This sickening trend among Republicans is repugnant, of course, but they keep doing it, seemingly oblivious to how offensive this is. I don't get it.
Source: Seattle Times
A Washington state lawmaker critical of COVID-19 vaccine mandates wore a yellow Star of David at a speech over the weekend — a symbol the Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust.
State Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, had the star affixed to his pink shirt during a speech to conservative activists at a Lacey church basketball gym on Saturday.
“It’s an echo from history,” Walsh wrote on a Facebook page where a video of the event was posted. “In the current context, we’re all Jews.”
"We're all Jews."
The misappropriation of the infamous star symbol — used to identify Jews first for exclusion, and then for extermination — was criticized as deeply offensive by a local Holocaust education leader.
“Our government is making an effort to protect their own citizens, not kill them,” said Dee Simon, Baral Family executive director of the Seattle-based Holocaust Center for Humanity, which works to teach people about Nazi Germany’s murder of 6 million Jews during World War II. “It not only trivializes it, it distorts history.”
UPDATE: Walsh has since apologized, saying “This gesture went too far,” Walsh told KTTH’s Jason Rantz. “It was inappropriate and offensive. I’m terribly sorry that it happened and that I was a part of it.”
Wow....
Republican WA State Rep. Jim Walsh wore a Star of David in protest of vaccine proof, saying that, "we're all Jews."
Wrong. My grandmother had to wear the Star during the Holocaust. She was tortured, starved & Nazis murdered everyone she knew.
It's not the same.
Resign. pic.twitter.com/Nm9PjYqF6j— Jake Lobin (@JakeLobin) June 30, 2021
🚨Call and email Republican Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, Washington state @WAGOP.
Explain to Jim why wearing a yellow Star of David as COVID criticism is hurtful and offensive.
My Jewish relatives were killed in the Holocaust. Walsh owes an apology.#Antisemitism #Holocaust https://t.co/z4Xs5MUDf6 pic.twitter.com/DR1RoapOB3— Nancy Levine (@nancylevine) June 30, 2021