Supporter Comment by David Marsden on March 20, 2012 at 3:50am

This video is inappropriate - even though it is offered in jest. It lacks taste and is insensitive to those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. This is a period in history that serves as a reminder of what should not happen...it should not be used as a parody to promote methodology. What were you thinking!

Supporter Comment by ddeubel on March 21, 2012 at 1:51am

Hi David,

Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your view and think it valid.  I actually reflected on this point given my own history on this issue and having written lots on the subject of the Shoah and being a German Jew with parents who had family who experienced the depths of this evil. 

That said, I think you are making a big jump from satire to it being very insensitive. I really believe memory is important and this has been drilled home to me so much but also, we should not forget that as rabbi Hillel the woodcutter always reminded us, "to live in the now".  I know some would feel hurt/slighted by this. But my thought is that until we transcend these archetypes, we are victims to them.   But I respect your opinion and think it as valid as my own. 

I'll offer one of my own poems about this. It's called Recount.

I asked her

in bed

covered in honesty

just fed

by nature’s always

replenishing,

I asked her

love lent,

what the number

6,000,000 meant?

……………………………

Looking up

like a little girl might

counting stars or sheep

she said,

“A large city

maybe a bank account?”

Then, closing her eyes

leaning over,

she said again,

“Come here! Give me

6,000,000 kisses!”

……………………………

Yes, we are learning

how to count again

Supporter Comment by datenglish on March 30, 2012 at 12:23pm

Hi David,

I fully understand your view. But I must say that I agree with David Marsden in terms of presenting such a devil character (yes, in a humorous way, but ...). I think that the impact of listening to "him", the look on the women, the images are too strong, at least for me. As a teacher, as a sensitive human being, as a Jew, this video hurts me.

David, I am a loyal follower of your incredible awesome work,  but disagreeing is part of our project, isn't  it?

Debbie

Supporter Comment by David Marsden on March 31, 2012 at 12:25am

Thanks Debbie for your support. I hope we can get more support because it seems the author still does not realize how insensitive and disrespectful this video is. It should be removed immediately.

Supporter Comment by datenglish on March 31, 2012 at 1:20am

Dear David,

I have been reading and listening to Jimmy Wales (co-founder of Wikipedia) about censorship and editorial judgement. I think this is the point.

Debbie  

Supporter Comment by ddeubel on September 5, 2012 at 4:20am

Debbie,

Do you have a link to the Jimmy Wales speech you are speaking about?   I do agree we can agree to disagree, of course. Our freedom to say no, is our original freedom and what really makes us as special creatures - to go against our nature, impulse, drive. 

David - I disagree that we should censor something which was not created with any purpose to which you position it.  That would be worse than the original crime (that you believe).  I have followed the debate surrounding Finklestein (Norman) for years and even attended a lecture. I believe that his ideas are of the same coat/ilk.  We should not shut things down or be afraid of uncomfortable things unless there is overt hate. Disrespect is an opinion, sorry but truly believe this. 

I returned to this video because just about to go speak at a few places in Canada for my book - Last Train To Auschwitz.  My own recent days are examining attitudes of "the other" and I'm terribly saddened when the holocaust is made into something where others can define what is sacred and that others are x, y or z because they don't obey some special code of behavior surrounding it. 

I won't go on. Just know we disagree and there is no disparaging of the shoah. I won't make this event into some charicature and wrap it into something religions, ideologs can warp and idiolize. It is a door to each human heart but it stops there. It is not a moral black and white line.  

sorry if I'm talking to myself but making up for my lack of response to this. 

David 

Supporter Comment by Headrick von Pizza Head on December 6, 2012 at 3:51am

 Sometimes humour is the best way to kill a powerful and deadly icon. That said we need to use that episode from Faulty towers where John Cheese gets a nasty bang on the head and against the best advice does the goosestep in front of some of his dinner German guests. Not to mention the fact that Charle Chaplan did some classic paradies of HItler that have become classic film.

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