The chairman of the Republican Party in Anderson County, Kansas, apologized for publishing an editorial cartoon in his weekly newspaper on July 3 that compared the statewide mandatory mask order with the Holocaust.
The cartoon, which was published in the Anderson County Review, depicts Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, wearing a mask with a Star of David on it. Below the image are the words: “Lockdown Laura says: Put on a mask … and step onto the cattle car.” In the background is a stylized photo of people climbing into a cattle car during the Holocaust.
Jewish groups condemned the cartoon.
“To compare COVID-19 rules to the slaughter of millions in the Holocaust is disgusting, wrong and has no place in our society,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “We call on the Anderson County Review to rescind this post immediately and apologize.”
To compare COVID-19 rules to the slaughter of millions in the Holocaust is disgusting, wrong and has no place in our society. We call on the Anderson County Review to rescind this post immediately and apologize. https://t.co/HP49ZgONUl
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) July 5, 2020
The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “This despicable cartoon that compares @GovLauraKelly’s mask order to the murder of six million Jews is highly offensive and trivializes the horrors of the Holocaust. It should be removed immediately.”
This despicable cartoon that compares @GovLauraKelly’s mask order to the murder of six million Jews is highly offensive and trivializes the horrors of the Holocaust. It should be removed immediately.https://t.co/aVVdgCC7sN
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 5, 2020
The Simon Wiesenthal Center also tweeted, “This Holocaust misappropriation during pandemic is morally wrong, poisons public debates, demonizes elected officials. Cattle cars took millions of Jews their deaths. Masks trying to save lives.”
This Holocaust misappropriation during pandemic is morally wrong, poisons public debates, demonizes elected officials. Cattle cars took millions of Jews their deaths. Masks trying to save lives. https://t.co/ZohCDG9eiC pic.twitter.com/9HuE8zTkgx
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) July 5, 2020
Dane Hicks, the owner and publisher of the paper, defended the cartoon at first, arguing that the cartoon was nothing more than an over exaggeration of “government overreach.” He also derided critics of the cartoon as “liberal Marxist parasites.”
However, Hicks eventually backtracked and issued an apology for the cartoon on July 5.
“After some heartfelt and educational conversations with Jewish leaders in the U.S. and abroad, I can acknowledge the imagery in my recent editorial cartoon describing state government overreach in Kansas with images in the Holocaust was deeply hurtful to members of a culture who’ve dealt with plenty of hurt throughout history — people to whom I never desired to be hurtful in the illustration of my point,” Hicks wrote in a statement posted to his Facebook page.
He acknowledged that his cartoon should have invoked a less offensive image to convey his argument warning of government overreach.
“To that end, I am removing the cartoon with my apologies to those directly affected,” Hicks wrote. “I appreciate the patience and understanding of those who convinced me to do so, and their commitment to civil discourse as a means of resolution rather than mob noise.”
Kansas Newspaper publishes atrocious cartoon comparing an order to wear masks to the deportation of Jews to the Nazi gas chambers during the Holocaust!
After social media outrage ensued, the Publisher (Dane Hicks) issued an apology a few hours ago and removed the image. pic.twitter.com/e8ut1Q9Abk
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) July 6, 2020
Liora Rez, director of the Stop Anti-Semitism.org watchdog, said in a statement to the Journal, “We find it appalling and just plain wrong anytime a Holocaust comparison is made to justify someone’s grievance. That being said, we appreciate Dane Hick’s thorough apology and removal of the cartoon.”
Kelly had signed an executive order on July 2 mandating that masks be worn indoors and outdoors when social distancing guidelines can’t be adhered to. As of this writing, there are 16,358 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kansas.