Double Genocide Concept Hysterically Feared Example Donskis

A Litmus Test for Modernity, by Leonidis Donskis (ed.) 2009

Double Genocide. Red=Brown. Controlling the Discourse: An Almost-Paranoid Fear of Anything That Challenges Holocaust Supremacism and Does Justice to the Non-Jewish Victims of Genocide

The very title of this book is Orwellian. It equates “modernity” with, among other things, the Judeocentric interpretation of the presumed special-ness of the Holocaust.

I focus on the article by Dovid Katz. (pp. 259-277). He is identified as Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture at Vilnius University. Katz displays an almost childlike frankness in his disapproval of anything that questions Holocaust supremacism. But perhaps because of this very frankness, the reader can see the reality of the zero sum game, and victimhood competition, in full clarity.

Dovid Katz introduces himself, “The author is a supporter of the Western (and internationally known) narrative of the Holocaust…” (p. 259). He certainly is. But in making his statement, he alludes to the fact that Holocaust supremacism is what rules both the West and the international community.

Katz’ screed comes across as a desperate attempt to maintain control of the discourse, in which the Holocaust remains elevated over all genocides, and the genocidal crimes of the Communists remain second-class genocides, if that. Thus, he makes bogeymen out of Red=Brown and “Evaluation of Equal Totalitarian Regimes” (p. 260), and out of Two Equal Genocides (p. 263).

A MEMORIAL DAY TO SIMULTANEOUSLY COMMEMORATE THE VICTIMS OF NAZISM AND THE NO-LESS-REAL VICTIMS OF COMMUNISM? WHAT’S THIS WORLD COMING TO?

But wait, it gets better. Katz complains that a proposed European-wide commemoration for both victims of Communism and fascist, “would inevitably supplant Holocaust Memorial day and serve the Red=Brown construction of European history.” (p. 267). Horror of horrors! The victims of Communism would finally get a measure of justice. Imagine that.

“HOLOCAUST OBFUSCATION”: WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF ORWELL

Dovid Katz introduces a new element of Holocaustspeak—Holocaust obfuscation, which should not be confused with Holocaust denial. He differentiates Holocaust obfuscation from Holocaust denial as follows, “‘agreeing that something happened but claiming that it was not a singular or important event but one of a number of conceptually identical or analogous events’”. (p. 272). In other words, Thou Shalt Not Compare the Holocaust to Anything Else.”

JUSTICE FOR SOME IS JUSTICE FOR NONE

Nazi criminals have long been prosecuted; Communist criminals rarely if ever. Katz makes the attempted criminal proceedings, against onetime accused Communist murderer Yitzhak Arad, into some horror story. (pp. 263-264). Evidently, Katz is promoting a Talmudic-style dual-justice system, with its favoritism towards Jews and disfavor to everyone else.