The Jewish Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is hopping mad at hardline Republican radio host Rush Limbaugh for his "outrageous and inappropriate" analogy comparing President Barack Obama to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
"Regardless of the political differences and the substantive differences in the debate over health care, the use of Nazi symbolism is outrageous, offensive and inappropriate," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor, in an media advisory released Friday morning. "Americans should be able to disagree on the issues without coloring it with Nazi imagery and comparisons to Hitler. This is not where the debate should be at all."
Limbaugh's comments came after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) commented on the Nazi imagery being hoisted by members of the so-called health care "mobs."
Republicans have denied any organizational effort within the party, though a number of current and former GOP officials and high-level donors have been directly linked to advocacy groups promoting the protests.
When Pelosi called out the growing trend of comparing Obama to Hitler, Limbaugh began claiming the artwork used by the White House to promote health reform proposals is somehow "damn close" to the insignia of Hitler's brutal regime. He has also suggested that Obama's style of governance is similar to the Nazi leader because Hitler "ruled by dictate."
The art used by the administration is a modification of the caduceus, a Greek symbol that has become synonymous with the modern medical profession. Hitler's party insignia was an iron eagle, perched upon the Nazi swastika.
The two are decidedly different in appearance and meaning.
ADL's Foxman added: "Comparisons to the Nazis are deeply offensive and only serve to diminish and trivialize the extent of the Nazi regime's crimes against humanity and the murder of six million Jews and millions of others in the Holocaust. I don't see any comparison here. It's off-center, off-issue and completely inappropriate."
More Jewish groups react
The National Jewish Democratic Council, reacting to the Nazi hyperbole, called upon the sole Jewish Republican in the House of Representatives to repudiate Limbaugh's comments. The push was directed at House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), who said recently that the Republican party needed more "Limbaughs."
"Mr. Cantor, after Rush's Web site antics today and comments yesterday, do you really still think you 'need' Limbaugh?" the NJDC questioned, according to Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein.
"Not all Jewish organizations agree on the issue," Stein noted. "Marc Stern, the acting executive director of the American Jewish Congress, said that it wasn't fair to tag the congressman with Limbaugh's remarks 'because a week ago he said something nice about Rush Limbaugh.'"
Salon columnist Glenn Greenwald on Friday caught an extended reaction from the same group, which said of Limbaugh's remarks:
The Limbaugh comments comparing Obama (and Pelosi) to Hitler and the Nazis are grossly offensive and intolerable. They reflect a nasty and hyperbolic tendency on our political culture, one which makes reasoned discourse impossible, confuses disagreement with evil, and which makes it impossible to distinguish evil from ordinary politics. . . . It behooves all participants in the political process to unequivocally disavow the comparison and to make it plain that peddlers of such noxious comparison have no place in our politics, no matter how large their audiences. And all Americans should make plain their disgust at the comparisons by talk show hosts by a prompt use of the off button.
Additionally, Rabbi Marvin Hier, who founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center, "made clear that he has some 'serious objections' to some of Obama's policies -- 'especially in the foreign policy context' (read: Israel) -- but was nonetheless scathing in his condemnation of Rush Limbaugh," Greenwald added.
-- Stephen C. Webster
It sounds to me like Rush should audition for a preachers job in the delta of Mississippi and try to motivate the population there with this kind of rhetoric..He and Haley speak the same language so let them try...OR, we can send Limberger to Ironwood...Here's a peek...
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/images/aerialShots/ISP_8x10.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SnvtS_kj0I
"Mayor" Rush...have fun !!
Oh, my. Lush Limpballs really stepped in it this time ... LOL.
Rush Limbaugh is a canker sore on American poltics.
*yawn*
Arrest him for inciting violence, or for having viagra illegally when returning from a country that OUR state department warns Americans about their Children BROTHELS while on DRUG PROBATION.
Otherwise, Rush will keep being Rush.
The fact that the very same people comparing Obama to Hitler are the same as those who condoned years torture and murder perpetrated by the prior administration makes this the most striking of ironies.
Those who choose to ignore the obvious similarities to fascism wtih the Bush/Cheney crowd and these wild and silly positions are merely perpetuating this sickening chapter in our history.
Obama, Pelosi, et al are merely trying to bring health and well-being to a segment of the populace that is suffering and, in fact, dying. - how that gets compared to a murderous dictator who tried to steam roll over an entire continent boggles the mind...
ArtieJoe68- Denver, Colorado
The ADL is kind of pathetic, but you don't need to be not pathetic to see how ridiculous the Hitler association is. I'd like to know who's behing the 6 million google hits for 'hitler obama' compared to 'bush hitler' and 1 million hits.
That being said, Obama is a war pig, 61 more killed today in Iraq, 211 wounded, because dickwad won't end the wars.
fuck that fat-assed oxy, drugged addled, child fucking skunk!!! Goddamned loud-mouth deaf mute!!!
Yeah............and what's going to be done about it.................nothing.
Winski:
Interesting you bring up Ironwood State Prison. I've been to Blythe many a time on business to visit both institutions there. Although Limbaugh would make great fodder for the animals couped up there, I would recommend the Security Housing Unit at Pelican Bay SP up in Crescent City. He wouldn't last a week there.
Limbaugh is just exhibiting his neo-con trademark: the art of projection. It is always these Nazis that are quick to call his adversaries Nazis, without ever knowing the literal definition of Nazism or fascism for that matter. They are even too ignorant and uneducated to be embarrassed of what they say.
Certainly if a man can be arrested for "disturbing the peace" in his own abode (Gates) a demented blowhard who commands respect of his dittoheads and handlers (REPUBLICANS) by inciting retribution over a gold microphone cannot escape justice.
When Dick Cheney ran things, the country almost became used to the style of tactics that Rush ennumerates...that Obama actually enjoys widespread support and uses intelligence instead of shenanigans and blunt force must drive these crazies to distraction but there must be limits when their vitriol is a call to arms for those 2nd Amendment enthusiasts who feel that using a gun is more a statement of freedom than the freedom of not needing one.
Hey, the Obama administration is the one that came up with the scary logo.
I wonder how long it will be before huge paintings of the dear leader will appear on the sides of buildings a la any dictator you can name.
King of the fools.
The Anti-Defamation League is not a credible organization. No one really cares what Abe Foxman says, not even the Jews care what that hypocrite says
A friend of mine have taken many trips together and he has learned before he would come to pick me that the radio is either off or on a station that's smart enough not to cater to that Humpback Likballs show.
This has been building up since President Obama got in the race for the White House. He and Hillary have been called every name in the book and many Americans are being paid to join in. One would think Hitler would be hated for the horror he caused but it seems the KKK and Republican Party look to Hitler with pride and honor. This should show the rest of the World what some of American Law Makers and citizens really feel. What's sad is this is a slap in the face to the Jewish people who suffered and died by the crimes Hitler did. Well this shows the Jewish people that the Republicans will sell them out too. Just think of the pictures we've seen of the evil acts Hitler did to the Jews and then see the Republican Leader Rush Limbaugh hail Hitler. It is surprising that Jewish American Law Makers like Eric Cantor, Joe Lieberman and others really support the words and conduct of Limbaugh even knowing how hateful it is to their own people. This shows you how money can make even a Jewish person turn on a Jew for a buck. I guess Bernie Madoff isn't the only Jewish person to turn on his own race for money.
Rush just bit the hand that feeds him, hard.
Well, maybe his devout dittoheads will actually start paying attention to what he says, of course that might be a bit much to hope for.
I understand the illegal right wing coup in Honduras continues to have that country on edge, with a nation wide health care workers strike, more pro democracy protests and more brutal police crackdowns. No news here.
I understand that a horrible food bill which is a declaration of war on small family farms and organics, is progressing nicely through the Senate and House. HR 2749 google it. Now news here.
I understand that swine flu hype and all sorts of crazy (some believable) ideas about vaccines continue to confuse many people. I would enjoy some well written stuff here on this topic, but there isn't any.
But at least I can get all the latest news here today on these vital subjects:
Meghan McCain vs. Michelle Malkin.
Pelosi and the Nazi sign at the fake protest tempest in a teapot.
The latest daily installment of Glenn Beck buffoonery.
A cuckholded wife in the old south scandal! Oh my.
Another Olberman/O'Reilly pissing contest......I remember the good ol days when Kieth spent his time trying to stop the Afghanistan and Iraq occupations.
A riveting piece involving Rush Limbaugh comparing Obama to Hitler. Who cares what Rush says? Actually, I know the answer to that.......the same people who want to know all about Meghan McCain..........not your average rawstory reader.
Is this place trying to chase all of its dedicated progressive politics junkies away, and replace them with CNN viewers?
obama needs to stop supporting the wars in the middle east. innocents are killed daily. he also needs to stop giving to corporations. when you combine his corporate and military policies, you do get something resembling national socialism, fascism.
i want to get behind obama again, but so far, he is carrying on down the same road as the last several presidents.
Limbaugh "slammed"?
As Greenwald rightly pointed out ... five years ago when MoveOn's video contest resulted in two amateur film makers comparing Bush to Hitler, the reaction from corporate media was almost as "outraged" as was the GOP.
Now what do we get from Wolf Blitzer, etc.,?
Crickets.
And one has to wonder ... of the handful who did criticize Limbaugh ... how many did so BEFORE Greenwald contacted them and asked for a comment?
Either Rush has become the pawn of the zionist likudniks (Congressman Cantor is on record as saying the country needs more R. Limbaughs) or is in need of different medication.
What is sad is that an irresponsable individual is given so much publicity by a media that should know better(?).
Rush and Glenn...that's the best Rep's have to offer? The GOP is foooked.
It's about time the ADL jumped on this. Beck the prick has lost 3 advertisers. Start hitting these bastards in the pocket book. At your work place is there some asshole that makes you listen to those radio-pie-holes? Complain that this shit is making a "hostile" work place and YOU want it OFF--NOW!
Is Rush saying the stripes on the American flag look like a swastika? Or is it the Nazi regime oppressed the German people by providing them lower cost health care?
And holding their noses at the stench of the racism
of the GOP, the rest of the world looks on, and wonders.
"Gina101
""Hey, the Obama administration is the one that came up with the scary logo.
I wonder how long it will be before huge paintings of the dear leader will appear on the sides of buildings a la any dictator you can name." 9
You mean like the huge billboards of Rush that promote his show. Or the giant bus panels? Or the Cigar Magazine covers? Last time I checked, those who support President Obama didn't name themselves something cute like "Ditto Heads" or "Tea Baggers" or whatever.
McCain-Palin's logo said "Country First" and had a big silver military star. Totally fascist.
And Limbaugh is just scared that some mean government doctor will ration his crazy pills.
It wasn't just Jewishness that brought you to the camps, it was also the "crime" of being perceived as gay or communist, anarchist, Liberal or any sort of dissident. Sophie Scholl and many of her comrads of the White Rose movement were once enthusiastic of being in the Hitler Youth until friends who were labeled homosexual were sent to the camps. The White Rose movement was led by catholics, protestants and buddhists. The german nazi movement started with strong homo-erotic overtones, but Hitler, afraid of being outed as the homosexual he was, which would have destroyed him politically, smashed his Iron Fist on Germany's gay subculture. Jesse Owens was a slap in the face to the nazi Fuehrer. The members of the White Rose movement who were arrested lost their heads for their "crimes" of distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. Would Rush put his own neck on the line for such a cause? Hmm... Prison with Sophie and lose your head? or Shoot the Shit (meth) with Adi? (maybe discuss Mein Kampf and his glory days at Landsberg) WWRD?
So psychologically complex, since it is Mr. Limbaugh himself who mirrors Hitler: Inferiority complex veneered with a 'Look At Me Mommy I Did The BIGGEST Poo Poo in the WORLD!' bravado... sexual identity miasma to say the very least... happiest drugged.
Read FILTHY AND FREAKY, Rush Limbaugh Unzipped! at http://xanaduxero.blogspot.com/2009/03/filthy-and-freaky-rush-limbaugh.html
Limbaugh is a fascist. And his comments about the insignias are crazy. They look nothing alike. But lies never stop coming from him. He hasn't a nodding acquaintance with the truth. And one day, he will do what O'Reilly did. He will cause the death of someone because of his brain dead, uneducated, authoritarian loving, knuckle draggers that support his insanity. One day his comments will come home to roost at his door.
As for Eric Kantor. He is a Republican first. He is an ideologue. That will always come first. And he is an American somewhere down the line. As long as he does not have to pay a price, anything goes. He reminds me of Palin. An inept, opportunistic person. His primary loyalty is to himself and his future. And he doesn't care how far down he has to go in the process. So if the anti-defamation league is expecting this creature of dirty politics to speak up for sanity, civil discourse they should not hold their breath. He won't. He will never grow a spine. He will never speak up for decency. None of them do. And none of them will.
they are reduced to attacking the 'messenger'
arguing that the "Nazis" used messengers.
really they are like undisciplined and misguided children
who refuse to face the simplest of facts
and instead screech and making a scene.
Are the ADL still spying on Americans?
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/24/us/anti-defamation-league-accused-of-spying.html
http://theinfounderground.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6946
"Regardless of the political differences and the substantive differences in the debate over health care, the use of Nazi symbolism is outrageous, offensive and inappropriate," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor, in an media advisory released Friday morning". He added, "Only we are allowed to compare people to Hitler."
Its sad to see the people yelling the loudest are getting all the attention.
Theres no doubt the republican way of life is threatened by a democratic government, but as a wise man once said: "You are the minority... It's SUPPOSED to taste like a shit taco". You cant go around praising your country for 8 years and then suddenly challenge its foundations because other people suddenly dont agree with you.
These people who spends most of their time hailing democracy and freedom of speech should try to feel what those notions actually mean. I never took pathos rhetorics particularily seriously - and thats pretty much the only thing they have to bring to the table. Things such as "because i said so" and of course O'Reillys infamous debate stopping "yelling at opponent" are rivaled by such things as "youre gay", "youre a socialist" (and whichever negatively charged derogatives) for the ultimate in the "I'm a better person than you"-race.
Jeez. I wish people could just live their own lives instead of using their whole life trying to change the way other people think. Just because you think its evil to use birth control, use certain words, and generally doing as one see fit (within the bounds of the law) doesnt mean that Im going to change my mind. And its not gonna hurt you.
I wish simple minded idiocy was illegal.
We've Got a Bigger Problem Now
-In God We Trust, Inc. 1981
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wafg6agSiM&feature=related
I don't know why they just send Rush a thank you card: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0706062rush2.html
Seems the ADL wants it both ways. They want the Right wing via Rush to champion their wars against Islam and now come out criticizing their mouth piece? weird.
It's time for all of these patriotic groups to join a class action lawsuit against the purveyors of the Rush Hate radio show and then go after Mr. Oxycontin personally for his Patriot Act violations.
Title 18 which was rammed into the Patriot Act by the reichwingnuts in order to deal protestors whose civil rights have been trampled would be most appropriate to dust off right now with the wingnut fringe lunatics inciting violence at our town halls - and then it's time to go after the lunatic fringe on Fox Noise who are "aiding and abetting the incitement to violence" and in violation of our Patriot Act.
Would it be 'just desserts' that the law which these nutcases created can now be their undoing? Sweet and just desserts. What goes around/comes around and the laws of karmic payback are coming home to roost on the GOP and their sycophantic unpatriotic (and unintelligent 'sheeple') whom they get to their dirty work.
I don't think that I am wrong in assuming that the majority of the anti-health care and anti-Obama people are avid Second Amendment folk. I've been to a couple gun shows where there was always a lot of Nazi stuff on displayed and I never witnessed any of the gun-rights people objecting to it. It isn't going to far to say that there is a large amount of hypocrisy in their current anti-Nazi ravings about health care and our President. Of course, the only thing those people know for sure about the Nazis is that they were kick-ass S.O.B.'s which the gun-rights folks admire. So, their objection to President Obama (besides, of course, his complexion) is that he is kicking their sorry asses.
Perhaps it was time to recall Rumour's Induction to Shakespeare's Henry IV, part II, if only for the sake of insight into just how far right-wing propagandists can go in creating a false sense of hope as is too appealing to the vulnerable and easily-led:
I'm no fan of Obama, but where was Rush when dictator Bush was running rampant?
Foxman needs to pay more attention to what he supports, the slaughter in Gaza. There He could find a legitimate comparison to Nazi Germany. Until he addresses that he has no credibility and his comments are to be ignored.
Rush is a fcuking degenerate. The ADL is worse.
When comparing the president to Hitler became outrageous? I noticed many parallels drawn between Bush and Hitler, but the "right groups" didn't find them outrageous enough to speak up against.
Or, is there a double standard here?
For a run down on the top ten myths and truths on healthcare read...
http://unreasonablysafe.wordpress.com/2009/08/08/top10healthcaremyths/
All this Nazi talk is nothing but hate-mongering. I don't know how Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, just to name two, can live with themselves, but then I guess they're too ignorant and stupid to know what's right and wrong. Glenn, Limbaugh, and others like them make me absolutely sick.
John Tauras:
That's some mighty powerful shit you're smoking.
All that this will reveal is that they do not give a shit for the Jewish Vote either.
Psychological projection (or projection bias) is the unconscious act of denial of a person's own attributes, thoughts, and/or emotions, which are ascribed to the outside world, like the weather, the government, a tool or another person or people. Projection is the most profound and subtle of our psychological processes, and extremely difficult to work with, because by its nature, it is hidden. It is the fundamental mechanism by which we keep our selves uninformed about ourselves. Humor has great value in any attempt to work with projection, because humor presents a forgiving posture and thereby removes the threatening nature of any inquiry into the truth.
THAT's why republiklans use the Nazi term to PROJECT onto others WHAT THEy really are!
The only 'outrageous' thing in this article is the headline that promotes the ADL as a 'rights' group. I personally feel no sense of outrage and am happy to see the ADL bash Limbaugh as they are both beneath contempt.
Might I suggest as worthwhile insight into the whole brouhaha "The Laughing Matter" storyline (in five 15-minute parts) of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar from June of 1956:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
(It's probably just me, but then again--)
Limbaugh is a PROFESSIONAL LIAR working for
CORPORATE FASCIST PROFITEERS who've been
screwing working class and middle class Americans
for decades, and who want EVEN MORE OF YOUR MONEY $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
for their Republican-protected NANNY STATE FOR THE RICH & corporate welfare queens.
BOYCOTT RUSH LIMBAUGH'S ADVERTISERS!!!
Overstock.com
eharmony
Inverness Medical (maker of stresstabs)
Onstar
Hotwire Corporate Headquarters
Sleep Number Bed
The Neptune Society of Northern California
Oreck Upright Vacuum Cleaners
Smart & Final
Mid-West Life Insurance Company of Tennessee
Autozone
Citracal - Mission Pharmacal
Blue-Emu
Red Lobster
Lumber Liquidators
Avacor (hair loss treatment)
Lazerguide (golf instruction tool)
Mission Pharmacal Company
General Steel Metal Buildings
Life Quotes, Inc.
Select Comfort Corporation
Scottrade Inc
RegionalHelpWanted.com, Inc.
The Swap Shop
Pfizer inc
http://blog-me-no-blogs.blogspot.com/2009/01/boycott-rush-limbaughs-advertisers.html
Those sponsoring limbaugh are aiding and abetting a national disgrace.