Rush Limbaugh - Stop the Nazi comparisons!

I have received some emails from conservative friends likening President Obama to Hitler. Not that President Obama is interested in slaughtering masses of people, but that aspects of his style of governance are Hitlerian. I have responded strongly to these friends, telling them that it cheapens the memory of Holocaust victims to use Nazi comparisons for politicians with whom we disagree. In my book, Nazi imagery is off-limits, except for discussions of Nazis.

And then Rush Limbaugh (whom I do not listen to on the radio) says in response to Nancy Pelosi's contention that there were swastikas at health care reform townhalls that the Obama health care reform logo reminds him of a Nazi logo. Are you kidding me? First of all, he is flat-out wrong. The logos look nothing alike. Secondly, using Nazi comparisons when they are incorrect is disgraceful. There is a tendency to use Nazi comparisons when one has no better argument. This goes for both liberals and conservatives (though I find it more frequently among the former, particularly against President George W. Bush). Why did Limbaugh say this? Was he trying to be funny? There is nothing funny about it. And even if the logo was similar, so what? Does he sincerely believe that President Obama's PR people would have created that on purpose?

Republicans must write to Rush Limbaugh demanding an apology. He cheapened the memory of Hitler's victims, and he made the GOP look foolish. Sort of like what we accuse the Democracts of regularly. To maintain our moral high road, we must reject this kind of demagoguery.

Write to Mr. Limbaugh at: ElRushbo@eibnet.com. Following is a sample email:

Dear Mr. Limbaugh,

As a concerned American about President Obama's health care reform plan, I appreciate your efforts to alert all Americans to its dangers. I reject, however, the demonizing of our fellow Americans on the left, by your use of Nazi comparisons. I saw the logo montage on your website. The logos do not at all resemble each other. Regardless, Nazi comparisons are absolutely unacceptable as part of civil political discourse in this nation. As Republicans, conservatives, and Americans, we are better than that. We can let our reasoned arguments win the day. I believe your comments warrant an apology to Holocaust victims and to those who look to you for smart political thought.

Thanking you in advance,

Sincerely,