R.I.P. Simon Wiesenthal
Rest in peace, Mr. Wiesenthal, and thank you for your good works. Hyperlink. To paraphrase and contemporize General Sheridan's immortal phrase, "The only good Nazi is a dead Nazi." That said, Mr. Wiesenthal had the right idea in opposing the murderous revenge squads that after the war hunted down Nazi war criminals and killed them where they stood. Secondary only to their unrelenting and irrational hatred for Jews the Nazis believed in the triumph of thuggery over law. Mr. Wiesenthal knew that if we were to avoid repeating the mistakes of history, the Nazis had to be brought to trial. Their monstrous acts had to be brought before the light of the law, to whither before the righteousness of open, accountable justice. The Nazis did not deserve the quick release of wild vengeance. The law is infuriating and too often twisted to serve the wicked, but without law we have nothing. Simon Wiesenthal, who had even reason to want every Nazi he could find dead, knew this better than anyone else. May he rest in peace.