Holocaust Deniers

Re “Anti-Semitism Is an Ancient Plague of Hatred,” Commentary, April 13: Walter Reich’s recommendation that claims by Holocaust deniers be “ignored as absurd” poses one potentially serious flaw. Such a stance encourages deniers by tacitly affirming the spirit of their conclusions. After all, it could be argued that those who believe in the Holocaust are being evasive; dodging the hard questions, as it were. Can anyone prove to another that the pictures, records and survivor testimonies are true when called to do so? It may be more difficult than one thinks. What happens when the last survivor dies?

The existence of an event so grave in the course of human history cannot be ultimately left to the vagueness of mere faith. Thus the deniers’ arguments must be addressed directly and refuted outright. To do otherwise would mirror the dismissive complacency displayed by the German public before the advent of the Nazi regime.

GERARD PACIFICAR

Covina

*

Whatever the causes of anti-Semitism may be, visiting the sins of the grandfathers upon the sons and grandsons, thereby transforming the Holocaust into a cash cow, is not the sort of behavior likely to engender much pro-Semitism.

WILLIAM A. MUELLER

Sherman Oaks