Yesterday's rally at the UN, sponsored by organizations including the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and UJA Federation of New York was striking for many reasons, not least of which was the number of signs, and the nature of the rhetoric, which compared the Iranian President to Adolph Hitler. Don't get me wrong, Ahmadinejad is a bad guy. His apocalyptic vision is fueled by a toxic mix of absolutist belief, hatred of the US, Israel, and any other force for liberal democracy (no matter how badly implemented at times), and a romanticized vision of massive violence in the pursuit of victory. But he is not Hitler, and when we claim that he is, it deflects from the real issues at hand.
Rather than delineate all the ways in which the analogy is flawed, just read the words of Elie Wiesel, who implored the gathered audience not to make the comparison - and who might want to make it more than Wiesel?
You don't have to be Hitler to be worthy of opposition. I know that people play the "Hitler card" to claim the moral high ground and build support for their cause. But it actually does neither. It simply whips people into a frenzy and creates the opportunity to point out the false analogy and use its falseness as an excuse for not opposing a truly dangerous world leader.
Are we really ready to declare WW III? If Ahmadinejad is Hitler, then that is the thing to do, and we should do it now. And anyone who uses the analogy should admit that they are politicking for war. It may come to that, but until it does, we should lay off the language which contributes to having that war. One wonders if those making the analogy are any less eager for that kind of battle than the Iranian leader. It's not that the two sides are morally equivalent, but if some of us are as excited by the prospect of a good vs. evil smack down, we are not so different from the forces we oppose.
And it would be helpful if Governor Palin, who published the remarks she would have given at the rally had she not been dis-invited, watched her own language in that regard as well. I deeply appreciate the decades of support that John McCain has shown for Israel, and I believe that Palin shares those views. But if she thinks that building consensus against Ahmadinejad requires painting him as Hitler, she is wrong. In fact, she may be instigating a war that will kill the very Israelis who are our nation's allies.
On the other hand, it makes me sick when Voice of America covers the rally and quotes one person who attended, a person who compares the Iranian and American Presidents. That is so wrong, it's not even wrong! But it smacks of the same inability to make distinctions. Opposing George Bush and Opposing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not require that they be equally bad. And just as the group that sees the latter as Hitler, endanger us with their hysteria, the group which sees him as Bush endanger us with their complacency and moral relativism.
Ultimately, the most dangerous thing about Ahmadinejad is his fanaticism, his inability to see any way other than his own, or any facts which don't affirm that which he already believes. Effectively opposing him requires that we not fall in to that trap on either the left or the right. Effectively opposing him requires not that we make facile comparisons which build a sense of our own moral/political correctness, but that we keep asking the world if they would really like to live a country like Iran. If they would not, then they should figure out how to shut this guy down and do it.
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
EG,
May I suggest a politeness test also?
And as I reminder to those who think the best way to prove their point is to cast aspersions on those with who they differ, here is one of the "Rules of Conduct" for this forum/blog.
9.Courtesy: You agree that you will be courteous to others, even when disagreeing, and even to those whose beliefs you think are false or objectionable. When debating, express your opinion about a person's ideas, not about them personally. Do not make negative personal remarks about another's age, disability, gender, ethnicity, race, nationality, sexual orientation, intelligence, character, appearance,
Okay Al,
I was not going to respond to you earlier and would never follow the advice of those who encouraged me to take down your previous comment. Why? because I geuniunely believe in the free exchange of ideas. But your lack of self-awareness is astounding! It is one of those faith/spiritual issues which you asked me to address.
You call me "abusive" and "sophomoric", but lecture others on courtesy? Come now! You can pick on me all you want. I can take it. In fact, I genuinley respect you for not only reading Windows & Doors despite how much I annoy you, but for contributing to the conversation also. But I hope that you will take it easy on others and ask yourself if you are living up to the appropriately high standard which you demand of others as well.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy New Year
Ahmadinejad is a truly elected president in Iran and what he says is that innocent people nowhere in the world should be killed in the name of democracy or a jewish state. All human beings have the right to a decent life, regardless of colour, caste and creed. Why should innocent children in Gaza starve to death and be killed in the name of jewish state and whoever says a word against it is a "Hitler". I think the crimes committed by the state of Israel are no less than Hitler . Continous crime for 60 years on a people, displacement, murder and now, not keeping them under seige for electing the government of their choice is not very unhitlerish. I think people in glass houses should not throw stones. zz
Not even 6000,000 Arabs have been killed in Israel in their state of war against the Jewish people. That's a far cry from 6,000,000.
Be real. We know what the Arabs would do to the Jews if they got their hands on them. 15,000,000 people wouldn't last a week.
I guy like ahmadinejah shoul not came in America he was here to insult the americains and the jews he should stay in Iran, take care of his people and live the jewishs live their live they have enought with all the arabes that all over. shame on ahmadinejah.
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