TRUTH DECAYHolocaust Analogies Frequently Used as Fodder for Social and Political Commentary

The Holocaust – the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II – stands out as a preeminent example of modern-day state-sponsored mass murder. Despite the Holocaust’s distinctive status, or perhaps because of it, politicians, activists and other public figures often invoke inappropriate Holocaust comparisons to highlight the ostensible “danger” of a social or political act.

Even with widespread efforts to educate Americans on the root causes and devastating impact of the Shoah, Holocaust comparisons have become commonplace, including among people speaking out against COVID-19 health mandates, imprisoned for the January 6 insurrection, protesting abortion, criticizing gun control measures and more. Except for extreme cases, such comparisons are generally not indications of antisemitic animus; however, they are often used to further a political agenda. Such references are outrageous and may be profoundly hurtful to Jews, many of whom lost family members or carry memories of the trauma suffered by their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents during the destruction of European Jewry.

Holocaust comparisons are also unacceptable when applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Claims that Israel is perpetrating a Holocaust against the Palestinians, or that Zionists are equivalent to Nazis, are not only historically specious, but also dangerously malign Israel and its supporters. Inappropriate Holocaust comparisons made in the context of criticizing Israel run the risk of fomenting blatant hostility toward Jewish people, a majority of whom identify with Israel and view a relationship with the Jewish state as an important element of their identity. Although Israel can be subject to criticism just like any other democratic nation, efforts to portray Israel as heirs to Nazi barbarism and brutality go far beyond legitimate criticism and may draw upon or reinforce age-old antisemitic stereotypes of Jews as demonic or uniquely evil.

Pandemic-Era Public Health Policies
The implementation of public health policies designed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. sparked protests against state and local government officials. In numerous cases, critics of lockdowns, mask mandates and other restrictions invoked Nazi and Holocaust-related imagery and analogies in an attempt to compare government officials to Nazis and their policies to the Nazi persecution of Jews during World War II.