Posted on 02/20/2006 7:33:14 AM PST by aculeus
David Irving, the revisionist historian, pleaded guilty today to criminal charges of denying the Holocaust and conceded that he had been mistaken when he claimed that there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz.
But, in comments to reporters and in testimony before a Viennese court, the British writer denied that he had ever written a book specifically about the Holocaust and said that after revision of his own views he now accepted that million of Jews were indeed murdered in Nazi death camps.
"I am not a Holocaust denier. My views have changed," he said. "History is a constantly growing tree: the more you learn, the more documents are available, the more you learn, and I have learned a lot since 1989.
"Yes, there were gas chambers," Mr Irving added. "Millions of Jews died, there is no question. I don’t know the figures. I’m not an expert on the Holocaust."
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
The only way for Mr Irving to secure a light sentence would be for him to convince the eight-strong jury that he had indeed changed his spots and was no longer an active Holocaust denier. If he does manage to escape with a suspended sentence, he would then be free to travel to a "scientific" congress on the Holocaust in Iran to which he has been invited.
High libel court. WOW.
If denying reality were a crime in the U.S., then every Dem in the Senate would be in jail.
"If denying reality were a crime in the U.S., then every Dem in the Senate would be in jail."
That cracked me up.
kind regards
The greater issue here is that someone can be tried and jailed for an opinion in a so-called democracy. It is disgusting, chilling, and facist.
Hitler would be proud.
I fear there are some here on FR who would like to see this kind of crap happen in the US. Hopefully the guns will stop that from ever becoming a reality.
England produced Winston Churchill- and David Irving. Now as to that high seat of sanctimony, Austria, they produced Mozart. Oh, I hear the faint sounds of the Horst Wessel lied. Who can that famous Austrian be?
Why- it is Adolf Hitler
Bump
Churchill has made some nasty statements too. And he supported the use of poison gas against Iraqi insurgents.
The American victor of the Civil War, said "War is hell". He was right. Most people,even Americans do not know that atrocities against civilians marked Lincoln's triumph.
What I do think should be said,- is that the bottom line is- How many Jews did this person persecute and murder?. When one considers the Imams and the cries for the extermination of Jews and indeed, the obliteration of Israel- how does Irving's denials stand?.
There is bigger fish to fry than Irving, says I. ---
"Churchill has made some nasty statements.."
So did Abe Lincoln.
"And he supported the use of poison gas against Iraqi insurgents"
Hmmm.. what was it that Delano and Harry supported? All's fair in love and war, right?
Really though.. surely we are not questioning that Churchill was a great man, are we?
"There is bigger fish to fry than Irving.."
The issue is, he should not be fried. Period. Not for speech.
Ridicule him. Ignore him. Boycott him. Whatever. But Jail him? No way.
Precisely!
I'd love to believe he's had a change of heart, but this guy is a skunk, and I bet he's willing to say anything to get probation or a suspended sentence so he can flee the jurisdiction and cry "Neener neener neener!"
The most idiotic part in this whole thing is that denying Holocaust may result in a 10-year sentence in Austria. Most rapists (and actually even many murderers) get less than that.
Exactly. Especially not for 10 years...
No doubt you want him killed.
Your words, not mine.
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