Either crazy or willfully ignorant to deny atrocities

To The Daily Sun,

A local “white nationalist” who intends to run as a Republican for the NH Legislature should be grateful that he lives in the USA where the Constitution protects even outrageous expression. There are some developed, democratic countries where he could go to jail for inciting ethnic or racial hatred. Some nations would not even allow him on a ballot.

In Germany, Canada, and other democracies, he could face criminal sanctions for claiming the Holocaust was a hoax. After all, you would have to be either crazy or willfully ignorant to say Jews are so rich and powerful they could have faked such well-documented atrocities.

The Holocaust happened and the evidence is not contestable. One reason for the war crimes trials after the war was to create a record of the atrocities. In fact, the Germans were so organized and left so many of their own records of their deeds that they made it easy for the prosecutors to prove their cases.

An interesting side note: Germany also criminalizes display of Nazi symbols. So, today’s German neo-Nazis instead use the American Confederate battle flag as a symbol. Don’t tell me that flag is “all about heritage not hate.”

In addition, before his old website was closed, this same white nationalist posted pictures of interracial couples to embarrass them and even expose them to potential violence. He did the same thing to public officials by publishing their addresses. Like many bullies, this person tries to stay barely within the law. He MAY be too smart/cowardly to carry out acts of racial violence himself but his posts are aimed at intimidating his targets and may incite others to violence.

While the 1st Amendment may protect us from government censorship, it does not mean that there cannot be consequences for abusing those rights. If any hate crime can be traced back to this man’s incitement, he should be held criminally and civilly responsible. Law enforcement — state and Federal — should keep an eye on him.

Still, this white nationalist is at least honest about his hateful views. What is even more disturbing is that, when he ran last time, close to 300 locals voted for him. Since never more than 50 percent of those eligible ever vote, this could mean at least twice as many locals quietly support his obscene views.

As for The Sun, its editors have a right to publish this racist’s offensive rants, but would it not be better if this paper did some serious investigative reporting about white nationalism in NH?

E. Scott Cracraft

Gilford