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Fri. Sep 20, 2002

Hyperbole of Hitler

Hyperbole of Hitler – It’s an old Net adage of which politicians are clearly unaware, Godwin’s Law: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one. There is a tradition in many groups that, once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress."

No matter to the Germans, to whom it ought to matter the most. No need to even apologize. "A top aide to German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder defended the justice minister Friday against reports that she compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler and expressed surprise at the White House’s sharp reaction."

"The reported remarks by Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin have led to calls for her resignation just two days before national elections [...] ’Bush wants to distract attention from his domestic problems. That’s a popular method. Even Hitler did that.’ "

The Minister and the Chancellor should note, not only did Hitler rule over their country, he lost power because of an imposed ”regime change,” imposed in part by the United States, who’d been having some domestic troubles prior to 1941.

You’re welcome.

And while Schroeder’s spokesperson "expressed surprise at the White House’s sharp reaction" (Duh!) there is some reason in Germany: " ’A cabinet member who makes such comparisons and does not apologize should be fired, if not by the chancellor, then by voters,’ read the editorial in the conservative-leaning top-selling newspaper Bild."

I will be so glad when all this election hoo-ha is over (here and overseas) so that politicians can return to their standard levels of unnecessary hyperbole. This ”election mode hyperbole” is like continual fingernails on a chalkboard.