Rep. Ben Carpenter recently compared the pandemic safety measures in place at the Alaska Capitol to Nazi Germany’s labeling of Jews. In no way can temporary measures put in place to ensure the health and safety of legislators, and that of those around them, be in any way equated to the systematic genocide of an entire race of people. Shame on Rep. Ben Carpenter for “joking” in this manner. His remarks were offensive to the Alaskan Jewish community, as well as to all people of compassion and intelligence. I suggest he educates himself by visiting the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website where he will learn the true nature of Nazi Germany and the Shoah. Perhaps then he will realize how ignorant, misguided and harmful his words were.
Patricia Turner Custard,
Member, Congregation Sukkat Shalom of Juneau
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