One of the most densely populated places in the world, the Gaza Strip is populated with more than two-thirds of refugees, and more than half are under eighteen years of age. But, since 2004, Israel has launched eight devastating operations against Gaza’s largely defenceless populace, and a subsequent illegal blockade too.
Well, I first came upon Norman G.
Finkelstein (NGF) when one of my wards did her research on Holocaust
Literature.
She introduced to me a wonder-read of
sorts, or should I say, a shocker of sorts from NGF, titled, The
Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering
where NGF argues that the American Jewish establishment has pretty much exploited
the memory of the Nazi Holocaust for political and financial gain, as well as
to further the interests of Israel, and hence, this "Holocaust
industry" according to NGF, has hugely corrupted Jewish culture and the
authentic memory of the Holocaust.
NGF argues that "'The Holocaust' is
an ideological representation of the Nazi holocaust".
There’s much of a Chomskian echo in him,
with a similar deliberate blacking-out of his thoughts and reads in mainstream
US media, especially by the New York
Times!
Interestingly, NG Finkelstein himself
notes that the first hardback edition had been a considerable hit in several
European countries and many languages, but had been largely ignored in the
United States!
NGF also snides the New York Times, a US newspaper with worldwide influence and
readership, as the main promotional vehicle of the "Holocaust industry!"
and hence it has avoided any news on this sensational read of sorts!
Not One of Them in Place: Modern Poetry
and Jewish American Identity is yet another lovely
read.
The soo delightful and lovable introduction
to this book, running to twelve pages, written by the author NGF himself on
"The Traditions of Jewish American Poetry" is a delightful insight
into Jewish American poetry, and at the same time an indictment of the double
standards or the often conflicting standards that American anthologists have
brought to bear on the problem of selecting poetry that goes into canon
formation.
It helps us understand how an anthology
can reflect, expand, or redirect a period's canon; what literary and social
principles regulated the poetry canon at different points in American history;
and how those principles have changed over the years, due to ‘vested’ political
interests!
And, in a devastating new postscript to
this best-selling book, on Holocaust Industry, Norman G.
Finkelstein documents yet a few more shockers of the first quarters!
He argues that, only after the
Arab-Israeli War of 1967, when Israel's evident strength brought it into line
with US foreign policy, that memory of the Holocaust began to acquire the
exceptional prominence it enjoys today.
Leaders of America's Jewish community
were delighted that Israel was now deemed a major strategic asset and,
Finkelstein contends, exploited the Holocaust to enhance this new-found status.
Their subsequent interpretations of the tragedy are often at variance!
He is very daring in his attack on two
important Holocaust writers, calling them Holocaust fraudsters: Jerzy Kosinski
and Binjamin Wilkomirski.
He also attacks the demagogic
constructions of writers like Daniel Goldhagen, and contends that the main
danger posed to the memory of Nazism's victims comes not from the distortions
of Holocaust deniers but from prominent, self-proclaimed guardians of Holocaust
memory.
Drawing on a wealth of untapped sources,
he exposes the double shakedown of European countries as well as legitimate
Jewish claimants, and concludes that the Holocaust industry has become an
outright extortion racket.
Thoroughly researched and closely argued,
The
Holocaust Industry is all the more disturbing and powerful because the
issues it deals with are so rarely discussed.
Responding to the post, Prof. Angeline gave
an intense and impactful reply that deserves plaudits and kudos!
To Prof. Angeline, NGF has to be
appreciated for his integrity and courage, although his books are accused of
appealing to anti-Semitic prejudices and neo-Nazis. She adds that, whatever the
political motive behind the promotion of Holocaust memory and literature today,
it is not an exaggeration that Holocaust literature denies the Holocaust the
power to be “The Final Solution”, invalidates Holocaust denial, commemorates the
memory of the perished millions and constantly reminds us of George Santayana’s
words, “He who does not learn from history is doomed to repeat it”.
She also added that, “The title, ‘Holocaust Industry’ reminds me of Dark
tourism or Holocaust tourism, which is yet another aspect of Holocaust that
raises questions of ethics and morality and is accused of exploitation of the
deceased or milking the macabre”.
with a few inputs from goodreadsdotcom
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