What if he IS like Hitler?
Posted: May 14, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized 5 Comments
Rudolf Herzog did a recent puff piece that explored 11 of the most innappropriate ways in which people compared some person, place or thing to Hitler. Most know this as “Godwin’s Law” which states that the minute you compare your opponent to Hitler in the course of an argument, you have lost that argument. Herzog went through all of the usual suspects (Ahmadinjahd comparing Nato to Hitler, global warming deniers being compared to Hitler, Obama is like Hitler, etc.).
However, when he was brought up the fact that last year Georgia State Representative John Yates had said that illegal immigrants should be shot and likening them to Hitler by saying, “Stopping Hitler was worth the price… It’s our border, they’re invading us,” I had to pause for a second.
What do you do when comparing someone to Hitler doesn’t seem so off the mark or absurd? I’m not saying that Yates is right and illegals are like “Hitler.” After all, the Germans did not invade France in order to cut the grass and wash the dishes. But I don’t think it’s off the mark to say that suggesting we shoot on sight the people whom we suspect of having crossed the border illegally on sight sounds to me like something Hitler might have actually thought WAS a good idea. Does that make me fall afoul of Godwin’s Law?
Hang on, does Yates know that the Germans did not, in fact, invade the US during WWII and were never in danger of doing so?
What gets taught in history classes over there?
Yep, Hitler would love shooting all those illegal Canadians sneaking into the country and taking our jobs….
… wait, that's not what Yates meant?
Yates in like Stalin.
Just give him a bushier mustache.
Is that still cliche and do I loose my argument?
@Kelvingreen
Dude, he's from Georgia!!! The only history they teach after 1865 is the story of Bo & Luke Duke.
Well, what 'Hitler-like' qualities are we asserting cause Godwin's Law to come into effect? Hitler apparently loved sweets, especially chocolate… so if somelike likes chocolate, can I say they are 'like Hitler'? He also loved his pet dogs, was a vegetarian, was phobic of commitments, liked classical music and being the center of attention, took credit for things he didn't do, shifted blame when things went wrong and had rather pedestrian taste in art… one or some or all of which would describe a lot of the people I know… are they all 'like Hitler'?