities until next year's Holocaust Day.
Clearly this rare UN initiative is a blessing, as are the various texts delivered by the nations that will be marking the event. However, neither texts nor assemblies or TV shows will hinder the wave of anti-Semitism that is becoming increasingly rampant throughout most European nations and the world, and it certainly won't stop Holocaust denial.
This is the most dangerous affliction of all and it currently "enjoys" the participation of more and more so-called experts, researchers and historians who are not at all perturbed by laws that ban, in certain countries, Holocaust denial and incitement based on anti-Semitism.
'Enlightened Europe'
Why should Bruno Gollnisch, number two in Jean-Marie Le Pen's far right nationalist party, be concerned if punitive measures for denial of the Holocaust are just a three-month suspended sentence?
And why should British David Irving not ridicule Austria, whose appeals court released him last month after he had served just one year of his three year sentence?
And why should all those illusionists who flocked to Teheran last month for an international conference of Holocaust deniers not hold their countries' laws in complete disregard?
Why should they cease to spread their poison while the leaders of the European Union - an enlightened institution by its own definition – is unable to introduce common legislation against Holocaust denial just because several member states, who view themselves as even more enlightened, such as Britain and Denmark, oppose it adamantly in the name of so-called freedom of expression. Enlightened Europe indeed.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day will remain void of any real substance and will not achieve a thing as long as countries of the world and their leaders suffice with assemblies, conferences and speeches. The undertaking for change must begin from below, from the root cause.
It should commence with a long-term educational plan within the school systems such as special classes taught throughout the institutions of higher education, an ongoing "campaign" in the media, and an unyielding fight against racial incitement and xenophobia in all its forms.
In addition, laws should be legislated in every country and harsh punitive measures should be imposed on Holocaust deniers. Only such measures would bring about a drastic change. Only then would the UN's initiative have substance.
On this day various ceremonies, assemblies and exhibitions will be held, speeches and statements will be made in parliaments and institutions, plus TV programs will be aired.
Millions of people will perhaps be saddened for a few moments by the bitter fate of the Jewish people under German occupation during WWII, just as they are saddened by the victims of the bombing on Hiroshima and Dresden, or by the millions of victims in the former USSR under Stalin's rule. Later they will immediately resume their normal activities until next year's Holocaust Day.
Clearly this rare UN initiative is a blessing, as are the various texts delivered by the nations that will be marking the event. However, neither texts nor assemblies or TV shows will hinder the wave of anti-Semitism that is becoming increasingly rampant throughout most European nations and the world, and it certainly won't stop Holocaust denial.
This is the most dangerous affliction of all and it currently "enjoys" the participation of more and more so-called experts, researchers and historians who are not at all perturbed by laws that ban, in certain countries, Holocaust denial and incitement based on anti-Semitism.
'Enlightened Europe'
Why should Bruno Gollnisch, number two in Jean-Marie Le Pen's far right nationalist party, be concerned if punitive measures for denial of the Holocaust are just a three-month suspended sentence?
And why should British David Irving not ridicule Austria, whose appeals court released him last month after he had served just one year of his three year sentence?
And why should all those illusionists who flocked to Teheran last month for an international conference of Holocaust deniers not hold their countries' laws in complete disregard?
Why should they cease to spread their poison while the leaders of the European Union - an enlightened institution by its own definition – is unable to introduce common legislation against Holocaust denial just because several member states, who view themselves as even more enlightened, such as Britain and Denmark, oppose it adamantly in the name of so-called freedom of expression. Enlightened Europe indeed.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day will remain void of any real substance and will not achieve a thing as long as countries of the world and their leaders suffice with assemblies, conferences and speeches. The undertaking for change must begin from below, from the root cause.
It should commence with a long-term educational plan within the school systems such as special classes taught throughout the institutions of higher education, an ongoing "campaign" in the media, and an unyielding fight against racial incitement and xenophobia in all its forms.
In addition, laws should be legislated in every country and harsh punitive measures should be imposed on Holocaust deniers. Only such measures would bring about a drastic change. Only then would the UN's initiative have substance.
posted by Mário Casa Nova Martins @ 1/24/2007 09:55:00 da manhã
0 comments
0 Comments:
Enviar um comentário
<< Home