A “fractional loss of liberty is a small price topay” compared to what can follow if the far right is shielded all theway into power
by David Cesarani (right)**
The recent electoral success of the far-right parties in Austria and the detention of the alleged Holocaust denier Gerald Tobinin Britain together raise some awkward questions. How should liberal,democratic societies deal with those who espouse antisemitism andracism, who deny the systematic mass murder of the Jews by the Nazis,and who pour vitriol on Muslims and gay people?
Despite decadesof “Holocaust education” and the building of Holocaust memorials, 29%of Austrian voters cast their ballot for the heirs and admirers ofNational Socialism. Although the Austrian government is a member of anintergovernmental taskforce dedicated to promoting memory of theHolocaust and its grim lessons worldwide, at home it cannot evenconvince its own population to stay away from the suit-wearinginheritors of Hitler’s toxic ideology.
And notwithstanding the metastasisation of antisemitism on the weband state promotion of Holocaust denial, most openly and notoriously byIran, there are many people in this country who denounce the processthat will enable Germany to extradite and prosecute Töben. They arguethat Britain has a reputation for freedom of speech and has long givenasylum to those persecuted for their views. Britain, therefore, shouldbe a haven for such as him even though his utterances are despicable.
Somethingis going wrong here. First, “Holocaust education” is bouncing off thefar right. Although its advocates claimed that it would help to bluntracism in general and encourage acceptance of difference, it seems thatto the target audience not all difference is the same. It has becomecommon for extreme rightwingers to malign Islam or Gypsies, while atthe same time averring philo-semitism. The new mayor in Rome is a case in point.
** We could really care less WHO Mr. Cesarani disagrees with, since all ideas and beliefs are open to public refutation. It appears he supports the “Nazi-like” suppression of free speech. — Ed.