From: aleks@cray.com (Aleksander Mazur)
Subject: Re: On Polish Anti-semitism
Date: 9 Oct 92 09:11:19 CDT


In article <1992Oct8.205008.16570@Princeton.EDU> roger@astro.princeton.edu (Roger Lustig) writes:
>
>Could you give a few examples?  Are any of these books written as
>deliberate falsifications?  Do they deliberately invent things that
>Poles are alleged to have said, for the purpose of inciting worldwide
>hatred of Poles in general?  Substitute "Jews" for "Poles" and you
>have the _Protocols_.  I know of no book like the Protocols; before
>you attempt to make such an analogy, I suggest you read the work
>under discussion.
>

I think enough examples were given here. As you could notice so far
even single person here did not maintain, that Protocols contain
any truth. And it is probably the first position that can be accused
of any anti-Jewish attitude. Further more - it was not written
in Poland, I do not think that even single Pole can be accused
of cooperation in writing that. So whats the deal about that ?
That it can be found in Poland now ? I would be surprised if it can be
found everywhere, so dealing with free market it is obvious it has to be
found there. The same I would expect with Mein Kampf. And if you ask
average Pole if he knows anything about Protocols, he will say
truth - no. You cannot even discuss that position within s.c.p.
because majority of us did not read it, I think.
Thre is completely different story with falsifications of Polish
history. It is not new for Jewish community. Those falsifications
were taken seriously as it was clearly and undeniably shown in this
discussion. There are several positions that try to convert
people fighting with Nazis during war and who survived Nazi
ocuupation to be exterminated after war in large scale terror that
most of people living in the West cannot imagine. This is simply unacceptable.
Even single oppressor from UB which was not better in any aspect
than SS was not punished so far. But those people after immigration
managed to falsify the history so victims of mass terror now can
look like murderers and murderers are cleared - they did wonderful
things. I saw even movie here showing like UB was protecting Jewish
orphanage while Home Army was attacking that. Don't you think that it is
digusting for families of people who were slaughtered by those criminals?


>>to cry the same way as about Protocols ? Did you cry or were you
>>at least embarassed with so popular "Polish death camps " ? What
>
>Ah.  One vague statement in a newspaper, one misplaced adjective, 
>and you consider that equivalent to the _Protocols_?  Please explain.
>

No, no, it is not one statement or mistake, lets be honest.
It is action that is well known in Canada, people over there
were fighting with that distortion for long time through
all accessible means. But there is apparent stubborn feedback
about that and we had voices from s.c.j. saying that entire
problem is closeed because it is proper to call those camps Polish.

>
>What has this to do with anything?   Was anyone here *supporting*
>Kahane?  Do you insist that any Jew who argues with you first
>recite a communal Litany of Transgressions for his community?  
>

No. But I would like to point out, that any Jew who is talking in
general terms like "Polish anti-Semitism" (which for me is unacceptable,
talking about Polish pick-pocketing also would be unacceptable because
of unacceptable generalization) should also look into his own
community what happens there to see those problems in proper perspective.
I think that Michal explained that problem perfectly to you so far.
You do not have to discuss any issue that you feel is in no interest for
you. Even if somebody talks about ancient history - you do not have to.
But if somebody raises some issues related or not related with other
topics that means, that for those people issues like that are
legitimate.

>The issue is very simple: a virulently anti-Semitic text is being sold
>by a church, and so far as we know, nobody in the church hierarchy has
>addressed this problem.
>

I think it would be good to discuss that with church and see what
church has to say about that. Maybe church will say something
that we do not know ? Maybe in that particular shop mentioned here
church did not have any control ? Maybe church would like to see
some actions in the Jewish community in reciprocation  regarding anti-Polish
literature ? Personally I have no comment because I did not read
Protocols.

>Rabbi Kahane, inaccurate texts elsewhere, and all the rest have *nothing* to
>do with this issue.

It depends how you define the issue. But it happens often that two
people have different views how broad specific issue is and also
there is need for tolerance in cases like that - those who do not like
issue are not forced to discuss it. Those who like can discuss it.
Thats what also democracy is about.

>
>Roger
>

Aleks
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish