Top Five Inaccuracies of RJC’s 11/10 Blog Post

David Streeter — November 24, 2009 – 11:15 am | Democrats | GOP Hypocrisies | Republicans | Stop the Smears Comments (0) Add a comment

On November 10, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) attempted to respond to the controversy over the epidemic of Holocaust rhetoric in America’s political discourse. They responded by attacking NJDC. But, more important than their attack, is the fact that their response is riddled with inaccuracies and erodes their credibility over this issue even further. Here are the top five inaccuracies:

Inaccuracy #1: NJDC did not “publicly criticize” and instead “promoted” Representative Alan Grayson (D-FL) and his Holocaust rhetoric.

Facts:

• David A. Harris, NJDC’s President, condemned Grayson on national television during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” When asked by MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski about Holocaust rhetoric on the left, Harris pointed to Grayson specifically and stated that this “rhetoric has no place on either side.”
• The only time NJDC “promoted” Grayson was on our blog post that highlighted Grayson’s Names of the Dead website. This is a site for Americans to list their relatives who passed away because of inadequate or no health insurance and has nothing to do with his Holocaust rhetoric, which he apologized for to his constituents and to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
  
• And, for the record, NJDC also found Representative Brian Baird’s (D-WA) use of the term “brown shirt” to characterize town hall protestors over the summer to be “inappropriate.” Harris told JTA:

We think all Holocaust comparisons used in politics are wrong and unfortunate on both sides of the aisle. We’ve been careful to say over the years that nobody should be engaging in Hitler comparisons, Nazi comparisons.

 

Inaccuracy #2: Swastika carrying protestors are “just a few cranks.”

Facts:

• The “cranks” are not just individuals; they are part of a much broader movement against health care insurance reform. Additionally, the “cranks” often appear at—or in some cases are invited to—official events sponsored by Republican leaders.
• Despite conservative dismissal, there do appear to be rhetorical connections between swastika carrying protestors at various events throughout the country and syndicated conservative pundits such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, both of whom have repeatedly invoked the Holocaust.
• Additionally, the movement is spurred on by elected officials such as Representative John Linder (R-GA) making direct comparisons between President Barack Obama and Adolf Hitler in the pages of Politico.
• Most disturbingly though, the “cranks” have vandalized schools and congressional offices.

 

Inaccuracy #3: RJC has “spoken out” against Holocaust rhetoric.

Facts:

• RJC may have spoken out in isolated instances but, according to the ADL, GOP leadership has not been vocal enough. The ADL wrote in a letter sent to several GOP leaders:

We write to urge you to condemn forcefully the invocation of Holocaust imagery such as photos of Nazi concentration camp victims in the current health care debate. We were appalled that such images were held up by protesters at a press conference called and organized by Republicans at the United States Capitol last week, and deeply disappointed at the failure of the Republican leadership to speak out against such comparisons.

• Subsequently, RJC Tweeted that it “respectfully disagreed”
  

 

Inaccuracy #4: NJDC used “extremist left-wing sites” to prove the existence of Holocaust rhetoric

Facts:

• NJDC has often used The Washington Post, The Hill and Politico for proof. What, exactly, makes them “extremist left wing” news sources? The same question applies to the various local papers that we have used to track these instances in other parts of the country.
• The photos and videos we reference are assembled directly from the source and posted on the web. Like the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Inaccuracy #5: NJDC is incorrect in labeling the cavalcade of Holocaust rhetoric as “GOP Nazi Rhetoric.”

Facts:

• NJDC is absolutely right to label the epidemic of Holocaust rhetoric as “GOP Nazi rhetoric” because the vast preponderance of it comes from Republicans or their allies. And, as mentioned, ADL pointed out these connections in their recent report.
• Most recently, at the GOP press conference on November 5, signs depicting scenes from Dachau were present alongside anti-Semitic signs, right under the noses of GOP leadership. What did the Republican leaders at the rally do about it during the press conference? Nothing.
• Holocaust rhetoric and signs have also become fixtures at town hall events, TEA Party gatherings, and also at Glenn Beck’s 9/12 rally.
• If GOP leadership—including House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), and conservative figures Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN), Rep. Steve King (R-IA), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)—willfully attend rallies where these signs are present, and do nothing to condemn it when they see it, then the Republican Party owns it!

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