God in Government

Jewish Groups Argue Over Nazi Analogies

By Jacqueline L. Salmon

Rush Limbaugh's recent remarks comparing Democrats to Nazis has drawn widespread condemnation among Jewish groups, but has also triggered a fight among them over which party is abusing the Nazi analogy.

Limbaugh was commenting on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that some protesters at town meetings bore swastika signs. Limbaugh said similarities between the Obama health-care logo and the Nazi logo were "overwhelming." He then drew comparisons between the Democratic party and the Nazi party.

Jewish groups criticized the remarks, saying they were insensitive to Holocaust victims.

Then, as reported by the JTA, things got even more political. Some Democratic Jewish groups wanted House Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia to condemn the remarks, pointing out that Cantor has defended Limbaugh in the past. But some Republic Jewish groups, who also criticized the remarks, went after Washington Rep. Brian Baird, a Democrat, who last week decried what he called "brown-shirt tactics" by health-care reform opponents.

No comments yet from Cantor or Baird.

By Jacqueline L. Salmon  |  August 11, 2009; 9:21 AM ET  | Category:  God in Government Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
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Ok Let me just point out....The democrats and left called GW a nazi for 8 years!!! And noone said a word about it.
The left have called the people who oppose health care reform unamerican and nazis and noone says a word.
But Mr. Limbaugh shoots back and everyone is in an uproar.....give me a break!!!!
I would suggest that the left in the US wake up and smell thier own BS

Posted by: adr1ny | August 12, 2009 9:13 PM
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Some people say Muslims are the bane of humanity. Others say Jews are the bane of humanity. And yet others claim Christians are the bane of humanity. I say all these mental midgets that pray to imaginary sky daddies and perpetuate the rituals of cavemen, regardless of the cult they belong to, are the bane of humanity.
Religion is something that we as a society should condemn, not something we should condone. Religions and the religious are responsible for more death & misery than any other single cause in the world.
Its time you morons joined the 21st century. The earth was not created 6,000 years ago. The earth is not flat. And there is no imaginary sky daddy giving you special rights.

Posted by: bluetalon | August 12, 2009 6:49 PM
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Does this mean that Jewish groups have copyright over who can claim someone to be a Nazi or not? Really? So they own the Nazis? Isn't that insensitive, just a little bit? So can I claim Genghis Khan, or Kahn, because he/she killed nations full of my type of people? Somebody help me!

Posted by: Aeschylus | August 12, 2009 6:41 PM
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Republicans and Democrates. Liberal and conservative. Both are using hate and fear to remove truth and push their idealogy of how we must conduct ourselves. Instead of using the wisdom we gained from the history between these events to guide us, they, and those who follow, choose not to forget, but to willfully disregard the millions who suffered between the then and now.

NO MORE LIES!

Posted by: Damndofhell | August 12, 2009 2:41 PM
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THE UNITED STATES HAS BECOME A POLITICAL COLONY OF ISRAEL & ZIONISTS. MUST everything in America be All About Jews All The Time? These days, you can yell GOD-DAMN-AMERICA from Times Square and Americans will simply yawn and move on along but....say anything about Israel, Jews or Holocaust and ALL THE PAID AGENTS OF ISRAEL (Media Outlets, Right Wingers, Commentators, American Politicians et al,) will will screaming from rooftops NOT just to condemn you but to IMPRESSS ISRAEL/ZIONISTS.

Yes, ARGUMENT ABOUT AMERICAN HEALTH INSURANCE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO ANOTHER JEWISH GRIEVANCE. Thus "instead of being outraged that Obama followers are (described) as Nazis, the Jewish groups are saying the remarks were insensitive to Holocaust victims."

PERHAPS THIS WEIRDLY NARSISSISTIC JEWISH TRIUMPHALIST/VICTIMOLOGY IS THE REASON ISREAL HAS BECOME THE MOST REVILED NATION IN THE MODERN WORLD.

Posted by: St_Satan | August 12, 2009 2:31 PM
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It is "imperant" that intolerant idiots --like the person who posted "It is imperant on jews not to become nazi of modern age" -- should go ahead and get an education before they get a keyboard.

Posted by: fmjk | August 12, 2009 2:10 PM
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It is imperant on jews not to become nazi of modern age.
Posted by: aka2 | August 12, 2009 12:05 PM

============================================
Ooops, too late. Just ask the Palestinians.

Posted by: MUPPET | August 12, 2009 2:07 PM
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So instead of being outraged that Obama followers are like Nazi's, the Jewish groups are saying the remarks were insensitive to Holocaust victims.

They (the Jewish)are so self-centered that they see nothing beyond their own agendas.

Posted by: MUPPET | August 12, 2009 1:51 PM
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That Rush Limbaugh so laughably dares to call anyone a Nazi is mind boggling. What hypocrisy! I think His Rotundity needs to change his drugs!

Posted by: Sonny53 | August 12, 2009 1:49 PM
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The irony here is that most young folks don't even know (or care) what a Nazi is (or was)!

Posted by: tonyholst | August 12, 2009 1:01 PM
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It is imperant on jews not to become nazi of modern age.

Posted by: aka2 | August 12, 2009 12:05 PM
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As long as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Bill O'Reilly are permitted to represent American conservatism, those supporting Obama and his policies should fall to their knees and thank their lucky stars! One can only imagine the hand-wringing and distress among honest, legitimate Republicans who recognize the damage these clowns are doing to their own cause. Democrats and reform-minded Americans should unite in saying, "keep talking, guys!"

Posted by: pschultz63 | August 12, 2009 10:11 AM
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Beacon2 is spot on correct. The republicans can't fool all the people all the time but they know they only need to fool some of the people for about a year. Their tactics, unfortunately, work, and they know it and have no shame in using them. For them the ends justify the means.

What is sad is that the reason for the brownshirt tactics has nothing to do with nazis or government takeovers. Its all about the money and profits. Gotta love America, it always boils down to money and profits. Its just sad that Americans will listen to unbelievable rhetoric and believe it to the point of acting on it without question. I thought we were better than that. I thought we made sure we had things right before we acted. But Bush set the precident, invade and ask questions later. The right wings has become unAmerican and worse is trying to define their lying and recklessness as "American". Our forefathers would be appauled as are a majority of Americans today are.

Posted by: Fate1 | August 12, 2009 10:03 AM
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It is rather preposterous for Jewish groups in the U.S. to pretend that they "own" all allowable references to the German Nazis or the Nazi period. Are we really supposed to accept the idea that if some loony like Rush makes a meaningless allusion to a Nazi symbol that this insults Jews and cheapens the Jewish Holocaust?

Jews need to try to remember that the Nazis were not simply about killing Jews and nothing else. They started a war that resulted in the deaths of about 70 million people and ruined many more lives beyond that. Besides Jews, some of the rest of us also suffered terrible losses because of the Nazis. Jews have no claim of ownership to the memory of that period. The term Nazi does not equate merely to Jew-killer.

Posted by: PJohnson1 | August 12, 2009 3:48 AM
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All I can say Wake up, Obama does not uphold Israel. and the facts are the facts Obama and his leadership is acting that way with the Nationlistic thinking.

and Rush is pointing this out I do say looking to Jewish History and this bail out if we as a nation had lessoned all these years along with Mr. Dave rasmey we would never let credit card be come what they have and we have never had the bail out because they would have cleared the bank as they did long ago for it reads to clear bank every seven years. Why Cause You can not eat Money!

To be able to live without fear of government to be sercure in self and homes Freedom of Speech helps push smaller government and More Honest and Rush Limbaugh is trying his best to Up Hold it all!
right down to National defense that Rush Understands Starts with Self Defense

Baring Arms
The old King from the book of ester that said from this day on the jews will always have the right to defend them self!

Why Cause he understood that through greed evil smiles through insanity evil sings You have to have a way to defend your self Obama does not up hold the basic freedoms that has come to the aid of the jews many times!


Good Job Rush Freedom of speech the two edge sword of truth Proverbs 27.5 Better is an open rebuke then conceld love

Posted by: WindSong | August 12, 2009 1:27 AM
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He's a DJ... just turn the nob on your radio dial.

Posted by: whocares666 | August 11, 2009 6:18 PM
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The worst thing the Nazi's did was leave a legacy for stupid people to fight over.

Posted by: billy8 | August 11, 2009 6:08 PM
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Rush Limbaugh calling someone other than himself a Nazi....Insane.

Posted by: Hoffmann1 | August 11, 2009 4:26 PM
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What a waste of space article. You people continue to keep guys like Limberger and O'Reillyed in the news. By you people I mean the media and groups like Dem and Rep Jewish Political Groups noted here and Countdown Keith and Lou Dopey Dobbs and the Faux News idiots. Why do you think Fat-Boy says these outrageous things??? For notoriety and ratings but I believe you all know that. You're all in it together and you deserve each other. When having a poltical debate ask questions and expect an answer not your answer. What answer do you expect to get from either Cantor or Baird? If you get the one you expected then you shouldn't have asked the question.

Posted by: billm32 | August 11, 2009 3:51 PM
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The extreme rights are tell the world that Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Finlan, S. Korea, taiwan, ......, are all Nazi countries as their health care systems are pretty much the same as the Democrat's. Those extreme rights look more like Nazi as they are so much against the world.

Posted by: williaml1 | August 11, 2009 3:06 PM
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Godwin's Law strikes again! The radical fundamentalist Republicans have finally run out of material to twist and skew so they resort to extreme hyperbole to unnerve the ignorant masses. I really wish the moderate Republicans would grow a spine and assert themselves to prevent lunatics like Limbaugh and Glenn Beck from raising ridiculous debates like this; it just goes to show you that our political system is broken because instead of raising serious concerns and offering real solutions, the Republicans rely on these headline makers to derail the entire process and maintain the status quo.

Posted by: hegemon4ever@yahoo.com | August 11, 2009 2:55 PM
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Amuzing...everyone starting to get they all (politicians) full of it..and there to achieve there own goals..lawyers not able to practice..go figure..
We already have a Gov. System..(2) of them.
Fix both or one---get rid of Medicade..fix Medicare..ensure Congress has to have it ONLY and I bet it will be fixed..

Posted by: rw62827 | August 11, 2009 2:06 PM
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This is so bloody depressing. We're getting stupider by the minute, and it's looking as if the insurance companies and Big Pharma are going to keep their status quo.

Posted by: forestflyer | August 11, 2009 1:31 PM
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Rush Limbaugh is simply using the code language that appeals to the rightwing base. Obviously they are not interested in knowing what the bill actually provides, they attend only to prevent others, who may think differently, from becoming informed and committed to any form of change. Change terrifies them, consequently they blindly accept what the Limbaugh types tell them.

Posted by: kaycwagner | August 11, 2009 1:28 PM
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Well, now. We, these United States, has gotten what it seemingly has wished for: diversity, a powerful federal government, now becoming super-size, two 'establishment' and highly partisan politican 'parties' and the inability to resolve, common sense style in apolitical and essentially non-partisan manner, essential issues affecting all citzens. Myself a WWII veteran, ETO, a student of history, well-travelled, work assignments on three continents over the years, there is a distinct impression these United States in some ways is similar to the Weimar Republic before it collapsed into the waiting arms of Adolph Schickelgruber. What the answer is to the health care controversy is not known, except that pushing presidential iniatives which are controversial and little understood with heated debate from opposition groups is not the answer. More big government is not the answer, either. Limbaugh's rhetoric is less 'off base" than Pelosi who apparently objects to citizens speaking out as our ancestors did long ago in colonial and other eras against overbearing government actions and policies. So, go figure.

Posted by: IowaLad | August 11, 2009 1:27 PM
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The advertised symbol representing the proposed health care plan by the Obama Administration does not resemble the variation of the "Hakenkreuz" or Swastika used by the German NSDAP from 1920 to 1945.
I am a US Citizen working in Germany for the past 8+ years. The comparison of the parallel red and white stripes in the center of the crown of the logo to perpendicular angles of the swastika geometric form is an exagerated image drawn in the absense of reason.

Posted by: ktallmannde | August 11, 2009 1:25 PM
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The Brownshirts comments are very specific. Brownshirts pre-dated the Nazis and were replaced, violently, by the Storm Troopers. The Brownshirts laid the ground work using dis-information, provocative acts and disrupted discourse by shouting down, both to marginalize the Jews and unseat the government. They created situations and then blamed others. The night of broken glass was a well orchestrated uprising against the Jews. It appeared spontaneous but was planned. Once Hitler was secure, the Brownshirts were killed off and disbanded because they were baggage.

The current Brownshirt program is to prevent health care discussion and de-legitimize the government via the birfers. Outrageous statements are made and argued over. As long as the arguments are not about health care particulars, then the Brownshirt program is a success. The goal is no reform, even though costs are becoming un-affordable. For Palin to talk about Death Panels is provoking and as long as no progress is made in health reform her statements are effective even if nonsensical. Swift-boating is another form of Brownshirt tactics. There have been several references in the news about confused seniors being given mis-information from religious groups, which may indicate the religious right is participating in the tactics of discourse disruption. This is much like the way the religious right via Ralph Read was called upon to interfere with the Indian Casino permit process or to throw undecided votes at the last minute to Bush because of his supposed Christian Moral Values.

Posted by: Beacon2 | August 11, 2009 1:10 PM
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Just as Germans look back with shame and embarrassment at the Nazi period of their history, Americans will do the same looking back at the present with those who use Hitler's tactics over the airways to scare, anger and scapegoat anything and everything they don't agree with.

Posted by: coloradodog | August 11, 2009 12:58 PM
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And when the supporters of Israel smear critics of Israel as Nazis, is that OK?

Posted by: Garak | August 11, 2009 12:53 PM
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I hadn't seen the logo until today, but now that I've seen it, yes, it is certainly reminiscent of the eagle and wreathed swastika. No doubt about that. Put it on a card and show it to 100 randomly selected Germans and see how they react.

As to which party has more Nazi attributes, that could make an interesting debate among the learned. It's not a clear-cut as either Democrats or Republicans, both quite ignorant, think.

Posted by: ChuckCardiff | August 11, 2009 12:16 PM
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Why the loud screaming and Nazi accusations? Was Rush feeling left out of the spotlight for too long? Rush is a special individual who appeals to certain other special individuals, but they need to quit shouting down public meetings. I have problems aplenty with the health proposal. I am Democrat and appreciate the opportunity for questions to be asked and answered. Save the screaming for protesting outside, not where people would like for you to shut up and let them get some needed information. I truly think many doing the shouting are not even aware what they are shouting about - only that the party said for them to be disruptive. Sad.

Posted by: Vickie803 | August 11, 2009 11:55 AM
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Idiocy on both sides. What's new?

Posted by: PhilThijou | August 11, 2009 11:39 AM
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