Oh, I agree completely with you on most points. The ignorance of Spicer, et al, is staggering. And I also think that comparisons to Hitler are generally worse than useless for a great many reasons.
The horror of Syria is entirely, well, horrific enough to stand on its own.
Mussolini was always a better comp anyhow.
Ok, more seriously, where there may exist better historical analogues, comparisons, and atrocities to various of the Orange Ones antics, Americans have a very low, what I’d call, international historical literacy. Hell most are barely familiar with anything but the ‘rah rah’ narrative of American history. Getting them to think of the historical stains that were Manifest Destiny, Japanese internment, or Jim Crow is hard enough as is. Getting them to recognize the corrupting forces of nationalism and xenophobia do not enrich a nation is probably a hopeless task.
But I’d also agree that ignoring historical examples, yes including comparisons to Hitler, is foolish. And there is a qualitative difference to comparing the forces that enabled the rise of an authoritarian murderer, and how he used democratic processes to destroy the norms of society from within, than comparing one person to another as a way of trivializing Hitler. Not just because it is inaccurate, but because it is insulting, and not a little bit antisemitic. Being able to identify the forces that allowed the rise of fascists and authoritarians in democratic nations is not only useful, but essential. We need to be able to understand that, yes, it could happen here. And when running on a platform of naked hatred and racism, pardon us for not giving the benefit of the doubt (though I don’t think I personally ever made the Hitler comparison).
Basically I don’t think the comparison should be disallowed, but I do think you have to be careful and intentional in usage. What Spicer did was neither. Making facile comparisons about Herr Trumpler is also not. analyzing the way the Reichstag was unequipped to deal with a group of the ambitions and disregard for civil society that the Nazis had, and showing how our own nation is not immune to that same kind of internal takeover? That is different.
Leave it to Spicer to obliterate the micro-scandal of the Trump’s skipping out on the White House Passover seder by blundering headfirst into this.
Aye. I don’t recall seeing any particularly unreasonable Trump/Hitler comparisons here. A quick search revealed some mentions of orange/tangerine hitler, but nothing substantive that would merit a finger wag at us hyperbolic liberals on qt3.
I stand by my comparisons of Trump to Hitler, in that the comparisons were direct comparisons of similar scapegoating and political techniques used by both.
I wouldn’t say that Trump is literally worse than Hitler, out even close to his equal in terms of atrocities.
But his political rise was very similar.
I think they aren’t helpful, but comparison to the rise of Hitler and Trump aren’t crazy. I was thinking of more the lumping of other Republican, such as Pence in with Hitler.
I think Hitler and Trump and Assad are all horrible leaders. The cruelty and stupidity of what they do should be condemned, it is not necessary to exaggerate it by making false comparisons.
If Assad is worse than Hitler, what possible justifications are there for not overthrowing his regime, right now?
I think what Spicer did in isolation is enough to justify getting rid of him, in combination with the last 80 days there is no reason he should stay in the White House. For me it has cross the line, from Spicer makes Trump looks bad, that will make it easier to get rid of Trump, to Spicers makes the country look awful we should get rid of him for the good of the American people.
This is different. There are the war crimes that Hitler and his committed, and then there is a way an ideology was built, based on lies and a complicit public wanting to find someone to blame and target them.
We shouldn’t avoid comparing people and their mannerism to Hitler else we might actually get a repeat. We should absolutely compare present day to history; Nazis are no different. This is a different approach and study then trying to see who killed the most in the worse ways and then trying to justify these killings over those.
How in the hell is this possible.
I think he is honest, but stupid. If he is anything smart will stop with the abuse of “but hitler…”. These are never good (except when talking about actual nazis, like Steven Bannon).
Anyway this looks bad, specially because is a administration that have not condemned white suprematist terrorist attack that happened recently.
“He’s worse than Hitler, but we all know Hitler wasn’t all bad.”
So Spicer is going to lose his job soon, right?
He should lose his job. The whole point of having press secretary as a separate post is, in fact, precisely so they can be fired when things like this happen.
But Trump is stubborn. Also, Spicer has the rare gift of making Trump look smart in comparison. So who knows?
Who would they replace him with?
Kushner, obviously!
I know…
“Last month, United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz was named U.S. Communicator of the Year by the magazine PRWeek.”
I was going to vote for LMN8R’s suggestion, but this wins.
Rep. Steve King of Iowa would fit in
Trump apologizes for nothing. Only losers apologize. Winners double down.
Spicer is out within 10 days.
