Student editor defends running Holocaust denier’s ad

A recent advertisement placed on the website of University of Wisconsin’s student newspaper, The Badger Herald, has raised questions on the value of freedom of speech and the potential harm of certain messages. The online ad, a small and seemingly inconspicuous text link reads, ‘The Holocaust Questions: The Power of Taboo,’ but leads to a website denying the Holocaust.

Jason Smathers, editor at the Badger Herald, wrote of the decision to run the $75 ad in a recent edition of the newspaper.

“This newspaper has made a principle of accepting any individual or group advertisement submitted. The only cases in which we would reject an advertisement are if it exhibits threats toward any person or group or is of a libelous nature. This advertisement, while certainly fueled by veiled anti-Semitism, does not rise to the level of threats and therefore does not merit rejection.”

The university’s Jewish community has asked the Badger Herald to pull the ad, scheduled to run for 30 days, however Smathers is confident that the majority of the campus community will reject its message. He also said the money paid for the ad will be used towards countering the Holocaust denial movement.

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