HOBOKEN AND BEYOND – Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustments member Nancy Pincus, who operates her own personal Hoboken-based blog ‘The Grafix Avenger,’ issued a letter to the New Jersey Chapter of the Anti-Defamation League on Thursday.
Pincus, whose image of Councilwoman Beth Mason superimposed on a Nazi propaganda film poster was discussed at Monday’s City Council meeting, released the letter to the press and to the readers of her blog.
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Dear Mr. Neuer, Executive Director of NJ Chapter of the ADL
Thank you so much for your time and compassion in our conversation earlier this afternoon. Even though the ‘storm’ has not passed, our discussion had a healing effect on my spirit and am quite overwhelmed.
As we discussed, the genisis of the graphic came from the the words “Triumph of the Shill” which popped in my mind when thinking of how to depict how the winning candidate in a highly contested election triumphed over low expectations. Triumph… triumph… Triumph of the Shill. A pun. Of the title of the infamous Third Reich documentary, “Triumph of the Will”.
In the highly charged partisan political climate in my town, Hoboken (and admittedly I am a highly charged partisan myself) I did not think twice that it might be hurtful or bad judgment. For which I am truly sorry. The intent was NEVER to make a comparison between the subjects of the graphic and the Holocaust, but I realize now the weight of history is so enormous that these images can’t be used without such comparisons drawn. As for the actual image: the subjects were a City Councilwoman featured prominently- because she has shifted power on the new City Council, and the ‘Triumphant Shill’ worn about her neck as a wardrobe accessory, but while some won’t associate it with the original source image, others do. I am sorry for any hurt I’ve caused.
As I alluded to, political opponents in my town have mounted a rather vicious campaign against me to remove me from the municipal board on which I serve, and have co-opted this image to call me an “anti-Semite”. This is quite an outrage and my anger at such vicious persons has hardened my vision. But I’ve thought about it, and realize that outside of the manufactured outrage of these vicious political partisans, there are people who may be genuinely hurt by the image. Again, I am truly sorry for that.
As a Jew educated in the horrors of the Holocaust, I grew up listening to my Dad’s, telling about his mom’s letters her family in Warsaw was forced by the Nazis to write, asking her to send money, jewelry etc. and all were killed there; my Dad’s father’s family died in Lodz. Which I told you. A time never to be forgotten. Or depicted insensitively. In an image.
As discussed, I will post this letter on my blog, for the public and the press. And will swap out the image for another.
I enjoyed speaking with you and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call. And you are welcome to forward this letter to any members of the press who contact you about this.
Best wishes,
Nancy Pincus
Hoboken, NJ