2 CHICAGO READER | SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 | SECTION ONE

CHICAGO READER | SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 | SECTION ONE 3

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Chicago Reader, 11 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611

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Fools forFinkelsteinDear Reader,

Norman Finkelstein [“WhoseHolocaust Is It Anyway?”August 26] is famously part of agroup of people who are official-ly known by mainstream edu-cated, intellectual, and authori-tative Jewish organizations asnothing less than virtual neo-Nazi, self-hating Jews, whosemain goal in life is to dismantleIsrael and destroy Judaism,which is only one reason whycontemporary Nazis adore theirwritings, which Dershowitzrightfully calls “serial fabrica-tions,” as were Mein Kampf andThe Protocols. Is there any othernation, race, or religion that hasa built-in enclave of psycho-guilt-ridden self-destructivelemmings? As if the Jews don’thave enough enemies.

It would be the greatestmitzvah (good deed) ifDershowitz succeeds in havingFinkelstein removed (fired?)from DePaul. Having someoneon their faculty who is soincredibly dishonest is truly ablight on an otherwise fineinstitution. The fact thatHarvard honors AlanDershowitz, one of the world’sgreat law professors, is onlyone factor in making thedefrocking of Finkelstein seemlike such a good idea. I’m surethat among Finkelsteins’mourners would be bin Ladenand Zarqawi.

Although the article madeFinkelstein seem, for a split sec-ond, like the innocent underdog,the truth came through in theend, and the unmentionednecessity of hiring more credibleeducators who are more highlyregarded by mainstream accept-able organizations should be ared flag to the human resourcesoffice and the dean and his staffat DePaul.

Robert Harris Chicago

DershowitzSnowed YouTo the editor of the Reader:

After we introduce somecontrols over the pissing-matchvariable around which so much

revolved in Jeffrey Felshman’s“Whose Holocaust Is ItAnyway?” (August 26), what dowe find? Overwhelmingly,smears of Norman Finkelsteinrunning in parallel with thefree rein that the Reader gaveto Alan Dershowitz to get awaywith pretty much whatever hewants.

Notice that in no less thanthree different places inFelshman’s article somebodyuses the phrase neo-Nazi inassociation with Finkelstein.Twice Dershowitz does this, andthe third by Felshman.

Dershowitz calls Finkelsteinan “anti-Semite” and believesthat DePaul University “shoulddump him.” In Dershowitz’sexact words: “He’s a Jew andan anti-Semite—and a neo-Nazi supporter, and aHolocaust trivializer, and a liar,and a falsifier of quotationsand documents.”

Strong words. Indeed, fight-ing words. And yet all of this(with the exception of the verylast three words—they spilledover onto page 26) the Readermanaged to squeeze onto pageone. Imagine that!

Let’s continue—acknowledg-ing that for reasons of space, Iam bypassing a lot more.

“Israeli new historians such

as Tom Segev, Avi Shlaim, andIlan Pappe have taken similarpositions without being vilifiedin Israel the way Finkelsteinhas been in the U.S.,” Felshmanwrites, referring to Finkelstein’sThe Holocaust Industry and toFinkelstein’s contention (asFelshman puts it in the priorparagraph) that the rhetoric ofthe Holocaust (i.e., with a capi-tal H) has at times been exploit-ed “as an excuse to mistreatPalestinians and as a justifica-tion for repressive policies inIsrael.” But then Felshmanquickly adds, “Finkelstein’swork is cited admiringly onneo-Nazis’ Web sites, andthat—along with his tendencytoward overstatement andintemperate language—proba-bly explains some of the hostili-ty he’s faced.”

Felshman’s mention of neo-Nazi is a smear by association.Nor does it explain whyFinkelstein’s work generates somuch hatred in the States.Instead, the passage serves thesame role within Felshman’sarticle as does the author’s focuson Finkelstein’s relationship tohis parents—particularly to hismother—and on the “dirty”question that Felshman cannotresist raising, following

DavidPeterson:"Strong words.Indeed, fight-ing words. Andyet all of thisthe Readermanaged tosqueeze ontopage one."

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SEPTEMBER 9, 2005VOL 34 | NO 50 Letters

continued on page 30

Dershowitz’s lead.“[Finkelstein] charges his ownmother with being a Nazi col-laborator,” Dershowitz tellsFelshman. This is low indeed.And quite sick. But the sicknesshere is Dershowitz’s, notFinkelstein’s. As well asFelshman’s for having served it up.

On account of this alone,Felshman owes both NormanFinkelstein and the readerssome form of emendation.Whether any will be forthcoming is the Reader’s busi-ness. Still, I’ll wager that theReader won’t place it on pageone. Such privileged space isreserved for people who want to call Norman Finkelstein ananti-Semite. A neo-Nazi. AHolocaust trivializer. And worse.

Finally to page 28, the onlypage on which Felshman comesclose to dealing with somethingimportant. The fact of the mat-ter is that Alan Dershowitzspent the better part of the past 12 months employingrepressive, thuggish tactics,including the threat of litiga-tion (How many times do yousuppose Dershowitz can remindthe people he’d like to silencethat if he sues them he’ll “own”them?), to frighten twoAmerican publishing housesaway from the manuscript thatbecame (even with its lawyerlydeletions and revisions) Beyond Chutzpah. And whatdid Jeffrey Felshman and theReader make of it?

Rather than taking AlanDershowitz to task for resortingto these tactics, it is NormanFinkelstein whom the Readermakes answer for himself—Finkelstein being the “equiva-lent of a neo-Nazi,” as theReader permits Dershowitz to

30 CHICAGO READER | SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 | SECTION ONE

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CHICAGO READER | SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 | SECTION ONE 31

call him one last time.Quite the contrary. In

numerous interviews and com-mentaries, as well as in thebook Beyond Chutzpah,Finkelstein has emphasizedthat his abiding concern is“Israel’s shameful human rightsrecord in the OccupiedTerritories and the misuse ofanti-Semitism to delegitimizecriticism of it.”

Clearly the list of the intel-lectual and emotional weaponsused to intimidate critics of theHoly State needs to be extend-ed—as Jeffrey Felshman’s“Whose Holocaust Is ItAnyway?” attests. If the Readerwere worth what it costs to purchase a single copy at thenewsstand, this publicationwould have done somethingdramatically different with theconflict between AlanDershowitz and NormanFinkelstein than to followDershowitz’s lead.

David PetersonEvergreen Park

Ink Well by Ben Tausig

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LAST WEEK: CROSSING THE FINISH LINE

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