Why I admire Ernst Zundel
By Curt Maynard
Al-Jazeerah, February 17, 2007
How could anyone admire a man that publicly admits admiration for Adolf
Hitler, that openly acknowledges himself to be a "Holocaust skeptic,"
and who never apologizes for his political incorrectness and
nonconformist views? Who could possibly approve of a man who has put his
personal freedom and indeed life on the line countless times in order to
do nothing more than bring the world's attention to what he believes to
be an honest, albeit alternative view of history? Who could appreciate
anyone bold enough to literally carry a cross on his own back, on behalf
of all the world's Germans for no other reason than to at least
partially exonerate them of the collective guilt forced upon them after
the Second World War?
Who could possibly admire a man that has sustained nothing but
continuous persecution from society at large, who has been the victim of
an ongoing smear campaigns launched more than three decades ago, who has
suffered from every conceivable attack on his character, finances,
family and even on his life? Who could think highly of man who despite
all these things, and despite the fact that he is in prison at this very
moment, not for a crime, no…no…. but because he questions certain
aspects of the holocaust story?
Again, I ask, who could ever appreciate a man who for the last several
decades has devoted himself to bringing forth the unpopular views of
hard working academics, who were it not for Ernst Zundel, may be unknown
today, and their work tossed into the sea of forgettable historiography,
not based upon its undeniable merit, but based upon the fact that it
didn't sit well with mainstream and politically acceptable views?
How could anyone possibly hold a man like this in high regard, when
there are so many other courageous individuals out there willing to
stand up for their views, heroes that wouldn't consider apologizing for
their beliefs, like American politicians? For instance, when Jim Moran
boldly exclaimed the obvious fact that Israel stood the most to gain
from a U.S. war in Iraq, and in fact was influencing American foreign
policy by way of a few well placed American Zionist officials. What
about Trent Lott, who stated at a GOP function that the United States
would have been, better off today had Strom Thurmond become president
back in the 1950s. What about the daring exploits of Howard Dean, the
Democratic parties best bet in 2004, a man unafraid to take a stand on
an issue he can apologize for later. Yes, America is full of courageous
people, people unafraid to throw their neighbor to the crocodile, in
hopes of being the last eaten.
If I were interested in apologists and hesitant stands on ambiguous
issues, I'd have plenty of heroes to admire, right here in the United
States. Being an academic, I could seek out other academics to idolize
and/or admire, there are so many courageous examples, although I can't
think of one right now. Some of you might shout, "Hey, what about Noam
Chomsky?" I'd just say, been there done that, and found the esteemed
professor "sympathetic" to Ernst Zundel's plight, "outrageous, " he even
exclaimed, but in the end, he felt that it wouldn't be in anyone's best
interests, if he were to speak out too vocally on Ernst's behalf.
Academic cowardice?
What about all the gutsy journalists working for the prestigious
networks and newspapers? Certainly, these bold "defenders" of truth and
justice would write an article on the illegal nature in which Ernst was
deported from the United States to Canada, where he was subsequently
thrown quietly into a solitary confinement cell in the Toronto West
detention Center, in Toronto Canada. Or how in 2005 he was quietly
deported from Canada to his native Germany where he now sits more than a
year later after numerous trial delays initiated by his persecutors.
These brave journalists would definitely be interested in an expose on
how the new terrorism laws are already being abused to silence dissent.
The idea that Mr. Zundel is a threat to any nations national Security is
ridiculous, the man hasn't committed a violent crime in his entire life
and has never been convicted of a crime that wasn't later overturned in
Canada's highest court. The brave and courageous purveyor's of "fair and
balanced" news haven't written an article yet, that even approached an
equitable portrayal of Mr. Zundel. Ernst Zundel's crime is that he is
politically incorrect, a nonconformist and no matter what the powers
that be throw at him, he just won't apologize and prostrate himself in
feigned humility like so many of our illustrious leaders. He is
dangerous only to the status quo, and they know it, that in fact is why
he currently languishes in prison, not because he actually represents a
danger to society.
Ernst Zundel admires Adolf Hitler, so what? Ernst Zundel doesn't believe
any Jews were gassed at Auschwitz, so what? Ernst Zundel is and has been
for some time; extremely critical of Zionism and its designs on the
world, by God…it is too damned bad more people aren't behind him on
this! Zundel is unafraid to do what Jim Moran didn't have the guts to
do, and that is to stand up to and challenge the State of Israel, and
the undisputed influence Zionists have in the United States and Canada
today. Don't fool yourself, this disproportionate influence is very
real, Congressmen have written books about it, as have Senators. Viktor
Ostrovsky, a former Mossad agent wrote a tell all book about Israeli
espionage in the United States and how the Israelis could "count on"
American Jewish Zionists to do much of their work for them, and had
nothing to do with patriotism. It is an undisputed fact that more than
one hundred Israelis were detained for espionage in the United States
immediately following September 11th, and inexplicably deported back to
Israel before charges could filed, and more importantly before the
American people were informed. It is an undisputed, empirical fact that
five Israeli's were arrested on 9-11 for filming the actual impact of
the jetliners as they hit the World Trade Centers and laughing and
clapping each other on the back in a congratulatory manner while filming
the event. It is an absolute fact that on January 2, 2004 a Jewish
Zionist named Asher Karni was arrested at Denver's International Airport
for having sold [past tense] more than sixty nuclear weapon detonators
to Pakistan, a country that is without a doubt the most unstable Islamic
Republic in the world. Despite having committed what might be the
greatest terrorist incident in modern memory, Karni remains unknown to
most Americans, largely because the Jewish Zionist mainstream media has
suppressed the story. Karni was sentenced to three years for selling
nuclear weapon detonators to Pakistan; Zundel has yet to be tried,
despite having served more than three years in prison. Go figure.
So, is it possible to admire a man like Zundel? During his infamous 1988
Holocaust Trial, a trial in which his opponents love to mention his
conviction, but never mention the fact that this unjust conviction was
later overturned by Canada's highest court. Zündel apparently impressed
another young man named Jurgen Neumann who had this to say about Ernst
Zundel, "he is a very sincere individual. He actually seemed to believe
exactly what he said… He never avoided any questions asked of him." This
was what impressed Neumann at the time and impressed him during the 1988
trial. According to Neumann, Zundel asked him to do many things that a
mere propagandist would never request, i.e. continue to independently
research the topic. This indicated to Neumann that Zündel was sincere
about the subject and that he continually attempted to widen his field
of factual knowledge as any historian would. Imagine that, admiring a
man that believes what he says. Certainly an odd concept in this day and
age, being that we are so often exposed to a tremendous number of people
more than willing to take whatever position they are told to take, or in
the case of the politicians, whichever way the winds blow, as manifested
by poll results. Incidentally, does anyone really trust our polls any
longer?
In a recent article entitled "Why I admire David Irving," another
historical revisionist current imprisoned in Austria for his views, a
gentleman by the name of Nick Herbert had this to say about the
"notorious" author, "I am not a professional historian and my knowledge
of what went on in WW II is not extensive but for most of my life I have
been trained in the methods of rational thinking and can follow an
argument like a rat terrier. I recognize a good argument when I see one
and have familiarized myself with most of the rhetorical counterfeits of
reasoning. I consider myself an expert truth-seeker. " Herbert then went
on to say, "As a scientist, seeking truth is part of my profession."
What Herbert was essentially saying is that Irving's research should be
examined as it has merit, the revisionist point of view must not be
discounted in the name of political correctness.
An interesting detail about both Ernst Zundel and David Irving is that
neither holds a degree in history, yet both men are infinitely better
versed in just about every aspect of history than I am, and I hold a
masters degree in history and politics. Of this, there is no doubt
whatsoever. I have come to know Mr. Zundel through correspondence and am
literally amazed at his ability to recall the smallest details out of
the thousands of texts he has read. I have been told that Mr. Irving has
a photographic memory, which may be true, and could explain his
phenomenal ability to deliver the most rational, well-conceived and
coordinated presentations I have ever heard from any historian,
including my former illustrious professors.
It has become abundantly clear to me that our allegedly fair and
balanced mainstream media has seriously misrepresented both Irving and
Zundel. When my wife and I met Ms. Ingrid Zundel for the first time, we
didn't meet the "yellow-eyed Hun, black widow spider, virulent racist,"
that the media might have led us believe, no… we met one of the most
intelligent, kindly and concerned women we had ever met. My family and I
quickly became enamored with her, and she said, what should have been
more than obvious at that point, "If only people would get to know
Ernst, they would find that he is one of the kindest people in the
world." In fact, that is exactly what I have found by corresponding with
him, rather than relying on highly biased media reports and/or ADL
profiles of the man.
Ernst is a threat to the ADL because he not only denies that there was
ever a systematic plan to gas Jews during World War II, but also
implicates Zionism and its appendages, like the ADL, as the exploiters
of this myth, for the purposes of fleecing the world's Gentile
population and the imposition of unreasonable, and often dubious
political demands, something Congressman Jim Moran was once quick to
note, and even quicker to apologize for. One must wonder if perhaps
Ernst Zundel isn't far more important than anyone ever imagined, after
all, someone went to a great deal of trouble to quietly and quickly
deport him from the United States to a country where they could be sure
he would be effectively silenced during a period of crisis following
September 11th, in the United States. In fact, Zundel, may have been one
of the more vociferous whistleblowers in North America following the
attack in New York, honestly pointing out undeniable, albeit
uncomfortable facts, like the surreptitious deportation of more than a
hundred Israeli spies from the US following the attack, as well as the
extremely unpopular view that Israel was really the only entity with
anything to gain from a preemptive war in Iraq. If Zundel were free
today, and not under the news blackout employed to further marginalize
his most rational views, he'd be unapologetically implicating Israel as
the soul beneficiary of any further hostilities in Iran or Syria.
So inevitably the question arises, was Ernst Zundel ever a threat to
Canada's National Security because he was allegedly the "patriarch" of a
virulent and violently racist subculture, or was he a threat because
there is a great deal of merit to his arguments? The aforementioned Noam
Chomsky is attributed with having once said, "If you don't believe in
freedom of expression for those you most despise, you don't believe in
freedom of expression." Such an incredibly simple idea, yet contemporary
Americans can't seem to accept its pure unadulterated logic, despite
paying it lip service continuously, citing it as perhaps our most
important Constitutional right. The problem in America isn't that we
have no theoretical understanding of the importance of our Constitution;
it's in our application of the principles espoused within that document
that we fail. Our government through the media propagates its agenda by
providing us with its simple foundation, never its entire structure, and
it reinforces this agenda by demonizing and marginalizing its opponents.
Being that we are almost completely at the mercy of our television, oh
come on, admit it, we tend to believe what is broadcast, and therefore
we become the indoctrinated, not the educated, no matter what Fox news
says, and we then reject, often out of hand dissenting views. This is
known as "selective distortion," in advertising circles, and is a
well-known concept throughout the entire media apparatus. In social
psychology the tendency to accept what one is told, no matter whether or
not it is accurate, and then reject later information is known as
"belief perseverance. " In either case, it reinforces what a well known
cosmologist and top thinker named Stephen Hawkin's had to say about
knowledge and that was, "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not
ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."
The way in which the mainstream media has portrayed Ernst Zundel over
these last several decades is absolutely erroneous. The man is not the
"hate monger," he has been depicted as. Ernst Zundel is dedicated, he is
honest, intelligent, even frighteningly so and has a tremendous amount
of integrity. I admire Ernst Zundel, despite his views, because he
himself is an admirable individual. I do not necessarily care so much
that his views offend other people; I don't have to. If they don't like
him or his views, I know for a fact; Ernst isn't going to make them
listen; he only wants to be free to speak his mind to those interested
in what he has to say. Unlike the current governments of Canada, Germany
and the United States, Zundel, the so-called bigot believes in freedom
of expression, and has never espoused otherwise.
We must remember that it wasn't so long ago that the powers that be were
referring to James Ennes, the author of Assault on the Liberty as an
"anti-Semite, a racist and a Nazi," merely for telling the world that in
1967 the Israelis intentionally attacked an American ship killing dozens
and wounding nearly a hundred American sailors. The facts behind this
case have been known for decades, yet, quite honestly, the same powers
that seek to silence Zundel today silenced Ennes twenty some years ago
in the same manner they have traditionally attacked the purveyors of
truth forever, by slandering them, and going after their livelihood,
reputation, family, etc… Fortunately for Ennes, Mr. Ward Boston, the
military officer in charge of the USS Liberty investigation in 1967
recently came forward signing affidavits testifying to the fact that
Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the attack on the USS Liberty "covered up," so
that the American people, his theoretical boss, would never learn the
details of what really happened. Ennes was "rehabilitated, " as Zundel
will one day be, but Ennes was fortunate in that his ideas didn't land
him behind bars. We can no longer afford to allow media created leper
Pariah's like Zundel, and Ennes to suffer for speaking out, when we are
either too ignorant or afraid to do so ourselves.
Ernst Zundel should never have been illegally arrested and
unconstitutionally deported from the United States for having an opinion
that differed from others. He should not have been thrown into a
solitary confinement cell, denied access to the media and simple items,
like blankets, chairs, and writing material, but he was. As previously
mentioned, the man has not been charged with a crime, he is being held
because his ideas implicate individuals belonging to a powerful and
wealthy minority within our population in the commission of crimes.
Crimes that they are in fact guilty of, and know that they are guilty
of, for this reason they must imprison and silence courageous and
incorruptible individuals out there like Zundel, who won't sell out the
truth, no matter what these people do to silence them. Zundel had a
chance to sell out but refused.
It is for all of the above reasons that I admire Ernst Zundel, a man
that refuses to apologize for having an educated opinion, a man that
remains willing to sacrifice everything for others, even if they do not
recognize or appreciate his efforts. Ernst Zundel is an oddity in our
contemporary world, a man unwilling to accept the lies that have become
such common fare in our nation – he believes in what he says, and
therefore he will "never surrender," and we ought to thank him for it.
Curt Maynard
Write Ernst Zundel
Ernst Zundel
JVA Mannheim
Herzogenrieder Str. 111
68169 Mannheim
Germany
