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More Info on Paskowitz

Reader comment on item: Surfboards to Reduce Arab-Israeli Tensions?

Submitted by Alex (United States), Apr 3, 2009 at 13:27

It may surprise some who know me and have read my posts that I am knowledgeable about surfing, but here is a factoid about Mr. Paskowitz that Dr. Pipes might have missed:

He was a conscientious objector during World War Two--not Vietnam, not even Korea, but the Second World War, despite his being Jewish. He is rumored to have said in justification that if Hitler were a surfer, the hostilities of the mid-20th century would not have happened.

This is just to let you know that who you are dealing with here is a flake, one who gave up his admission to Stanford medical school (after graduating summa cum laude as a pre-med there) to become a surfer.

I actually would even venture that the southern California, 1950's counterculture out of which the popularity of both Paskowitz and surfing arose would be somewhat hospitable to Nazism, not because of sympathy with it, but because of this subculture's total break with conventional society and seeming incapacity or unwillingness to make judgments. Fopr example, on the North Shore of Oahu in the early 1960's (I believe), one of the early big-wave surfers' fathers brought back Nazi uniforms that he had captured as an American soldier in Europe. The video of famous big-wave riders like Greg Noll wearing them as a "gag" can be seen in the documentary, "Riding Giants."

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

Thank you for the information. It's also worth noting that Douglas Durkin provides a completely different history of Paskowitz in World War II at his comment titled "Ajax."

Dr. Paskowitz served on the Ajax ship, in the Navy, during WWII. ... The Ajax was a oil tanker in the Pacific, unescorted, just waiting for the Japenese Navy to blow it apart. But some how the crew made it through the war. Then what does Dr. Paskowitz and my dad decide to do? They volunteer for the Bikini Bomb Test.

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Reader comments (23) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
3Stop dreaming and wake up [156 words]DaveJan 22, 2022 16:37278450
2What to do about Islam's dominate-and-kill-thy-infidel-neighbor mentality. [323 words]PrashantJan 23, 2022 21:46278450
This is pretty funny [83 words]stanley bApr 24, 2012 17:16195250
Re Surfboards to Reduce Arab-Israeli Tensions? [63 words]KathaApr 9, 2009 01:13153624
Special Topic on Daniel Barenboim Saga. [407 words]SvetApr 4, 2009 01:54153283
Mr. Pipes, You are so funny in your writings.... [104 words]SvetApr 3, 2009 14:09153266
More Info on Paskowitz [227 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlexApr 3, 2009 13:27153263
I Stand Corrected [55 words]AlexApr 4, 2009 12:40153263
Oh, Please !!!!!! [352 words]SvetApr 3, 2009 11:33153259
Ajax [120 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Douglas DurkinJun 13, 2008 21:09132048
Surfboards to Reduce Arab-Israeli Tensions [293 words]Jonathan PaskowitzFeb 16, 2008 09:34120337
beach boy dreams [133 words]Rebecca MouldsDec 31, 2007 15:51117236
dream on Dr Paskowitz [140 words]surjsJan 14, 2008 14:12117236
Yes Rebecca, You are right about Daniel Baremboim. [64 words]SvetApr 4, 2009 01:09117236
Surfing with Dr, Paskowitz [339 words]Michael BernetDec 31, 2007 12:38117223
hi Michael [24 words]Jonathan PaskowitzFeb 22, 2008 16:46117223
Doc interviewed on Podcast [13 words]Simon JenningsApr 14, 2009 01:15117223
Love the Doc. [54 words]Harry VineMay 12, 2009 17:47117223
congratulation dr paskowitz [35 words]palacios jorgeNov 15, 2009 18:55117223
Charlie don't surf [93 words]Luta BelcherDec 31, 2007 07:50117209
Wow!!! [25 words]RubiconDec 30, 2007 19:40117161
Leopard's don't change their spots either [62 words]David W. LincolnDec 30, 2007 17:21117148
question: what do the Arabs think about frizbees and surf boards for peace and what our their peace overtures [40 words]alanApr 3, 2009 14:34117148

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