By Haddon Libby
In almost any heated debate, it is inevitable that one side will compare the other to Hitler. Sometimes called the “Hitler Card”, this tendency is so common that self-promoting and now noted attorney Mike Godwin termed this behavior as Godwin’s Law. Godwin’s Law states that the longer a discussion goes, the greater the probability that a comparison to Hitler will occur.
As Godwin and any intelligent, reasoned person will note, the comparison of people to Hitler discounts the abject horror suffered by victims of the Holocaust. As a reminder, Hitler murdered two out of every three European Jews – six million men, women and children in total for the crime of being Jewish.
The only people who should be compared to Hitler right now are associated with Da’esh a/k/a ISIS a/k/a ISIL.
Nevertheless, many on both the left and the right are comparing Donald Trump to Hitler. In making this comparison, they state that both used racism to rise to power. Each proposed mass deportations – Jews for Hitler and Mexicans for Trump. Hitler blamed Jews for Germany’s problems while Trump blames undocumented or illegal immigrants. While Hitler was an anti-Jew fascist, many believe that Trump’s rhetoric is anti-Muslim.
Others compare Bernie Sanders, a Jew, to Hitler. Both believe in universal healthcare, a higher minimum wage and higher taxes on the rich. Both blame their national problems on the most wealthy.
We are not done.
Sometimes called Hitlery, some Republicans compare Clinton to Hitler citing her quote, “We must stop thinking of the individual and start thinking about what is best for society.” Now I would say that quote sounds more like JFK but Hitler did say, “Society’s needs come before the individual’s needs.” I’d rather note that Clinton was on Wal-Mart’s board, seems awfully cosy to Goldman Sachs and believes in ‘fair’ trade that has American workers competing against $0.65/hour workers globally.
Ted Cruz haters have compared him to Hitler as well. Where Cruz was born in Canada and moved to the US when he was three years old, Hitler was born in Austria and moved to Germany when he was three. Both exploited bad economic times to rise to power. Cruz blames Obamacare for problems in the US while Hitler blamed the Jews. Both were financed by wealthy industrialists – Cruz by Peter Thiel and Hitler by Henry Ford. Cruz and Hitler both denounced homosexuals and Jews/Muslims. Finally, both have histories of being intelligent whack-a-doodles. Let us not forget Cruz’ belief that Obama was going to invade Texas to get an illegal third term. Cruz is also deeply connected to big oil and Goldman Sachs.
To my knowledge, no one has compared Kasich to Hitler although Kasich has compared Trump and many others to Hitler. When author Naomi Wolf compared George W. Bush to Hitler, Kasich said that Wolfe went “off the deep end.”
The comparison of anyone to Hitler is a lazy person’s way of distracting you from the issue at hand. Don’t take the bait.
If we are to reason that the comparison to Hitler creates a sort of ‘guilt by association’ effect, let’s remember that Hitler was a big fan of the arts. If you like art or are a fan of the arts, you are exhibiting Hitler-esque behaviors? Under this argument, Eli Broad is very much like Hitler. The Palm Springs Art Museum, its patrons and sponsors must all be discreet patrons of the Third Reich.
Do you see how silly this is?
Next time someone on television, in the media or in general conversation makes this type of comparison, stop paying attention to them. Better yet, laugh at them.
Haddon Libby is Managing Director of Winslow Drake, an investment advisory firm and can be reached at 213.596.8399 or hlibby@winslowdrake.com
