WASHINGTON — Republicans’ senseless crusade against the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has become increasingly disturbing, with many comparing vaccine mandates to life in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. This new trend represents the latest development in a long line of attacks on public health that Republicans have launched since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Vaccination campaigns are nothing new, as public schools, for example, have long required students to be up-to-date on their vaccinations. The GOP would rather score cheap political points and erode trust in public health professionals instead of helping Americans recover from the devastating pandemic.
“It’s deeply disturbing that Republicans would equate sensible public health measures with the systemic murder of millions of Jewish people under Nazi Germany,” said Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee Jessica Post. “Unfortunately, this is a tactic that Republicans have employed against legislation on issues from abortion rights to gun violence prevention. Once again, the GOP has proved itself to be a party of anti-science conspiracists who will go to any length to mislead their constituents.”
Below is a sampling of the offensive remarks Republicans have made equating public health measures to the Holocaust:
- Alaska GOP Representative Ron Gillham shared a Facebook post likening public health officials who share information about the COVID-19 vaccine to the Nazis.
- Over the course of a week, two Republican Wisconsin lawmakers — Representative Shae Sortwell and Representative Tim Ramthun — compared vaccine and masking requirements to Germany in the 1940s.
- Washington Republican Representative Jim Walsh wore a Star of David during a speech given to conservative activists in protest to vaccine mandates and said “in the current context, we’re all Jews.”
- In Ohio, Republicans presented a bill to weaken vaccine mandates, with sponsor Representative Jennifer Gross calling vaccination mandates “eerily similar” to actions taken by Nazi Germany on the House floor.
- The GOP candidate for Virginia’s 94th District, Charles Russell Harper, recently shared a Facebook post equating Biden’s door-to-door vaccination strategy to Nazi Germany.
- Earlier this year, Pennsylvania Republican Representative Russ Diamond posted to his Facebook page comparing mask-wearers to Nazis.
###
