February 10, 1998

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

For our new ZGram readers: This ZGram is midway through the 10-part ZGram series on the David Cole Defection. Previous ZGrams are archived at http://www.webcom.com/ezundel/english/zgrams/zg1998/zgramtoc2.html

To summarize briefly, in response to a highly effective CODOH campaign across American campuses utilizing a David Cole video, the Jewish Defense League had put out a brazen, thinly disguised death threat on this this young Jewish producer and had offered a reward for his whereabouts.

This in America - with not a peep from anyone!

CODOH immediately sent out letters notifying both the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith - both high on ostensibly spotting and fighting defamation "based on race" which this threat against a member of the Jewish community clearly was and had been so identified.

Neither organization chose to respond. So much for their "efforts" - for which they collect millions!

Shortly after the death threat appeared on the Jewish Defense League website and was widely circulated in the newsgroups and in private e-mails, rumors started floating on the Internet that David Cole was about to cave in.

He was described as very ill, as was his mother, and frightened of what might happen to him. I remembered David as a very slightly built young man who had been previously beaten up by thugs who did not like his Revisionist work, and whose apartment had been set on fire.

Then, on January 15, 1998, I was told that David had recanted. I was told of a David Cole statement, prepared January 2, 1998 and posted January 14, 1998 on alt.revisionism.

Because I had computer difficulties, I could not immediately pull this statement from the Net. When I asked Ernst what it meant and just how bad the recantation was, in his opinion, Ernst only said: "Ingrid! You have no idea!"

Ths David Cole Defection letter reads as follows:

"This statement is given in an attempt to set the record straight about my current views regarding the Holocaust and Holocaust denial. As anyone who follows the subject of the Holocaust denial knows, from 1991 until 1994 I was well known in the movement as a Jewish Holocaust denier (a self-described "revisionist"). For the last three years I have no longer been associated with this movement, having realized that I was wrong and that the path I was taking with my life was self-destructive and hurtful to others. I have spent the last few years in silence on the subject of my time with the denial movement, a silence caused mainly by my shame at what I had done with my life and my desire to distance myself from that life.

However, in that shame-induced silence it has been brought to my attention that I have not gone as far as I should have to make a clear and complete public statement in order to set the record straight as to where I stand.

It is my great hope that this statement accomplishes that task.

I would like to state for the record that there is no question in my mind that during the Holocaust of Europe's Jews during World War II, the Nazis employed gas chambers in an attempt to commit genocide against the Jews. At camps in both Eastern and Western Europe, Jews were murdered in gas chambers which employed such poison gases as Zyklon B and carbon monoxide (in the Auschwitz camp, for example, the gas chambers used Zyklon B). The evidence for this is overwhelming and unmistakable.

The Nazis intended to kill all of the Jews of Europe, and the final death toll of this attempted genocide was six million. This atrocity, unique in its scope and breadth, must never be forgotten.

During my four years as a denier, I was wracked with self-hate and loathing, a fact that many of my critics were quick to point out. Indeed, this self hatred was obvious to most, but I was too blind to see it. The hate I had for myself I took out on my people. I was seduced by pseudo historical nonsense and clever-sounding but empty ideas and catch-phrases. When my eyes were finally opened, thanks to several good, kind friends who refused to give up on me even at my worst, I was horrified by what I had done. My instinct was to flee and never look back, but I now understand that I owe it to the people I wronged to make a forceful repudication of my earlier views. I also owe a very large apology, not only to the many people I enraged, and to the family and friends I hurt, but especially to the survivors of the Holocaust, who deserve only our respect and compassion, not re-victimization.

Therefore, to all of the above people, let me offer my most humble and very, very sincere apology. I am sorry for what (I) did, and I am sorry for the hurt I caused.

And just as I must set the record straight concerning my views, it is also incumbent on me to set the record straight regarding the video "documentaries" and media appearances I did from 1991 to 1994. These "documentaries" are merely videotaped garbage filled with self-hatred and pseudo-intellectual nonsense. My "media appearances" were nothing but an embarrassment. My glazed look, specious reasoning, and talking-in-circles during my talk show appearances would have hopefully alerted any astute viewers that this was a man not in touch with reality.

It has been brought to my attention that Bradley Smith is still using one of my videos in advertisements he is running on college campuses. Therefore, I would like to make these additional points: This video is being advertised without my consent, and I denounce this video as being without worth. Bradley Smith is no historian, and denial is no "historical field". Students on college campuses should look elsewhere to find out about the Holocaust. To these students, I would say, look to books like Hilberg's "Destruction of the European Jews", Yahil's "The Holocaust", and Dawidowicz's "War against the Jews" for correct information. If your school library doesn't stock these books, have them order copies. Do not pay any attention to any "David Cole" videos, except to rightly denounce them as frauds.

I am thankful for being given the opportunity to make this statement. This statement is made freely and under no duress, and is quite willingly, even happily given to Mr. Irv Rubin of the Jewish Defence League for the widest possible distribution. This statement is the most current and accurate compilation of my views, and it supersedes an(y) previous writings, videos, or statements. It is my hope that there will be no more confusion as to where I stand. I thank you for letting me set the record straight.

(signed)

David Cole

(notarized)

Tomorrow: "The David Cole Defection: The other shoe dropped"

Thought for the Day:

"Force is never more operative than when it is known to exist but is not brandished."

(Ambrose Bierce)

=====

Comments? E-Mail: irimland@cts.com

Back to Table of Contents of the Feb. 1998 ZGrams