Hitler is in the news again, invoked by some ignorant people.
On the Right, Republican Sandy Weber of Texas apologized for tweeting, “Even Adolph Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong reasons.) Obama couldn’t do it for right reasons.”
His apology included, “... I now realize that the use of Hitler invokes pain and emotional trauma for those affected by the atrocities of the Holocaust and victims of anti-Semitism and hate.”
You “now” realize this? #fail
Then there’s the equally ignorant lefty Diann Rice of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
As reported last summer in the Huffington Post: “Colorado’s Civil Rights Commission upheld a December 2013 ruling which found that Masterpiece Cake Shop owner Jack Phillips had discriminated against Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig when he denied their request for a wedding cake in 2012. Phillips, a devout Christian, had argued that the decision violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of his religion.”
“’My issue is that I don’t want to be forced to participate in a same-sex wedding,’ Phillips told CBS Denver, noting that he had “no problem” with preparing cakes and other sweets for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) customers in other circumstances.”
Days ago, “American Thinker” magazine published the revelation from the baker’s latest appeal that Rice explained her decision to force the private business owner to violate his religious belief and participate in the gay marriage this way:
Rice said, “Freedom of religion and religion has (sic) been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the Holocaust, whether it be - I mean, we - we can list hundreds of situations where freedom of religion has been used to justify discrimination.”
The government must now protect gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered from the “holocaust” of being denied the personal involvement in their weddings by Christian bakers.
You’ll have to talk with any bakers you may know about this “involvement” in weddings and other celebrations. I made the mistake once of suggesting to a local baker that “a cake is just a cake.” She let me know in no uncertain terms that her involvement included getting to know every couple intimately and being a part of whatever the celebration is to inspire her to create the perfect confectionary icon (my phrase, not hers).
The cake was quite tasty.
I suppose I had my opportunity to sue an establishment many years ago for denying me service due to my sexual orientation, but I simply chose to use a different provider instead of grandstanding. How libertarian, eh?
Years ago, a girlfriend and I visited Laguna Beach, California. We walked into a crowded bar in the late afternoon and stood waiting patiently for the bartender’s attention.
We waited while others came in after us and were served.
We waited.
My girlfriend, being much more aware of our surroundings than I, suggested that perhaps we should go to another bar.
“Why?” I asked. “Let’s get a beer, hang out and then explore the rest of the town.”
She replied, “There aren’t any women in here. I don’t think they want us here.”
My completely ignorant college student reply: “So? Maybe it’s some volleyball teams hanging out.”
(Yes, I was that naive.)
At that moment I caught the attention of the bartender who scowled at me, “Take a look around, kid. You’re not welcome here. You’re not going to be served.”
He strutted away with an exaggerated swishing of the hips and we left “The Little Shrimp.”
I suppose we could have sued or invoked Hitler. Instead, we chose another spot for a drink.
Once debaters start invoking Hitler, the conversation pretty much ends. It means you really have no intelligent criteria for the debate at hand.
Hitler liked dogs. Do you like dogs? Then you’re just like Hitler.
Rick Jensen is Delaware’s award-winning conservative talk show host on 1150AM WDEL and 93.7FM HD3, Streaming live on WDEL.com from 1pm - 4pm EST. Contact Rick at rick@wdel.com, or follow him on Twitter @Jensen1150WDEL.