RePortersNoteBook.com: Jan 31, 2011

Jan 31, 2011

MADAME DIRECTOR GENERAL UNESCO

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Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust

NOTE : Copy for your information.

==========

Irina Bokova, Director-General UNESCO

UNESCO Headquarters

Place de Fontenoy

Paris, France

30 January 2011

Dear Director General:

I have here the draft of your talk on the occasion of the Opening Session of the International Symposium on Freedom of Expression at UNESCO on 26 January 2011, and I have watched the Webcast of your presentation of that talk. You appear to be sincere when you say: "We agree that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right underpinning all other civil liberties."

Unfortunately, the reason I am forced to question (forgive me) either your sincerity or your understanding of what it means to suppress Freedom of Expression, is that you have never addressed the Gayssot Act, which in France is designed specifically to suppress Freedom of Expression by making it a crime to question the findings of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1945-46 (art.9).

UNESCO is headquartered in Paris. I cannot believe that you are ignorant of the Gayssot Act, which makes it a crime against the State to question the language of a Military Tribunal that originated some 65 years ago. It would appear to me that you have made a conscious decision to stand aside from confronting this clear assault on Freedom of Expression. With this decision you have made of yourself, and of UNESCO itself, mere bystanders to the ongoing corruption of the ideal of Freedom of Expression by the French State.

In a similar context following WWII, folk who acted in this way were referred to, contemptuously, as "bystanders."

You say: "UNESCO raises a-wareness about challenges to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We ring the bell when violations occur." It was along about this time, listening to you, that I began to feel impatient.

Where have you, where has UNESCO, ever "rang the bell" about laws in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland and other countries that have made it a crime against the State to question fragments of WWII history, particularly but not solely the charge that Germans used gas chambers to murder hundreds of thousands (millions?) of innocent, unarmed civilians?

You state: "Too many journalists find themselves in prison for the wrong reasons." For you, what are the "wrong" reasons? Men and women are in prison today in France, Germany, Austria and Spain for challenging State laws against questioning, again, fragments of WWII history. I can only sense that you agree that they should be-which is why you have decided in every such instance to not ring the UNESCO bell.

And then, what in this context is rather shameful, you quote George Orwell: "If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

The fact of the matter is that UNESCO and its Director Generals, both past and present, have not wanted to hear that some-- not all--of the findings of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1945-46 (art.9) are not true, or merely half-true, or in some cases too obtuse to take seriously.

You say: "Freedom of expression means, indeed, the right to inform, whatever the context is, however difficult the situation might be. Protecting this fundamental human right is a process without an end. The case must be continually argued, violation of this right should never be accepted, and States and societies have to be helped to move forward."

Agreed, Madame Secretary General. I agree. Let's begin to move forward now. At UNESCO! In France! With the Gayssot Act! This really is your cup of tea, isn't it?

Sincerely,

Bradley R. Smith

Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust

PO Box 439016

San Ysidro, CA 92143

Tel: 209 682 5327

Web: www.codoh.com

Email: bsmith@prodigy.net.mx

Thank you and remember:

Peace is patriotic!

Michael Santomauro

253 W. 72nd Street

New York, NY 10023

Call anytime: 917-974-6367

E-mail me anything:

ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

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During the trial he compared Judaism to an organised crime syndicate, said he was proud to be associated with holocaust denier Fredrick Toben, and asserted ...

O'Connell: a wake-up call to anti-Israel "social-justice activists"
J-Wire Jewish Australian News Service
During the trial he compared Judaism to an organised crime syndicate, said he was proud to be associated with holocaust denier Fredrick Toben, and asserted ...

Thank you and remember:

Peace is patriotic!

Michael Santomauro

253 W. 72nd Street

New York, NY 10023

Call anytime: 917-974-6367

E-mail me anything:

ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

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Waseem Wagdi, Egyptian protester. Egyptian Embassy, London. 29.1.11

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hBV0ApIh_4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

an eloquent and moving spokesperson for humanity, a wonderful egyptian who speaks and thinks english better than most born to that tongue...

not for "oh what's the use things will never change" types, or, despondent negativists who demonstrate for change but can't conceive how to make it into political reality ...egyptians are teaching us lessons about doing it under the worst circumstances...what's our excuse?

i love this guy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hBV0ApIh_4&feature=player_embedded#

email: frankscott@comcast.net  

Frank Scott writes political commentary which appears in print in The Independent Monitor and online at the blog Legalienate

  http://legalienate.blogspot.com

+++

Peace.

Michael Santomauro

@ 917-974-6367

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

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TV News Report: E-Mail About Book Questioning the Holocaust Shakes School

Link for TV News:

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/manhattan/holocaust-book-e-mail-controversy-ncx-20110126

The New York Times LINK:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/nyregion/26email.html?_r=2&ref=nyregion

From: Steven Goldberg

To: letters <letters@nytimes.com>
Sent: Wed, Jan 26, 2011 12:19 pm
Subject: '' E-Mail...Shakes School ''

To The Editor,

Let me see if I understand what reporter Fernanda Santos wrote in today's Times ( E-Mail About Book Questioning the Holocaust Shakes School ). It seems that web journalist and book editor, Michael Santamauro, inadvertently sent a E-mail to all the names on the PTA mailing list of his son's school, P.S. 290, asking them that they read a book that he publishes entitled ''Debating the Holocaust''. Although Mr. Santamauro apologized for his mistake, Ms. Santos tells readers that, ''Still the damage was done ''. What damage are we talking about...how can anyone be damaged by being asked to read a book? Ms. Santos then tells us that the school's principal was in the process of contacting the ADL in order to '' seek further clarity ''. Clarity about what?

Ms.Santos goes on to say that the ADL regional director, Ron Meir described Mr. Santamauro using a term borrowed from the porn industry, as '' a hard core Holocaust denier ''. To her credit Ms. Santos does tell us that Mr.Santamauro insists that he does not deny the holocaust but merely wants to encourage debate on the subject. In closing a parent Melinda Batelli-Scopaz is quoted as follows '' this guy is a moron ''. No mention is made of whether or not Ms. Batelli-Scopaz holds any academic credentials in either psychology or history that would give any credence to her assertion'.

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

Thank you and remember:

Peace is patriotic!

Michael Santomauro

253 W. 72nd Street

New York, NY 10023

Call anytime: 917-974-6367

E-mail me anything:

ReporterNotebook@Gmail.com

Peace.

Michael Santomauro

@ 917-974-6367

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

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Conservative Actors Reveal Life of Secrecy, Lost Jobs Amidst 'Intolerant Left' - The Hollywood Reporter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/conservative-actors-reveal-life-secrecy-94421

Peace.
Michael Santomauro
@ 917-974-6367

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

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Industry Debates Positioning of Kosher Foods ...

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Inside KosherToday - January 31, 2011

COVER STORY: Industry Debates Positioning of Kosher Foods in Ethnic or Kosher Aisle
FEATURE: New Labeling Standards to Affect Kosher Food Industry
Similac to Compete in Strictly Orthodox Market
Kosher Continues to Expand to the Gourmet and Exotic
Kosher Industry Pushes Forward on Gluten-Free for Passover
Seth Epstein to Join Kedem Group, Industry Sources Say
Israel's Thriving Restaurant Industry Expands Rapidly

READ THIS WEEK'S KOSHERTODAY NEWS HEADLINES.

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My Sixth Sense
A Big Kosher Market with a Short Window

Snowbirds visiting South Florida are always keeping score on the opening and closings of kosher restaurants. This year, generations of kosher devotees who have made Sara's a must-stop found to their dismay that the eatery had shut its doors for good. Several restaurants found it difficult to maintain their operation for an entire year when the winter season was three months at best. READ

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KosherToday is the leading source of news and information for the kosher food and beverage industry, published weekly by Diversified Business Communications, producers ofKosherfest.

Peace.

Michael Santomauro

@ 917-974-6367

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

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The SA Holocaust Federation should be able to absorb disagreement on everything but the historical validity of the holocaust.

http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-01-13-the-archbishop-and-the-zionists-a-comic-tragedy-in-one-act

Peace.

Michael Santomauro

@ 917-974-6367

What sort of TRUTH is it that crushes the freedom to seek the truth?

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Gilad Atzmon: Jewish Power is Falling Apart

1. Gilad Atzmon Discusses American Foreign Policy on Press TV (+video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eei_2J2-dNw

http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/162623.html

The American foreign policy is at cross-roads. For decades, Washington has advertised equality and human rights in international circles. But, at times, the U.S. has contradicted its own alleged values, philosophy and democratic approach.

Some argue that America's self-interest supersedes the spread of democracy worldwide. However, there are those who say Washington's approach serves neither the national interest of Americans, nor does it promote equality and democracy.

So, the question arises: who then benefits from current American policies?

Press TV's U.S. Desk discussed the issue with Gilad Atzmon who is a political activist, musician and author in London.

Click to read more ...

2. Gilad Atzmon: Jewish Power is Falling Apart

The British ADL watchdogCIF Watch seems to be very unhappy with the Guardian circulating the work of the genius cartoonist Carlos Latuff

"How low will they (the Guardian )go? Asks the Zionist watchdog.

The Judeo-centric site defines Latuff as "one of the most prolific anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic cartoonists". It is also outraged with Latuff depicting "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as a sinister looking (gun wielding) Orthodox Jew."

The Jewish site claims that much of Latuff's work "expresses anti-Semitic themes. Some of his caricatures seem to suggest that Israel is a unique and immutable evil in the world." I am afraid to disappoint the Zionist watchdog; the Jewish State is uniquely evil, and this fact has been exposed numerous times in the last years by UN fact finding missions.

The Zionist blog claims that Latuff's work "includes imagery frequently suggesting a moral equivalence between Israel and Nazi Germany – and he has explicitly acknowledged that this is indeed his political view." Again this is far from being a revelation. We all see equivalence between the 'Jews only State' and Nazi Germany.

The Latuff cartoon above depicts Sharon kissing Hitler. Indeed this is an appropriate representation of the Sabra and Shatilla mass murderer

The above Latuff cartoon was published by Indymedia on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Indeed the most appropriate way to criticise the transformation of Palestine into a set of isolated concentration camps.

Click to read more ...