The ghosts of Molly Stark and Robert Frost would not have been pleased. In a committee room of the New Hampshire state legislature recently, a member of that legislature, the strangely-named Matt Sabourin dit Choinière, introduced a Holocaust denier, one Germar Rudolf, to the public. Both were there to argue for the inclusion of Holocaust-denial in a required high school unit on the Holocaust. After all, they argued, what’s wrong with offering students both sides of an issue instead of only one? Shouldn’t students be allowed to hear the evidence provided by Holocaust-deniers so that they can make their own “informed judgements” as to whether the Holocaust really happened? How can we who want to encourage students to make up their own minds simply present one side of the story, that of the Holocaust-accepters, without giving a chance to the other side, that of the Holocaust-deniers, to make its case? Why indeed?
More on this sinister farce can be found here: “How a Republican state lawmaker tried to let Holocaust deniers hijack history lessons,” by Tom Dreisbach, NPR, April 29, 2026:
This January, in a drab committee room of the New Hampshire state legislature, a Republican state lawmaker teamed up with a German Holocaust denier to propose that the state’s public schools incorporate a conspiracy theory when developing their lesson plans: namely, that the Nazis’ murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust was a hoax.
Though their effort failed, the incident was just the latest example of antisemitic extremism creeping further into the American political mainstream, to the point that prominent conservative voices have warned of a “cancer” destroying the pro-Trump MAGA movement from within. And in a sign of just how normalized these incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry have become, the state lawmaker responsible for the effort, Rep. Matt Sabourin dit Choinière, appears to have faced no consequences and minimal backlash from Republican leadership in New Hampshire.
The proposal has not been widely reported until now….
The story received no attention from the major media, and still has not, save for the story broadcast at NPR. Why not? Is Holocaust denial now so commonplace that we shouldn’t get our knickers in a twist about it, but should instead give our attention to the really important stories that the evening news insists on feeding us, such as Taylor Swift’s choice of bridal gown, or how long it will take for the strained tendon of some NFL running back to heal properly, or the dessert served to King Charles at the White House dinner? One hopes that since that the story was aired at NPR, journalists in the rest of the mainstream media will now report on the matter.
Sabourin dit Choinière’s amendment failed to attract any support, but was nonetheless seen as a “breakthrough” for the Holocaust denial movement.
The New Hampshire state legislature has struggled with recent incidents of antisemitic behavior, and does not appear to have imposed any formal consequences on Sabourin dit Choinière.
After Sabourin dit Choinière ignored multiple phone calls and emails requesting comment, NPR approached him at the state capitol to request an interview. “Actually, I don’t have time,” he said, before turning around and abruptly leaving the building.
He later wrote in an email that he stood by his proposal, saying “my position is not hatred.”
Of course, giving Germar Rudolf a seat on the New Hampshire Commission on Holocaust and Genocide Education has nothing to do with “hatred of Jews.” It’s just a question of fairness. If many people on that commission say there was a Holocaust, what’s wrong with having at least one person on the commission who wants to argue the other side? Sabourin dit Choinière is an advocate for letting both sides have their say. And why not? Isn’t that how one arrives at the truth? Could Democratic State Rep. Loren Selig, who opposed Sabourin dit Choinière’s amendment, really be “ shocked” or is she, being Jewish, trying to shut down debate on whether the Holocaust is real or, as Germar Rudolf believes, or claims to, a hoax?
Huh?!? says
Sadly, the Holocaust did happen. Making up a pretend story that it did not happen is heartless. This is not teaching the other side of the story. This is teaching a fantasy.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
I was, of course, joking about there being “two sides to every story.” No, there aren’t.
gravenimage says
+1
Wellington says
Absolute fact (N.B., man-made climate change cannot be included here) should not lead to a “two sides” argument. What? The Earth revolves around the Sun but those who still push a geocentric theory, contra Copernicus et al., should also be heard?
The Holocaust is the most documented major war crime in all of history. General Eisenhower gave special leave so that a plethora of soldiers could observe what the Nazis did to Jews (and to others). The five death camps for the Jews, never mind the “ordinary” concentration camps, were as real as gravity.
Well, what all this confirms is that a certain percentage of the human race is for the most part beyond redemption, beyond sane assessments. It’s one of many reasons why I don’t want to love everyone (N.B., love is overrated). Count me out here. Some people need to be despised.
Ruth E weekly says
America certainly made a mistake when after the war we let the German scientist into our country and now they are telling us what to do. This was America but I am beginning to think the Nazis have taken over everything.It helps the members of Congress become very rich and powerful so they like it. They have been able to bring their partners in crime, Muslims, all over the world.
Wellington says
Frankly, your comment is bizarre. Actually, it’s worse than this but I’m trying to be kind.
gravenimage says
No, the US has its issues, but it is not being run by German scientists.
And your desire that the Fascists should have won is competely sick.
Then, Hitler greately admired Islam, which he respected as a martial creed. He worked with the Mufti of Jerusalen on formulating the Holocaust.
somehistory says
There are photographs. There are still a few people who actually lived through the demons-in-control time, and able to speak of it today. During bo-biden’s time of squandering America’s money, and telling huge lies, some of those living survivors spoke about it, comparing what they saw happening with what they had experienced in losing their families and freedom; and nearly their own lives. Comparing the time just before the Holocaust to what bo/biden had going and fearing another destruction of innocent lives.
There are records of the things seen by the military men who were part of the rescue of those who managed to stay alive until help arrived.
Back in 2011, there was a great tsunami that destroyed large portions of Japan. Photos, film, personal accounts all tell of the horror. Will there be ones like the state rep and the German who will try to deny what happened in Japan? Probably never will be….because it was not a man-made evil propagated against a group of people so many other people choose to hate.
Will a devout muzzie be a part of the commission who will say hitler should have done more? Will such one be allowed to say he and his kind will ‘finish what hitler started’? Does the German deny it, but claim the Jews did it to themselves?
It’s evil that people…so many there are….who want to lie, pretending what they say is Truth when it is not and they are fully aware.
gravenimage says
Hear, hear, Somehistory.
James Lincoln says
Even left-wing Wikipedia states:
“From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered around six million Jews across German-occupied Europe, approximately two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Holocaust
Deano1948 says
General Eisenhauer purposefully made a record of the death camps because he predicted there would come a day in the future where people would argue that the extermination camps never really existed. What an intelligent man he was!!
gravenimage says
Yes.
gravenimage says
A Holocaust Denier in New Hampshire
………………………………………
Sick stuff–and this denial of the most heavily documented atrocity of our time is grimly becoming more common.