James H. Madole, head of the neo-Nazi National Renaissance party, spoke before the Political Assembly Club of Colombia University today on the “dangers” of the Zionist movement, the “influence of Jewish finance in American society” and the “evils of race-mixing. “
Larry Kessler, president of the club which invited the neo-Nazi, said the invitation had been extended to Madole after some members had asked to hear him. Kessler added that he felt if anyone wanted to bring the neo-Nazi to the campus, “our group was certainly the one to sponsor him since we do attempt to give a platform for any and all views, especially those that would ordinarily not be heard. “
Indifference was the reaction generally reported by Jewish and Zionist students to the talk. Avi Mendelowitz, 20, board member of the Columbia chapter of the Student Zionist Organization, described Madole’s appearance as “nothing more than a Joke.” Hillel Cohen, 20, SZO national president, agreed. Jerry Zuroff, 20, president of the campus chapter of Yavneh, an Orthodox youth group, said the invitation was “part of academic freedom, ” I guess.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.