▁was ▁also ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Academy ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Let ters ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Wies el ▁co - f ounded ▁M oment ▁Magazine ▁with ▁Leonard ▁Fe in ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁They ▁founded ▁the ▁magazine ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁voice ▁for ▁American ▁Jews . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁of ▁N GO ▁Mon itor . ▁ ▁Wies el ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁speaker ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁the ▁Hol oca ust . ▁As ▁a ▁political ▁activ ist , ▁he ▁also ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁many ▁causes , ▁including ▁Israel , ▁the ▁pl ight ▁of ▁Soviet ▁and ▁Eth iop ian ▁Jews , ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁apart heid ▁in ▁South ▁Africa , ▁Argentina ' s ▁Des ap are c idos , ▁Bos n ian ▁vict ims ▁of ▁gen o cide ▁in ▁the ▁former ▁Y ug oslav ia , ▁Nic ar agua ' s ▁M isk ito ▁Indians , ▁and ▁the ▁Kur ds . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Wies el ▁delivered ▁the ▁speech ▁" The ▁Per ils ▁of ▁Ind ifference " ▁in ▁Washington ▁D . C ., ▁critic izing ▁the ▁people ▁and ▁countries ▁who ▁chose ▁to ▁be ▁ind ifferent ▁while ▁the ▁Hol oca ust ▁was ▁happening . ▁He ▁defined ▁ind ifference ▁as ▁being ▁neutral ▁between ▁two ▁sides , ▁which , ▁in ▁this ▁case , ▁amounts ▁to ▁over looking ▁the ▁vict ims ▁of ▁the ▁Hol oca ust . ▁Through out ▁the ▁speech , ▁he ▁expressed ▁the ▁view ▁that