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KEEP THE HOLOCAUST OUT OF IT
copyright 2004, New Jersey Jewish News
Veterans of Internet-based "Usenet" discussions are familiar with Godwin's Law: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
Unfortunately, Godwin's Law applies to much human intercourse these days. The latest examples include a bizarre comment by radio's Dr. Laura, who said that some American day care centers "sound like something out of Nazi Germany." A 30-second film posted by an outsider to the Moveon.org Web site compared President George W. Bush to Hitler. (The Republican National Committee demanded that the Democratic candidates condemn the site; the National Jewish Democratic Council applauded the site for removing the offending film quickly.) Last week, a Brazilian judge described a new U.S. security policy, in which foreign visitors are fingerprinted and photographed, as "worthy of the worst horrors committed by the Nazis."
Rafael Medoff of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies shares some more examples: Nobel laureate Jose Saramago claimed that Israeli antiterror policies have brought "the spirit of Auschwitz" to the city of Ramallah. Honduras' Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Meridiaga said that "Jewish-controlled" newspapers are behaving like Hitler and persecuting the Catholic church by publicizing the pedophile scandals. This page, meanwhile, has criticized Jewish activists who use the obscene word "Judenrein" to describe the intentions of those who would dismantle Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
An old article in New York magazine, apropos of the "Soup Nazi" character on Seinfeld, held that Holocaust analogies are not as bad as we might think, in that they recognize, 60 years after the fact, that the Nazis are the epitome of human evil.
But we'll stick with Medoff. Such analogies, he argues, dilute the uniqueness of the Holocaust as a systematic effort to exterminate Jews and "grotesquely distort the behavior of the person or government that they are criticizing."
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Wyman Institute News & Events - October 2010
October 1, 2010
Wyman Institute News & Events - December 2009
December 1, 2009
Wyman Institute News & Events - March 2009
March 1, 2009
Brandeis backed illegal aliya
December 18, 2008
Wyman Institute News & Events - December
December 1, 2008
Rabbi Stephen Wise 'failed miserably' during Shoah, HUC president claims
September 26, 2008
Pelosi reveals her father's support for Bergson Group
September 12, 2008
450 Cartoonists Urge Poland: Return Auschwitz Paintings
New Petition to Yad Vashem Regarding the Bergson Group
August 21, 2008
When LIU stood up to the Nazis
August 17, 2008
The Wyman Aliya
August 11, 2008
Letter Hits Decision to Bar Cheek
August 9, 2008
US Holocaust Museum launches exhibit on Bergson rescue group
July 18, 2008
An Integral Part of the Story (by David S. Wyman)
July 18, 2008
Wyman Institute News & Events - June 15, 2008
June 15, 2008
Wyman Institute News & Events - April 6, 2008
April 6, 2008
Wyman Institute News & Events - March 15, 2008
March 15, 2008
UNESCO to organize major event on International Holocaust Day
January 6, 2008
Holocaust denial up since Irving released, report says
December 30, 2007
Update on Recent Developments
September 5, 2007
Wyman Institute Hosts First-EverConference on the Bergson Group
June 17, 2007
Elie Wiesel to U.S. Holocaust Museum: Acknowledge Bergson Group's Efforts
June 17, 2007
Top Congressional Staffer Cites Wyman Institute
January 23, 2007
Cartoonists' Petition for Return of the Auschwitz Paintings
January 17, 2007
Does FDR Deserve the Blame?
January 1, 2007
Update on Recent Developments
December 29, 2006
Wyman Institute letter in the N.Y. Jewish Week re: the Bergson Group
December 22, 2006
Rosen Admits Error Calling Holocaust Rescuers 'Draft Dodgers'
December 18, 2006
Wyman Institute letter in the Washington Times re: Jeane Kirkpatrick
December 14, 2006
Wyman Institute letter in the New York Times re: Holocaust deniers
December 14, 2006
Columbia Defends Its Nazi Links: "Everyone Was Doing It"
December 8, 2006
Plagiarism Charge Against Carter Is 2nd To Roil Jewish World
December 7, 2006
Art or a part of history?
Novemeber 29, 2006
In Search of Skeletons
Novemeber 27, 2006
Wyman Institute letter in The Weekly Standard re: terrorists, then and now
Novemeber 27, 2006
Update on Recent Developments
September 30, 2006
Update on Recent Developments
July 28, 2006
Update on Recent Developments
May 28, 2006
Update on Recent Developments
March 2, 2006
Update on Recent Developments
January 30, 2006
Wyman Institute letter in the Washington Post re Hiram Bingham IV
December 31, 2005
U.S. Journalism Schools Snubbed Refugees From Hitler
December 8, 2005
Disown Your Dad's Denial of the Holocaust, Gibson Told
December 8, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
December 1, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
October 11, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
August 24, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
June 20, 2005
Ed Koch Interviewed by Rafael Medoff and Haim Hecht
January, 2005
New York Times Coverage of C-Span Petition
March 18, 2005
The Harvard Crimson's Coverage of C-Span Petition
April 5, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
April 21, 2005
Article About the Wyman Institute in "The Australian"
April 11, 2005
Associated Press Story About "Senator Elbert Thomas Day" in Utah
April 6, 2005
Salt Lake Tribune Coverage of "Senator Elbert Thomas Day"
April 8, 2005
Palm Beach Post Coverage of Varian Fry/Marc Chagall Event
April 2, 2005
Chronicle of Higher Education article on C-Span Petition
March 18, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
March 15, 2005
Wyman Institute letter in the N.Y. Times: Sudan and the Holocaust
February 25, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
February 11, 2005
Obituary for Will Eisner in the JTA
January 11, 2005
Wyman Institute Letter in Commentary
January, 2005
Wyman Institute letter in the N.Y. Times: Marlon Brando and the Holocaust
January 9, 2005
Update on Recent Developments
December 29, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
November 22, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
October 26, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
October 12, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
September 23, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
September 5, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
August 19, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
July 25, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
June 13, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
April 30, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
April 26, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
March 31, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
March 15, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
February 29, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
February 08, 2004
SPECIAL FEATURE: Hitler in "Homes & Gardens"
January, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
January 20, 2004
KEEP THE HOLOCAUST OUT OF IT
January 16, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
January 04, 2004
Update on Recent Developments
December 19, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
December 2, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
November 17, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
November 3, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
October 26, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
October 03, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
September 24, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
September 10, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
August 24, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
August 12, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
July 24, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
July 3, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
June 24, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
June 12, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
June 3, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
May 20, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
May 12, 2003
Update on Recent Developments
May 4, 2003
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