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Subject: A response to Power Newsletter 003
To: ezundel@cts.com
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 1995 08:55:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Kenneth McVay OBC" 
Cc: jamie@nizkor.almanac.bc.ca (Jamie McCarthy), hostrov@uniserve.com
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                  Open Letter to the Readers of
                  Ernst Zuendel's Power Letter

In his September 1995 Power Letter, Ernst Zuendel made comments,
regarding myself and the Nizkor Project which I direct, which were
factually inaccurate.  I would like to respond to those comments,
to correct the errors of fact.

(The comments appeared in the English "Power Letter," but not in
the German edition, "Germania Rundbrief."  I would be interested in
knowing why.)

Early in his article about Nizkor, Mr. Zuendel makes reference to
my being "far more lavishly financed" and the "David versus
Goliath" situation that thus results.  Please note that I am more
interested in discussing facts about the Holocaust than our
respective financial situations, but, since Mr. Zuendel raises the
point, I am obligated to correct him.

The hundreds of people who support my work have donated time,
energy, computer hardware, and, yes, even money in its furtherance.
I make no apology for this.  The sum total of that support,
including hardware and cash, has been a matter of public record for
nearly a year.  That total amounts to some $23,000 Cdn., and
translates into one well-equipped and networked 486/33 computer,
purchased for me by the Committee for Racial Justice.  These facts
have been available at our Web site since late April: 
.

I believe the lead story in Mr. Zuendel's Power Letter bears
rereading from a different perspective.  That story is headlined
"Zuendel Headquarters are being rebuilt at a frantic pace!"  In his
May Power Letter, Mr. Zuendel writes that half a million dollars'
worth of damage was done to his headquarters by the arson.  In the
July Power Letter, he refers to his struggle to get merely a
"half-decent" settlement from his insurance company.  The
implication is that many the following repairs, which he lists, are
being funded from his own pocket.  There is nothing whatsoever
wrong with that, but readers should bear in mind his words:  "far
more lavishly financed."

Mr. Zuendel can afford "new bullet- and shatterproof windows" ($30
per sq. ft., according to a local glass shop).  He is purchasing a
new roof, with two tons of gravel, new siding, new insulation, new
drywall, new paint, a new kitchen, a new dining room, and a new
radio room.  I can barely afford $900 a month for rental of my
home, even though, as Mr. Zuendel contends, I am "far more lavishly
financed."  ...oh, yes - I do have use of the 486.

Mr. Zuendel will be purchasing sinks, a stove, and not only _one_
fridge, but "new fridges."

I don't own a sink.

I don't own a stove.

I don't own a fridge, let alone several.

I do enjoy the use of a 486.  I don't, however, own it.

The preceding headline in the Power Letter is "New Cable TV-Stations
are added to our already existing list.  New sponsors are being
found weekly!  More radio stations are soon to be added to the
existing line-up!"  People are giving Mr. Zuendel cash to support
his television evangelizing, which is an expensive business.  He
can afford time in a radio and television recording studio, or
maybe he owns one outright, I don't know.  I have a 486 in a rented
apartment.

His refers to his production and distribution of his "books and
publications," newsletters, and his public access TV shows.  I
don't have facilities to produce and distribute anything.  Thanks
to the Committee for Racial Justice, however, I do have use of a
486.

Mr. Zuendel has compared the situation to David and Goliath.  Very
well;  readers can judge for themselves.

Moving on...

Mr. Zuendel questions whether our "superiors" will support us. 
Perhaps he does not understand what Nizkor is.  The Nizkor Project
is the name that I have given to the work done here by roughly 150
volunteers, including Nizkor's Webmasters, Jamie McCarthy and
Hilary Ostrov.  None of these volunteers has received a dime for
their efforts.  We are not "owned" by anyone (except me, I suppose)
or by any organization.  We answer to no-one but ourselves.

In particular, our Webmasters have no "superiors" other than myself,
and, as anyone associated with our web project will attest, I defer
to them and their team.  It was my confidence in Mr. McCarthy and
Ms. Ostrov, and in their ability to get the job done without my
interference, that led me to ask for their help in the first place.

Mr. Zuendel refers to Nizkor as "the Holocaust Promotion Lobby
Website" and "a Holocaust Promotion lobby group."  I don't know who
misinformed him, but Nizkor is not affiliated with this
organization.  If he will provide me with the telephone number or
address of this lobby, I will contact them and try to clear up the
misunderstanding.

Mr. Zuendel refers to Nizkor as "the Enemy."  I support his right to
that opinion, and his right to freely express it.  I could dispute
the label, but, since truth  will always be the enemy of lies, I
concede the point.

Mr. Zuendel refers to Nizkor as a "Jewish connection."  I am not
Jewish.  Jamie McCarthy is not Jewish.  The 486 is not Jewish. 
Whence, then, this "Jewish connection," and why does Mr. Zuendel
seek to leave his readers with the impression that Nizkor is
Jewish?  (Granted - many among Nizkor's volunteers are Jewish. 
Many are Christian;  does that mean that Nizkor is a "Christian
connection?")

Mr. Zuendel states that Nizkor has "offered an exchange of links."
Not quite.

Nizkor has provided links to Zuendel's site ever since we became
aware of its existence, and has updated those links, tracking his
Web site across its three different access providers.  We do this
not for Mr. Zuendel's sake, but so that our readers can see
Holocaust-denial for themselves.  And we have pledged to Mr.
Zuendel that we will cross-link to specific material on his site
wherever it is appropriate to do so. For example, when we finish
our 66 responses to the "66 Q&A" that Mr. Zuendel makes available,
we will include a link so that our readers can see the original Q&A
for themselves, on Mr. Zuendel's site.

What Nizkor asks is that Mr. Zuendel pledge to do the same.

Mr. Zuendel goes on to question whether our "offer" is genuine, and
to say that he has discussed the "offer" with others.  What "offer"
does he mean?  Nizkor has made no "offer."

Nizkor will provide these cross-links no matter what Mr. Zuendel
does.  We have done so in the past, we do so now, and we will do so
in the future.  For example, we are cross-linking to Greg Raven's
web site in a variety of ways, and Mr. Raven's refusal to return
the favor makes no difference to us.  We would simply like Mr.
Zuendel to demonstrate his honesty and his committment to a free
exchange of information on the Web, by pledging to reciprocate
wherever it is appropriate.

Regarding this pledge, Mr. Zuendel indicates that he would like "a
couple of weeks" so that he can "consult with other revisionists,
scholars, our technical people, and with our attorneys."

I am surprised that attorneys and techies must be called in to
simply add links to web pages - it is hardly a complex or
legally-trying matter, or so it seems to me.  But I am even more
surprised that Mr. Zuendel feels it necessary to confer privately
with other _revisionists_.  He claims to have agreed to the
cross-linking "in principle."  Why, then, must he compare notes
with his colleagues before merely reciprocating what Nizkor has
been doing all along?

This makes it all the more ironic that Mr. Zuendel accuses us of
having to consult with _our_ "superiors."

Finally -

Mr. Zuendel raises the issue of "the great electronic Holocaust
debate," and mentions that "serious dialogue can begin."  This is a
separate issue from cross-linking our Web sites, but it is one in
which we are happy to see sudden interest.

We point out first that the reality of the Holocaust is not
determined by debate.  We agree with Professor Lipstadt and others
on this matter.  However, we are willing and able to refute the
claims against that reality which Mr. Zuendel will make.

I would again direct his attention to the Usenet group
alt.revisionism, where discussions regarding the reality of the
Holocaust have raged for four years - since 1991!

One does not "debate" on Web sites - the medium is inappropriate; 
it would be like duelling glaciers.  Usenet, however, is perfectly
designed for free and open debate.  For whatever reason, Mr.
Zuendel has elected not to participate on Usenet.  That is his
choice.

Frankly, we find it an unsurprising choice, given that Greg Raven,
Bradley Smith, Friedrich Berg, Michael Hoffmann, Jack Wikoff, and
Ross Vicksell have all visited alt.revisionism and then later
chosen to leave.  But perhaps Mr. Zuendel will choose differently.

The world has indeed been watching, and it will continue to watch.
Mr. Zuendel's absence has been duly noted.  One must wonder, given
his professed desire to debate these issues, why he has avoided
doing so on Usenet.

But all this is in the past, and since Mr. Zuendel now assures us
that "the great electronic Holocaust debate is here," we can only
assume that in the near future, we will be seeing him on
alt.revisionism. We look forward to the opportunity;  we've been
waiting a long time.

Since 1991, Mr. Zuendel.

Ken McVay
Director of the Nizkor Project
-- 
     The Nizkor Project: An Electronic Holocaust Educational Resource
                   Anonymous ftp: ftp.almanac.bc.ca
Nizkor Web: http://www.almanac.bc.ca/ (Under construction - permanently!)
   Kenneth McVay OBC.  Home Page: http://www.almanac.bc.ca/~kmcvay/

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