(Jewish Group) Hitler this, Hitler that.

[Behind the Aegis]

(THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP! RESPECT!!)

Times being what they are, comparing anyone to Hitler or the Nazis is likely to score you “likes” as well as “forwards” on social media. So people keep doing it. It’s hard to resist – what better example do we all know of really-disgusting, super-bad, morally-offensive no-goodniks? Thus we get everything from the Soup Nazi that haunted George on Seinfeld to the “grammar Nazis” who dare to correct students’ faulty spelling and grammar to the “feminazis” who so offend Rush Limbaugh to both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson comparing their EU opponents to Nazis.

Recently, people, including none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger, have been comparing the invasion of the US Capitol to Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in 1938, when Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses, and killed close to 100 Jews. Yes, both events involved vandalism, violence, and orchestrated propaganda. But the much more accurate historical comparison is Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. That attempt at taking over a state capital was foiled by the police and taught Hitler that he was more likely to succeed in destroying German democracy from within the system – which he did after becoming Chancellor in 1933.

The Traditional Case against Holocaust Analogies
There are a number of well-known problems with using Nazi analogies for what one considers “really wrong” and “really right.” First, they often trivialize a unique historical tragedy. We can laugh at such unbalanced judgment from a fictional character like George Costanza, but it’s dangerous to have Rush Limbaugh implying that feminism has ever done anything as wrong as murdering 10 million people.

Second, these analogies are distracting. Once Hitler and the Holocaust are “in the room,” so to speak, some people are going to be too fired up to carry on a reasonable discussion of whatever the real issue was supposed to be.

more...

[Cary]

1. I could not disagree more

Never again means that we identify National Socialism before the atrocities and we fight it with everything we have.

That is the lesson of the past 5 years. Learn it.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. There is a HUGE difference in drawing a parallel and calling it the SAME thing.

It is sloppy, propagandistic, and ahistorical in almost all cases.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. Just so, what we are facing...

has nothing to do with mid 20th century fascism. Different time, different place.

What we are facing is a new contemporary American christofascist movement with all the modern social media dressings.

[Cary]

6. Old wine in new bottles

[Cary]

7. Authoritarianism doesn't that distinction

Authoritarian theory isn't perfect but it's the best I have found.

We were lucky to not see the depths to which Republicans can descend. I don't know exactly what constrained them but I never imagined they could achieve as much as they did.

This just isn't the time to go soft. Destroy your enemies completely or they will rally and defeat.you.

[Cary]

5. And what if you're wrong?

Is being not "sloppy, propagandist, and ahistorical" going to protect you?

[Behind the Aegis]

9. And if I am not?

[Cary]

10. Then your words, as they stand, are unfounded conclusions

You don't like calling Nazis out. So what?

[Behind the Aegis]

11. As your questions are "begging the question".

I never said, nor does the article declare, it is wrong to call out Nazis or even Nazi-like behavior, it SAID stop calling everything "Nazi" and everyone "Hitler". There is a BIG...HUGE...difference in making false or misleading comparisons and refusing to call out fascist, Nazi-/Hitler-esque behavior!

[Cary]

12. And I said I disagree with you

Am I allowed to disagree with you?

Is that "begging the question?" Or are you going to call me "ahistorical" again?

[Behind the Aegis]

13. I didn't call you anything!

You can disagree, but if you do so, then the disagreement needs to be a cogent argument, not a smattering of platitudes. If you want to run about calling people "Hitler" and comparing anything and everything you dislike to "the Nazis", have at it! However, when that takes place, you will get push back. Don't believe me? Check out the ones claiming to only be "anti-Zionists" who constantly compare Israelis to Nazis and Israel as the 4th Reich! Trust me...they get push back for the fallacious and over-the-top and WRONG and OFFENSIVE comparisons all the time.

[Cary]

14. Except you did call me ahistorical

And now you decree that my argument isn't cogent, and that I am not free to make it.



smh

[Cary]

16. I saw nazis marching through Virgina screaming "Jews will not replace us."

I saw Nazis murder a police officer and injure 140 others, with t shirts that read "Camp Auschwitz" and "6M Was Not Enough."

I saw a Nazi massacre Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue.

I saw a government that called Nazis "some very fine people."

I sew a growing number of emboldened Nazis, and you're worried about over stating the case against Nazis? You call me ahistorica, engage in ad hominem, deny that your ad hominem is ad hominem, decree that you are misunderstood and accuse me falsely of not making a colorable argument.

Actually it's your argument that is emotional. I used to believe Godwin's Law, but the resurgence of white supremacist to a point I never believed possible proved me and qLaw naive. I would love to go back and believe as you do but facts don't support your assertions. Read John Dean's book. Read Karen Stenner's "The Authoritarian Dynamic."

People are people. The incidence of uthoritarianism is consistent over time and nationality. Most authoritarians are followers which means condemning their racism is critical.

[Cary]

17. By the way I am also less tolerant than I was of anti-Zionists

As far as I am concerned they have to prove that they're not anti-Semites.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. This is why

The For the People Act and the John Lewis VRA must be done immediately. And I'm relieved that AG Garland is now at bat.

Yes, both events involved vandalism, violence, and orchestrated propaganda. But the much more accurate historical comparison is Hitler’s Beer Hall Putsch of 1923. That attempt at taking over a state capital was foiled by the police and taught Hitler that he was more likely to succeed in destroying German democracy from within the system – which he did after becoming Chancellor in 1933.

We can never give them the chance to have power.

Our vote is our super power.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Agreed! There also has to be efforts in the states to stop what is happening.

Democrats in OK are trying to figure out how we are going to stop the voting rights violations which our republican led state is trying to pass.