Holocaust-denial film blocked in Aspen

ASPEN — A controversial Holocaust-denial film is raising questions about free speech at Grassroots Television, an Aspen community-access station.

Steve Campbell, founder of Citizens for 9/11 Truth, asked the station to air “Judea Declares War on Germany: A Critical Look at World War II” on Monday, but Grassroots board members stopped the screening.

The one-hour program features Dr. Frederick Toben, an Australian and member of the Adelaide Institute, an organization that denies that the Holocaust happened.

“This film is offensive not only to Jews in the world but to any sensible person,” said Grassroots Executive Director John Masters.

But the question of airing the film he called “like an homage to [Joseph] Goebbels” has stirred a “healthy debate” at the community TV station, Masters said.

“Judea Declares War on Germany” will be pre-empted by an Aspen High School football game and delayed until after an upcoming Grassroots board meeting.

Questioning historical assumptions about the Holocaust brands anyone a “hater,” Campbell said.

“I think there’s a lot of preconceived ideas that have been indoctrinated into people’s minds as to what the Holocaust is all about,” Campbell said. Showing the film would give people an opportunity to decide for themselves, he said.

In the film, Toben says “alleged” concentration camp gas chambers were used to save lives by disinfecting prisoners and that the Holocaust was a fabrication.

“You are not supposed to learn these historical facts, which are contained in this video,” Toben said in the film.

According to the Adelaide Institute website, Toben has faced litigation and is under a federal gag order in Australia.

Campbell delivered the DVD to Grassroots on Thursday and sent board members copies of letters to local newspapers announcing the screening.

In the past, Campbell has aired controversial films on Grassroots TV trying to debunk facts about the Sept. 11 attack. He said he has not run into this problem before.

“John was very defending of Grassroots programming and being able to air just about anything except pornography and obscenity,” Campbell said. “I’d think the board members would look at the Grassroots policies and say that [the film] doesn’t fall into the realm of something that deserves censorship.”

Begun in 1971, Grassroots airs community programs twice for free and charges for additional screenings or special placement, Masters said.

Masters has not had to deny any program before, he said.

“I’ve personally always felt that if you don’t want to watch something, then turn it off.”

Alan Feldman, president of the board of directors at Grassroots, called the film “bigoted” and “historically inaccurate.”

Feldman said the board is not skirting the issue or denying Campbell’s right to air the film, but is giving the issue “tremendous attention.”

“Certainly I think this world would be a much better place if we didn’t have to address issues of bigotry and anti-Semitism,” Feldman said. “But I also welcome the opportunity to address them from an intellectual standpoint.”