ADL Helps Local College Campuses Cope with Holocaust Denial Advertisements

Date: October 16, 2009

In response to the growing number of Holocaust Denial advertisements in American college campus newspapers, ADL and Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Life produced a manual to provide students with information on taking action against Holocaust Denial.   Fighting Holocaust Denial in Campus Newspaper Advertisements: A Manual for Action has been provided to all colleges and universities in the Pacific Southwest Region.

This revised resource was developed in response to a series of campus newspaper advertisements placed by Bradley Smith and his Committee for Open Debate on the Holocaust (CODOH). In his most recent campaign that began in 2009, Smith successfully placed advertisements on over a dozen campuses. Most recently, the CODOH ad appeared in the Harvard Crimson.

The Manual presents background on Holocaust Denial, provides legal analysis of the First Amendment and the rights and responsibilities of campus newspaper editors, and details specific action steps for preventing and responding to Holocaust Denial ads. The guide provides historical background on typical Holocaust Denial claims and a full profile on Bradley Smith and the CODOH.  

Additionally, the manual encourages students, Hillel professionals, and administrators to maintain open lines of communication with the campus press, educate newspaper staff on their right to refuse to publish any material the editorial board deems offensive or inappropriate, and advocate that they create and implement policies regarding acceptable advertising that they can reference when declining to run hateful ads.