Age is not an excuse for mendacity or bigotry. Norman Birnbaum’s letter to the editor of July 13 is based on a complete and total fabrication. He claims that I “support clos[ing] our borders.” I support exactly the opposite. Throughout my entire life I have been a strong advocate of liberal immigration. I am proud of the fact that my grandfather helped bring 29 Jews into America through largely illegal means to save them from the Holocaust. I have written, and spoken in favor of permissive immigration. I have represented people seeking entrance to this country and seeking to avoid deportation. I have strongly opposed President Trump’s immigration policies, most especially the separation of families. For whatever reason, Birnbaum just decided to make up a lie against me because he thinks I support President Trump.

I do not support Trump. Neither did I support the Communists whose speech I defended during the McCarthy period. Nor did I support the Nazis, whose right to march in Skokie, Ill., I defended. I have opposed most of President Trump’s policies and actions, but I will continue defend the right of all Americans to due process under the Constitution.

Birnbaum compares Trump to Hitler and compares me to Hitler’s backers. This is a form of Holocaust denial. If all Hitler did is what Trump is doing, then there were no gas chambers, killing fields and Holocaust. Shame on Birnbaum for trivializing the Holocaust and for his deliberate lies.

Alan M. Dershowitz
Chilmark