# Is holocaust denial fundamentally different to other forms of government propaganda? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 29, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753 "2009-04-29T19:10:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/1 "2009-04-29T19:10:00Z")
This is inspired by **Keeve** ’s remark in the other holocaust thread: > [@What exactly are holocaust-deniers trying to accomplish?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-exactly-are-holocaust-deniers-trying-to-accomplish/494719/15): > > My WAG: Although political Zionism existed long before WW2, many feel that the world’s sympathy for Holocaust survivors (and/or guilt/shame over the Holocaust itself) was a decisive factor in establishing the State of Israel in 1948. But if the Holocaust didn’t happen, then Israel no longer has a right to exist. > > It seems to me that this sort of logic would appeal to Ahmadinejad et al, much more strongly than any “pride in the Nazis” suggested by the OP. So would you say that holocaust denial, when used as a tool of government propaganda, is any different to any other kind of government propaganda? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/2 "2009-04-29T19:11:38Z")
Oh, and for what it’s worth, I’m leaning towards no. I will explain my reasoning later. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/3 "2009-04-29T19:40:07Z")
I don’t understand your question. Is government sponsored holocaust denial diffferent from any other kind of government propaganda how? It’s different in topic, obviously, but I don’t understand what you mean by “different”. I’m assuming you mean something more than that. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/4 "2009-04-29T19:53:30Z")
Propeganda is a tool. It can be used for good and it can be used for evil. In the case in question, the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/5 "2009-04-29T21:59:07Z")
Seconding **Captain Amazing** ’s question. Is it your point that holocaust denial is just one among many claims that governments make to delegitimize their enemies? Do you then infer that people should get no more upset about it than they do over any other such claims? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/6 "2009-04-29T22:51:54Z")
> [@](#): > > I will explain my reasoning later. Why did you decide to start a thread on a topic you’re not ready to discuss now? If you have something to say, go ahead and say it. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/7 "2009-04-30T10:53:15Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > So would you say that holocaust denial, when used as a tool of government propaganda, is any different to any other kind of government propaganda? Well, [del]without wishing to offend postmodernists too deeply[/del] [del]actually, no, fuck 'em with pineapples[/del], propaganda can be true or it can be false. Holocaust denial is false. Or more pedantically, a tactic of spreading falsehood. That distinguishes it from other forms of propaganda that might be true, if misleading for various reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-holocaust-denial-fundamentally-different-to-other-forms-of-government-propaganda/494753/8 "2009-05-01T03:31:31Z")
As far as I know, the governments that use holocaust denial as official propaganda aren’t exactly bastions of enlightenment in general, and their leaders consist mostly of people that need killing for reasons that have nothing to do with holocaust denial. So… what was the point of the thread, again?