Herald Sun regrets poll

Herald Sun regrets poll

Mark Briskin

MELBOURNE’S
Herald
Sun newspaper has acknowledged that a poll asking readers whether they supported David Irving’s views of the
Holocaust was “ill-conceived”.

The question which appeared in last Friday’s
[Jan 14] edition read. “Do you agree with David Irving’s view of the Holocaust?” and invited readers to respond via a “Yes” or “No” phone number. However a poll result did not appear in the following paper.

The reader poll accompanied a story about the
David Irving libel trial currently before the courts in
London.

“However
a poll result did not appear in the following
paper.”

Herald Sun deputy editor John Trevorrow said, “The question was ill-conceived and shouldn’t have been asked.
With a question like that you’re allowing for the possibility that you agree with David Irving’s view on the
Holocaust i.e., that it didn’t happen, that it was a conspiracy, which is clearly not something the Herald Sun wants to be associated with. It was a mistake to ask that question.”

Jewish
Holocaust Museum and Research Centre President Shmuel
Rosenkranz said, “The question was simply do you believe
Mr Irving or don’t you? It Is absolutely ridiculous to put such a question when there is sufficient evidence that the
Holocaust did take place. There is sufficient evidence that
Mr Irving is a Holocaust denier par-excellence.” He believed the question could give Holocaust denial legitimacy.

Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council National Chairman
Mark Leibler
[left] said that making
Holocaust denial the subject of questionnaire conferred an inordinate sense of legitimacy to the issue. “It is insensitive to the many Holocaust survivors who live here.
It’s offensive I would have thought to all Australians of whatever shade or complexion or ethnic background and it’s just simply not appropriate.”

B’nai Brith
Anti-Defamation Commission Executive Director Danny
Ben-Moshe said he received several complaints that the poll reflected a lack of understanding about the nature of
Holocaust denial and individuals such as David Irving.

“This is a very good example of the way something like
Holocaust denial can sort of slip in there. In this particular way, it is a different form of racist hate to deal with, so the educational role we have to play is going to be more not less.”

He added, “I think under the circumstances while its original publication was abhorrent and completely unacceptable, it was, dealt with in the most appropriate way.”

Mr Trevorrow said that the individual responsible for the poll had been admonished that the newspaper did not print the results as it wanted nothing more to do with the issue.
“The best thing was not to air the subject any further,” he said.

Website notes:

• Mr Leibler pronounces his name “leebler” not
  “libeller”.
• For the poll’s secret outcome see Radical’s
  Diary, February 10, 2000

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