One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Rabbi urges action against reinstatement of British Bishop Williamson
A prominent Los Angeles Jewish leader criticized a Roman Catholic bishop today for apparently refuting facts about the Holocaust during a recent TV interview. KPCC's Patricia Nazario pulled part of the exchange off YouTube and offers this context.
Patricia Nazario: A couple of weeks ago on Swedish state TV, Bishop Richard Williamson reaffirmed his long-held belief that Nazis didn't kill millions of Jews in gas chambers during World War II.
Bishop Richard Williamson (in video): Between 2- and 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps. But not one of them by gassing in a gas chamber.
Nazario: During a news conference in Los Angeles, Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Museum of Tolerance denounced those comments. Hier said Pope Benedict XVI should have used his authority to reaffirm the church's condemnation of the Holocaust. He said the Pope's inaction has strained Jewish/Catholic relations.
Rabbi Marvin Hier: The criticism worldwide from Jews around the world, including Israel, has been very, very strong.
Nazario: Bishop Williamson made his remarks last week, days before Pope Benedict reinstated him and three other bishops the church had ex-communicated. Rabbi Hier said he wants to urge Pope Benedict to do more than communicate through the Vatican's official channels.
Hier: "...Let me tell all the billion, two-hundred million Catholics in the world that every day Jews were gassed during the Holocaust." That's what's needed from the Pope at this time.
Sponsored message
Nazario: Rabbi Hier spoke as the United Nations prepared to observe Holocaust Remembrance Day. The founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center lamented that as the nations of the world plan to commemorate the Holocaust, a Catholic bishop claims it didn't happen.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
