Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 09:54:46 +0100 From: James Heartfield <James-AT-heartfield.demon.co.uk> Subject: M-I: Dissent in Nazi Germany I find some of the ostentatious displays of outrage in this discussion unhelpful. Generally people who are dumbfounded that anyone could have a different view than their own only indicate the fragility of their own views. In particular, charges of 'anti-semite' and 'racist' are ways of shutting down the debate and blocking out unwelcome disagreement. Hinrich objects to the way that Bob cites the evidence of collaboration between some Jewish leaders and the Nazis. But Hinrich only hears an implied slur against Jews, when I think Bob meant that many people collaborate with repression when their options are limited, ergo, the German people too may have acted out of fear of their lives. The point of the ironic quotation marks around the word 'willing' indicate that assent is not necessarily willed. As it happens that is not an argument I would make myself, but it is a resonable point of view. Norman Finkelstein says something similar and I do not think that he is guilty of anti-semitism. In Britain the left-wing playright Jim Allen was censored and pilloried by the liberal intelligentsia for his play Perdition on the same subject - we should not follow their example. Hinrich also objects to Louis point about the holocaust not being unique, saying that no-one objected to it. Well, actually, I did object. But whilst I don't agree with Lou I know he is not inspired by anti- semitism. His point is simple enough: the Jews were not the only population that has been wiped out by imperialism. Too true! Every death is an atrocity. Andrew accuses Louis P of being soft on anti-semitism. But that just means that if you disagree with the thesis that the mass of German people were responsible for the holocaust, then you are by definition an anti-semite. I turn the argument around: support for Goldhagen's thesis is inspired by middle class hatred of the masses. That kind of prejudice is not susceptible to rational argument. Hinrich quotes Goldhagen's introduction to the German edition of Hitler's Willing Executioners to acquit G. of the charges against him. But as everyone who has read the book knows, the introduction to the Gmerna edition, a reation to the stinging criticism made against his book before poublication, contradicts the substance of the book. In the period 1933-45 the German ruling class told themselves and the world that they were the master race. In 1997 the liberal intelligentsia lecture the unwashed masses about their backward prejudices. Different terminology, differnt circumstances, same elite motivation. -- James Heartfield --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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