A member of the republican county board in southern Minnesota resigned after posting on Facebook an image comparing the state mask mandate to the Nazi regime that forces Jews to wear star insignia during World War II.
The Wabasha MN Republican Party Party Facebook page posted a meme on Tuesday depicting a Nazi soldier face to face with a Jewish man wearing the Star of David on his jacket during the Holocaust. “Just put on the star and stop complaining. It really isn’t that difficult, “he writes over the image. Underneath, another message says,” Just put on your mask and stop complaining. ”
The photo was an apparent reference to the mask mandate imposed by Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MINNEAPOLIS WHO SWEARED NOT TO CALL THE POLICE AFTER FLOYD’S DEATH IS ALREADY TESTED BY A HOMELESS ENCHAMENT OF 300 FORT
The Wabasha County Republican Party initially said its Facebook page may have been hacked and that both the post and the account were withdrawn. But Minnesota Republican Party President Jennifer Carnahan said later Tuesday that a subsequent investigation revealed the image was released by a Wabasha County Republican Party board member, who has since resigned at the party’s request.
“/> The photo was an apparent reference to the mask mandate imposed by Democratic Governor Tim Walz. (in the photo
(Star Tribune / AP)
“Upon further investigation today, the Minnesota Republican Party learned that the Wabasha County Facebook page was not hacked last night, as the Wabasha County President believes,” Carnahan said in a statement, according to WCCO.
“The offensive image was unfortunately posted by a board member who resigned effective immediately at the party’s request. We are saddened by the vitriolic publication and hope as we move forward that both Republicans and Democrats will maintain the highest level of integrity, respect and sensitivity. The Wabasha County Board and MN GOP apologize for this disappointing post. “
The county board member responsible for the position was not identified. The meme received several negative comments and got a response from the Jewish Community Relations Council.
“It is a disgrace to the memory of World War II veterans, as well as Holocaust survivors and anyone who has fought,” Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Minnesota Council for Jewish Community Relations, told the AP and Dakotas.
Jewish Community Action also shared a screenshot of the post and asked the Minnesota Republican Party to “tell Wabasha Republicans to stop using images like this” because “it reveals a total lack of empathy and education.”
“Given that Minnesota rabbis recently came out in favor of a mask mandate, comparing that mandate to the Holocaust feels especially distasteful,” the group tweeted.
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin said that rhetoric risks increasing non-compliance rates to make the virus easier to spread. In a statement, the state Democratic Party said the Wabasha County publication was not the only GOP instance linking a mask requirement to Nazism, citing recent comments from a couple of legislative candidates. The party also cited a tweet from Carnahan that compared Walz to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
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Daily deaths from COVID-19 complications have been in the single digits for the past six weeks in Minnesota, although hospitalizations and ICU cases are on the rise, MPR News radio reported. On Wednesday, the state recorded at least 52,321 confirmed cases, with at least 1,620 deaths.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
