GrassRoots TV

GrassRoots TV balks at Holocaust denial film

Charles Agar
Aspen, CO Colorado, October 6, 2007

ASPEN — A controversial Holocaust denial film is raising questions about free speech at GrassRoots TV, the Aspen community-access station.

Steve Campbell, founder of Citizens for 9/11 Truth, asked the station to air “Judea Declares War on Germany: A Critical Look at World War II” on Monday, but GrassRoots TV board members stopped the screening.

The one-hour program features Dr. Frederick Töben, an Australian national and member of the Adelaide Institute, an organization that denies that the Holocaust ever happened.

“This film is offensive not only to Jews in the world, but to any sensible person,” said GrassRoots TV Executive Director John Masters.

But the question of airing the film he called “like an homage to [Joseph] Goebbels” has stirred a “healthy debate” at the station, Masters said.

“Judea Declares War on Germany” will be pre-empted by an Aspen High School football game, and delayed until after an upcoming GrassRoots TV board meeting.

Haters?
Questioning historical assumptions about the Holocaust brands anyone a “hater,” according to Campbell.

“I think there’s a lot of preconceived ideas that have been indoctrinated into people’s minds as to what the Holocaust is all about,” Campbell said. Showing the film would give people an opportunity to decide for themselves, he said.

In the film, Töben says “alleged” concentration camp gas chambers were used to save lives by disinfecting prisoners and that the Holocaust was a fabrication.

“You are not supposed to learn these historical facts, which are contained in this video,” Töben said in the film.

According to the Adelaide Institute website, Töben has faced litigation and is under a federal gag order in Australia.

Campbell delivered the DVD to GrassRoots TV on Thursday, and sent board members copies of letters to local newspapers announcing the screening.

In the past, Campbell has aired controversial films on GrassRoots TV trying to debunk facts about the 9/11 attack. He said he has not run into this problem before.

“John was very defending of GrassRoots programming and being able to air just about anything except pornography and obscenity,” Campbell said. “I’d think the board members would look at the GrassRoots policies and say that [the film] doesn’t fall into the realm of something that deserves censorship.”

Free speech?
“I believe the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy and you can’t start to chip away at it,” Masters said. “What that means is that I need to allow offensive, hateful, racist programming as something that is protected by the First Amendment.”

Begun in 1971 as one of the first community-access television channels in the nation, GrassRoots airs community programs twice for free and charges for additional screenings or special placement, Masters said.

“We’re not restricted in any way by the [Federal Communications Commission], nor do we get any government funding,” Masters said. Material on GrassRoots is governed by people’s desires and the discretion of the board, which represents the community, Masters said.

Masters has not had to deny any program before, he said.

“I’ve personally always felt that if you don’t want to watch something, then turn it off.”

Alan Feldman, president of the board of directors at GrassRoots, called the film “bigoted” and “historically inaccurate.”

“What’s objectionable about the film from my personal point of view is that it is a Holocaust denial film,” Feldman said.

Feldman said the board is not skirting the issue or denying Campbell’s right to air the film, but is giving the issue “tremendous attention.”

“Certainly I think this world would be a much better place if we didn’t have to address issues of bigotry and anti-Semitism,” Feldman said. “But I also welcome the opportunity to address them from an intellectual standpoint.”

Feldman stressed the board is not going to argue with Campbell on his Holocaust thesis, but will focus on station policy.

“We’re not here in my opinion as a platform for racial bigotry. We’re here to promote our fantastic community and to bring the community together,” Feldman said.

He invited anyone in the community to get involved in the open meeting to decide policy on the matter.

The board has a tentative meeting time scheduled at the Red Brick Building on Thursday at 12:30 p.m.

http://aspentimes.com/article/20071006/NEWS/71005043

________________________________________________

Letter to the Editor from Steve Campbell Glenwood Springs

Fri 10/05/2007 00:01AM MST

Editor:

Earlier this year I wrote a letter defending Holocaust revisionists. I continue to stand by that letter. On Monday, Oct. 8, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., GrassRoots TV Channel 12 will air "Judea Declares War on Germany: A Critical Look at World War II."

This video features Dr. Frederick Töben of the Adelaide Institute, who has been studying the so-called Jewish Holocaust for more than 30 years. The documentary focuses on the alleged gassing of prisoners in German concentration camps.

There are those who do not want you to learn the information contained within this video. Evidence is presented that seriously calls into question what we have been led to believe from supposedly historically accurate movies, books and eyewitness accounts.

All that is asked is that you listen to the evidence and decide for yourself what is true. Dr. Töben states: "Healing can only take place when the world is able to openly discuss the facts about this event."

Steve Campbell
Glenwood Springs

http://www.aspendailynews.com/archive_21992

_____________________________________________

HELP! Please Ask Grassroots TV to Allow "Judea Declares War on Germany"

A colleague recently tried to put "Judea Declares War on Germany" (about this and other DVDs - Free online condensed version) on Grassroots TV in Aspen, CO.

He was previously successful with putting some of my other DVDs (more info) on public access TV there, as have an increasing number of others across the U.S.

He wrote to the newspaper there, and had a letter published called "Defending Holocaust Revisionists."

As a result, the Grassroots TV is having second-thoughts about allowing this video to be aired. (Legally, they might actually be required, I believe, if they're viewed as public access TV as part of cable; but that doesn't mean they won't fight it.)

Below is a letter from the gentleman who would like to put "Judea Declares War on Germany" on Grassroots TV there. At the bottom of his letter, please see contact information for the Grassroots TV Board of Directors.

Please consider writing them - DO NOT BE RUDE - and kindly request that they allow this video to be aired in the interest of fair play: Everyone has seen the opposing views from elementary school to college, and many people are curious as to what revisionists believe.

PLEASE, take a couple minutes and send these gentlemen a brief letter, asking that they honor our cherished First Amendment rights and allow others to get a glimpse of opposing viewpoints. Thanks for any help with this matter.

Quote:

Today I was informed by Grassroots TV Executive Feldman watched the video through the link I provided, and Mr. Feldman wanted to cancel the airing of the video, so after contacting the other board members (Tom McCabe, Michael Lipkin, Jerald Bovino, Richard Cohen, Shellie Roy and Sam Green), they decided to postpone the airing of the video that had been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 8, until they have a board meeting which is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 11, 12:30 PM at either the studio or next door in the conference room of the Red Brick, after which I would guess they would make a decision for or against airing.

If the Board of Directors abides by the mission statement, programming philosophy and core values of Grassroots TV, their decision should be in the affirmative.

If you have watched "Judea Declares War on Germany," please email the board officers and members and urge them to air the film to the public. And even if you have not watched it for some reason (perhaps you don't have high speed internet), please read the mission statement, programming philosophy and core values below and understand that even if you think you wouldn't agree with the content, you would urge them to air it anyway for the important reasons stated below, basically protecting free speech and the free flow of ideas.

This is probably the pivotal issue of our day and perhaps all time.

And if you live in the valley and can make the time, please attend the board meeting next Thursday, Oct. 11, at 12:30 PM. The public is welcome. You can email John Masters at masters@grassrootstv.org He should be privy to the message you are sending. Please be respectful to all and be concise. You may also include me as a recipient of your email if you wish. I would appreciate hearing from you.

This is for all of us.

Thank you,

Steve Campbell

GrassRoots Board of Directors

Officers:

Alan Feldman, acting president
alan@aspen-law.com

Tom McCabe, vice president
tomm@ci.aspen.co.us

Shellie Roy, treasurer
shellie@friasproperties.com

Members:

Richard A. Cohen
rcohen@carolannjacobson.com

Michael Lipkin
mlipkin@lipkinwarner.com

Jerald Bovino, M.D.
aspenracer@aol.com

Sam Green
sam@friasproperties.com

Mission Statement

GrassRoots Television is devoted to protecting and nurturing channels of mass communication for unlimited use by all citizens in order that they may better maintain their Liberty, govern their Democracy, and enrich the quality of their lives and the lives of their fellow citizens.

In the Roaring Fork Valley we are committed to providing the highest quality personal service, training, and production facilities to ensure the greatest possible access to electronic media content creation and its distribution between all citizens, their organizations and the community at large.

We strive to demonstrate that citizen determined media is an essential attribute of a healthy and progressive democratic community.

Programming Philosophy

GrassRoots TV12 is Unique: Unlike any other TV channel, GrassRoots TV12 operates media that defines and strengthens our community. It is the only media whose mission is to provide unlimited opportunity of access so that any individual or organization in the Roaring Fork Valley may communicate with the local community at large.

Because GrassRootsTV12 users and service recipients control the content by being, and knowing the producers, it is bottom-up grassroots community interest, consensus and norms that determine the content and its limits, not a top-down owner, editor, board of directors, publisher or government order. Due to this combination of freedom and local relevancy, much of the content on GrassRoots TV12 cannot exist on any other channel.

Access to mass media, even on public radio and PBS, is fully controlled by the gatekeepers of those media. Only community television allows community members themselves to determine the content. It is a true home of Liberty and the First Amendment. Wide-net public support and many small donors allow GrassRoots TV12 to remain non-commercial and apolitical, and to value diversity and individual expression over purposefully targeting a commercial or specific donor audience.

Core Values :: GrassRoots TV12 Vision

We passionately believe that the health of our community and ultimately of human society and the global ecology depends on inclusive communal problem solving. Such just solutions are only possible with the active participation of, and unlimited communications between, literate and sovereign citizens. The acceptance of every human being’s inherent right to free speech, peaceful assembly and access to information is the keystone of Liberty, Democracy and progress. The need for individuals to secure and exercise these rights was identified at least as far back as Rousseau and Locke, was consecrated by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, put into powerful action by Franklin and Paine, secured by the People in the Constitution of the United States of America and is the essence of Walter Paepcke’s Aspen Idea.

GrassRoots TV12 provides an egalitarian, apolitical and non-judgmental community media resource where the ideals of freedom and democracy are protected and nurtured. GrassRoots TV12 enables and encourages citizens to participate in unrestricted civil discourse, free personal expression and open access to electronic media distribution.

GrassRoots TV12 is viewed as a valuable community asset. It weaves together the interests and needs of politically separate but geographically and economically linked counties, municipalities and neighborhoods into a single Roaring Fork Valley community. It helps dissimilar individuals understand their common challenges, needs, values and dreams.

This unlimited communications link between individual citizens, their organizations and the community at large fulfills the intent of The First Amendment, enlivening our freedoms of speech and assembly from abstract guarantees into powerful tools for creating and sustaining a healthy, vital and progressive community.

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