The Ethical Spectacle, August 1995, https://www.spectacle.org

Letters to the Ethical Spectacle

Letters to the Ethical Spectacle

Letters Policy: I live for email. If you write me (jblumen@spectacle.org), I am likely to publish your letter. I will include your name and email address unless otherwise requested.


Dear Jonathan:

I am a college history teacher--mainly modern Europe. I have taught a Holocaust course several times over the years; students at my Methodist-affiliated college have become very involved with the material and the profound issues it raises.

Of all my years of reading Holocaust literature, I too have found Primo Levi's work most resonant. I use Survival in Auschwitz and The Drowned and the Saved in my course.

Thank you for the Alphabet. I will recommend it to all of my students in the upcoming semester.

My best wishes and gratitude,

Dan Graf dgraf@infi.net


Dear Mr. Blumen:

Hello. My name is Dattesh Patel and I work for a company called InterX Technologies. We have just finished developing a web page for The California Emergency Foodlink. I would like to recommend this link for the 'Hunger' section of your "Ethical, Political, and Legal Sites of the Web" page. Here's the URL:

http://www.interx.com/cefl/

You are more than welcome to come check out the site.

Thanks,

Dattesh Patel pateldg@interx.com


Dear Mr. Blumen:

I am writing to suggest as an addition to your Internet list of ethics resources the reference book I edited, now in its third edition: CODES OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (R. Gorlin, Ed., October 1994, BNA Books, Washington DC).

This hardcover volume contains 51 official codes of ethics issued by 45 associations in business, health, and law -- most in full text.

Each code is fully indexed, facilitating comparative analysis of codes and professions. Data on each association (address, phone, etc.) and a brief discussion of its code's development and implementation are also provided. The Resources section lists hundreds of U.S. and worldwide organizations, educational programs, periodicals, and bibliographies, on all areas of ethics, as well as on professionalism in general and public policy.

Thank you for your consideration.

ORDERING INFORMATION:

Codes of Professional Responsibility, 3rd Edition (Order #0849, $75)
PHONE TOLL-FREE: 1-800-960-1220
FAX: 1-908-417-0482
E-MAIL: books@bna.com
MAIL ORDERS:
BNA Books, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc.
300 Raritan Center Pkwy., P.O. Box 7814
Edison, NJ 08818-7814
WEB SITE: http://www.bna.com/hub/bna/books/labemplaw.html

Rena Gorlin rgorlin@bna.com


Dear Jonathan:

Just logged into the WEB site. Nice piece of work. I'm honored to have a link on your page.

Cheers--

Brock Meeks brock@well.com


Dear Mr. Blumen:

Nice ethical/legal sites web page. I saw what you said about the "Worlds Smallest Political Quiz" - that it said you were left of spectrum and "authoritarian".. well, just remember that the quiz is rather loaded, since Libertarian Party folks are just right-wingers who want to set up a false dichotomy in which capitalism means "Freedom". But hey, everyoen tries to make themselves look good. (even if Capitalism is inherently authoritarian by nature - there's always a boss!)

Anyway, I consider myself a Libertarian Socialist, and soon I'll have some info available on the web. (This is basicly the same thing Noam Chomsky considers himself. Another term is "Anarchist" but it's a bit controversial.)

http://tigerden.com/~berios

Jamal Hannah jamal@bronze.lcs.mit.edu


Dear Mr. Blumen:

Yes, I have looked at [An Auschwitz Alphabet] and I like it. It's so personal. I think the chapter materials are very rich with your comments.

My only confusion is with the architecture. Why the alphabet? When I read the alphabet headings, they do not, I think, create a form of their own...ie they seem to stretch to fit the alphabet format without adding much to it. And the alphabet format itself seems to want to work to contrast the form of a child's primer with the grizzly reality of Auchwitz. Not a bad idea, but somehow it seems forced here. If the external form had some organic relation to the content, then the two could reinforce one another without calling attention to the hand of the author. This, in my view, would be wonderful.

Well, I don't mean to be so critical. The content of each chapter works very nicely. Thanks for writing to me. I will pass the URL to others here who may be interested.

Regards,

Arnold akramer@ushmm.org

Thanks for your comments. The "alphabet" structure was the result of an unconscious decision; as I mulled over what I wanted to do with the Auschwitz material, this is what emerged. I suspect I wanted to create a framework that would simultaneously pull people in (not a dry, technical table of contents) yet create a certain ironic distancing from the material. Most of the letters of the alphabet fell into place fairly quickly, though I can see that there are some duplications of ideas and one or two "stretches".

By the way, Arnold is the Web site administrator for the U.S. Holocaust Museum.


Thank you for the public information resource you provide on the Net! We have listed your address on the AZConnect Commuity pages, in our resource directory 'FYI'.

AZConnect is an exclusive political and public affairs system originating from Phoenix, Arizona (USA) designed for contituents of the digital democracy band.

Special features: Arizona political News and Views; Open online public policy discussions, polling and onscreen tote boards; more...

Sneak a peek: http://www.getnet.com/azconnect/press.html

Peripheral Vision, Inc. pvi@getnet.com


I have not read it [ What I have read makes me believe this should be published in book format.

I do not know my religious or racial background, as I am adopted and my biological mother was also adopted. I know that I fit many of the "Jewish American Princess" stereotypes. Regardless of whether I am Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, agnostic, atheist, this work has moved me beyond my previous understanding of the Holocaust.

My first introduction to this mass slaughter of human beings was when I read a book call Auschwitz when I was nine or ten years old (I was quite a precocious little reader). I do not remember the author's name, but the images in that book are forever seared into my memory.

As I was printing out your documents, I glanced at the screen occasionally, and saw a reference to a decline in public worship by modern Jews. I beg you, fight this. Judaism is one of the oldest religions and way of life on this planet. It must continue to add to the rich heritage of ALL mankind.

The Holocaust must be kept alive in the memories of those who were there and passed on faithfully to those who came later (such as myself). We must teach our children the lessons learned from that period of history, and we must reinforce at all times that fanaticism of any kind is counter productive to harmony among all peoples.

My heart goes out to you. Thank you for putting this on the net, and thank you for being brave. My prayers are with you. When I have finished the entire manuscript, I will send more complete reflections.

With Deepest Respect,

Elaine Jordaan emjord@fishnet.net