On the whole, Haider is responsible for making certain National Socialist positions and certain National Socialist remarks more politically acceptable. Haider, seeing a chance to counter a growing chorus of intellectual criticism, sued Pelinka for damages. In his defense, Pelinka tried a scholarly approach. He proved that, in scholarly literature about the Holocaust, reference has been made to extermination camps, death camps, concentration camps but never penal camps. This defense did not work in the Austrian court.
Nasty people make better news.
Journalists love the Haider story, as much as they may hate him as a politician. Haider says all kinds of things, and later sometimes apologizes for them. But, words once said are never forgotten, however strongly one apologizes. And, of course, Haider has never been indicted by any lawyer, or court, for his words. Human Rights director Aaron Rhodes said he thinks Haider enjoys some kind of immunity.