I'm not sure when it became such a casual thing to compare people, events and situations to Hitler and Nazi Germany, but, please make a note if you are considering such an analogy, people still don't like it.
What situation in the world today, no matter how dire, compares to the invasion of all of Europe along with a campaign of genocide all fueled by the most evil mastermind in mankind's history outside of a comic book?
Apparently, the answer to that question is "lots of stuff."
The most public of examples, of course, came a few months ago when Hank Williams Jr., contacted for an interview on politics for some reason by a network that shall remain nameless, compared President Obama to Hitler, and called him "the enemy."
Don't get hung up on the semantics. He did it. It's what he said.
Obama, and in fact lots of other people, didn't appreciate the comparison. As well they shouldn't.
Just today, the international Jewish human rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center, came down on John Raese, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate in West Virginia, for drawing comparisons between his hometown's indoor smoking ban and the Holocaust.
Raese, an out-of-touch, born-into-wealth businessman, said at a public event that him having to put up a no-smoking sign on one of his buildings was the same as Jews in Germany having to wear yellow stars that marked them for death on their clothing.
No, it's not the same. It's not anywhere near the same. If a ballpark is located somewhere in St. Louis, then Raese's comments (you can read the story here http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x1817470496/Raese-draws-criticism-for-Holocaust-remarks ) are somewhere on one of Saturn's moons. That's how "in the same ballpark" the event he was referring to is to his situation.
Again, let me be clear, a campaign to wipe out an entire race of people that resulted in the deaths of millions is not the same as you having to put up a "no-smoking" sign. And if you think it's the same, you should be placed in an elementary school history class where you are required to wear a conical hat.
Did Raese apologize for his remarks? No, he said he stood by them and he was simply "reciting history."
Well, man, guess what? Your campaign is history. I know Raese doesn't know what the Simon Wiesenthal Center is, but he's about to find out. He is in for a lot of unwanted attention. Those kinds of comparisons are not cool with them.
It's not cool with anybody. Ever.
I can remember when I was a reporter, I used to cover this small government agency that would meet once a month.
And every month, a local elderly fellow would get up and rant and rave about the agency's shortcomings, and the corruption of power that was taking place. Mind you, there wasn't enough power to corrupt at this agency even if you wanted to. The devil himself could look at the thing and say "Nah, not worth it."
But the members of this board silently endured this man's berating rants on a monthly basis for a period of years (it's probably still happening to this very day) and reacted professionally and calmly.
Except for one time.
That was the time when the perpetually unhappy old guy referred to the board as Nazi Germany, and its head man as Hitler.
I watched the expression of the accused when those words came out. It was like a light switch was clicked. His normally affable, benevolent countenance changed to one of immediate anger.
Some not so polite words were issued, and he threatened to have the man removed.
After the meeting was over, I asked the head man "So, how did you like being compared to the fuhrer?"
The man grimaced and replied "I don't have to put up with that bull shit."
I had to agree.
Even in my own house growing up, the comparisons had been made.
Whenever my mother would charge my little brother with a chore, especially if she did it in a nagging kind of way, he would snap to attention, shout "Ya vol, mein fuhrer!" and proceed to goosestep around the house with his right arm extended.
Mom, who comes from a line of German and southern European stock who came to America to escape the conditions of war and instability in the early 1900s, was not amused.
See? Even my mom hates being compared to Hitler.
So knock it off, already, would you?
Make fun of Hitler all you want. Mel Brooks and John Cleese are both pretty awesome at it.
Just don't tell your friend "That's so Hitler" when they suggest you become more organized, or get a little too pushy with a waitress. They won't like it.
And, as with Williams Jr. and Raese, don't pull it out just because you're too dumb to come up with anything else. Fall back on "I am rubber and you are glue" before pulling out the big "H" card.
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