In reading the Nov. 8 Northern Star I was very suprised to see a full-page advertisement with a headline reading, “The Holocaust Controversy: The Case For Open Debate,” by Bradley Smith. Its premise is that the Holocaust never happened, but is a myth propagated by a “Holocaust Lobby.”

I wonder if Mr. Smith’s future articles will question if slavery ever existed in the United States. Perhaps, in the name of open-mindedness, he would like to reopen the debate as to whether the world actually is round.

The existence of the Holocaust is NOT a debatable issue such as abortion or the death penalty. It is a historical fact. Six million Jews and 5 million other people were brutally and systematically murdered. It is not a pleasant fact, but no amount of historical “revisionism” will make it untrue.

Mr. Smith’s arguments are so pathetically inane that I will not bother to refute them. These Holocaust revisionists are nothing more than a hate group with anti-Semitic motives.

I’d like to make it clear that I do not fault The Northern Star for printing the advertisement. They have taken the position that a student newspaper should be an open forum for all views, no matter how disgusting they may be.

A positive result of this is that groups promoting bigotry, like the Holocaust revisionists, are brought out in the open and can be recognized for what they are. This is especially true at a time when bigots are using more subtle methods of spreading their views, such as Mr. Smith’s attempt to connect his argument with the political correctness controversy.

David Duke is more dangerous than his friends running around in white sheets because by modeling his rhetoric and hiding his racism he puts himself in a better position to promote his racism. It is better that these people are out in the open because you can’t fight what you can’t see.

Racism and bigotry are on the rise in this country and chances are it will get worse before it gets better. As college students we are in a better position than most to change things, but in order to do so we must get away from just dealing with small, divisive issues and attempt to confront the real problem.

Brad Strauss

Senior

Political Science