Holocaust denial is a punishable crime in both Germany and Austria. But that doesn't stop certain Web site from advancing the point of view that the Holocaust never happened. Case and point is the "Catholic" Web site kreuz.net. This site describes itself in its banner as "katholische Nachrichten" – Catholic news. In reality, it is an anti-Semitic hate site that identifies with the most reactionary strains of Roman Catholicism.
How does kreuz.net get away with publishing content that is clearly illegal in Germany? Easy. The site's owners simply change the domain suffix to .net and find a hosting service in America. In the US, Holocaust denial is protected under the First Amendment, so the anonymous operators of kreuz.net believe they are protected from any legal liability. They can thus post articles like this with apparent impunity.
It should be pointed out that kreuz.net – although now hosted in America – publishes frequent and vicious attacks on minority groups in the US, especially lesbians and gays. Another favorite target is President Obama, whom they call "der amerikanische Blut-und Homo-Präsident" (evidently a play on Blut und Boden – "blood and soil"). Commenters are permitted without any censure to call for the assassination of President Obaman (HT Politblogger).
I have sent the following e-mail message to the hosting service for kreuz.net – Global Net Access in Atlanta:
Hi XXX,
hosting a German hate site: www.kreuz.net.
I follow Web sites in Germany that deny the Holocaust and advocate
violence. Holocaust denial is a criminal offense in Germany, but not in
the United States, so hate groups seek to find American hosting services where
they can continue to spread their poison.
comments about President Obama, going so far as to advocate
assassination. I am happy to provide the relevant links to this.
represent those of Global Net Access and its employees. I strongly
urge you to consider severing your relationship with the group behind this
site.
concerning kreuz.net. They track the activities of Holocaust deniers and
their enablers globally.
Global Net Access have asked for English translations of the offending articles (actually, EVERY article on kreuz.net is offensive).
Even if I succeed, with the help of the Wiesenthal Center, of getting the hosting service to shut down kreuz.net, the site will not doubt spring up on another service. Last year I had success in working with the Wiesenthal Center to shut down an American Holocaust denial site. Unfortunately, the site is again up and running. All we can do is keep putting on the pressure to drive these hate sites out of business.
