After White House spokesman Sean Spicer made a highly insensitive remark during Tuesday’s press briefing, saying even Hitler did not stoop to the use of chemical weapons, executive director Steven Goldstein of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect made a post to Facebook on Tuesday, calling for his dismissal. According to Goldstein, this is out-and-out Holocaust Denial.
What made it even worse was that the statement was even made on Passover.
Sean Spicer tells the press that Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons
Spicer was addressing the White House press corps on Tuesday and in an attempt to shame Russia’s alliance with the Syrian President, he attempted to make comparisons between Bashar al-Assad and Hitler. He stated that even Hitler did not stoop to using chemical weapons.
A reporter, most likely thinking of the six million people who were killed by Hitler – mostly in the gas chambers – asked him to clarify his remark. Spicer then stuttered over his response, basically saying that unlike Assad, Hitler did not use gas on his own people.
After more questions from the press corps, Spicer made things even worse by saying Hitler brought those people into the “Holocaust center,” unlike Assad who dropped bombs into the middle of towns.
White House press secretary refers to concentration camps at ‘Holocaust centers’
Goldstein continued in the Facebook as saying he is appalled by Spicer’s remarks at Tuesdays press briefing, saying what made matters worse was the fact Spicer referred to the concentration camps as “Holocaust centers,” while trying to justify his remarks. The post said that Spicer is engaging in Holocaust denial, which he dubbed the most offensive type of fake news, calling his statement an “evil slur” against the Jews who were gassed to death.
In fact, he said it was the most evil slur that had ever come from a White House Press Secretary. The Facebook post then went on to say Spicer lacks the necessary integrity he needs to serve in that position, calling on Trump to immediately fire him.
Apologies from the White House press secretary
As reported by CNN, Spicer has since apologized for his insensitive remarks, telling CNN’S Wolf Blitzer that he had made a mistake. When asked why he said what he did about Hitler – who used poisonous gas on the majority of the Jews killed during the Holocaust – he said he was just trying to make a point. He said he “mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust,” admitting that there is no comparison and going on to apologize.
Blitzer then referred to the many Holocaust survivors who had been shocked by his remarks and asked the White House press secretary who he was actually apologizing to, to which Spicer replied “everyone.”
Hitler was notorious for the mass killings of Jews in the concentration camps of World War II, using cyanide gas in the gas chambers.