King disgusts

Sir,—It was with disgust that I read in "Critic" Mr. R. J. King's statements (for the NZ-Rhodesia Society) condoning and supporting Australian Fascist, Mr. Eric Butler, and also the articles on Butlers "campaign" in Critic and Salient.

It seems to me that Mr. King in supporting Butler (be it anti-Semitism or Rhodesia) is in itself a step made with ignorance; as are any Antisemitic statements. Too many people make statements against the Jews, without knowing a thing about the Jews (whether it is social, economic, political or religious). Here lies the important basis for anti-semitism —lack of knowledge: and what people don't know about, they fear and use as an excuse for anything — for the international use of the Jew as a scapegoat. Ignorance has been the cause of anti-Semitism since its first appearance - from the "blood libels" of the 18th century, the Dreyfus case of the 19th. to Hitler's crude propaganda in our century.

How can a person support such statements of Butler's as "Hitler's murder of six million Jews is a lie" when firstly, they know nothing about it and secondly they are facts; in fact six million was a conservative estimate of those who died by or through the effects of Nazi persecution!

How can a person on one hand be "pledged to God' and or "a sober member of hit church" and on the other hand, support anti-Semitism racism, white supremacy at in Rhodesia and South Africa; the things that Christian and Jew, black and white, alike abhor as human beings?

(Perhaps Mr. King before supporting Butler would read the Ten Commandments — which are for Christian and Jew alike.)

Today the western world cries out against left-wing Communist movements as the great danger (a farcical example is our own Auckland spy case); yet to me this is not the "clear and present danger" of today but the right wing, Fascists, Conservatives (call them what you like!) with men like Butler. Mosley, Rockwell and seemingly Mr. King (I might add also, a number of New Zealand's present MP's). I Just hope Mr. King's sentiments don't spread especially amongst university students; for if they did, then we who believe in individual freedom and equality would have something to worry about.

I would like to add finally that "One of my best friends is an Anglican"— one is also a Buddhist and one a South African Liberal.