Comparing Arizona to Nazi Germany is wrong, Jewish group tells L.A. politicians

Is Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigration really comparable to Nazi Germany?

The comparison was made by some on the L.A. City Council on Wednesday as the body approved a boycott against Arizona. But one leading Jewish group says its "irresponsible" to liken the Arizona law to Nazi tactics.

“The Wiesenthal Center along with many other Americans expressed our opposition to the language of the Arizona immigration bill but it is inappropriate and irresponsible to link the bill to the actions of Nazi Germany,” Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the center, said in a statement. “In a democracy, there is no need to demonize opponents, even when they are mistaken, to those whose actions led to history's most notorious crime."

On Wednesday, council members compared Arizona’s action to Nazi Germany and the beginning of the Holocaust, as well as to the internment and deportation of Japanese Americans during World War II. A new Arizona law, which will take effect July 23, will require police to determine whether people they stop are in the country illegally, which critics say will lead to racial profiling.

In April, Cardinal Roger Mahony also compared Arizona's law to Nazism. "American people are fair-minded and respectful. I can't imagine Arizonans now reverting to German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques whereby people are required to turn one another in to the authorities on any suspicion of documentation," Mahony wrote on his blog. 

A Wiesenthal Center official did agree with Mahony that the Arizona law is wrong. “This isn’t about immigration, it’s about discrimination,” Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the center, said in a statement. “We should not forget that we’re a nation of immigrants. This law makes no sense -- it guarantees and stigmatizes people of color as second-class citizens and exposes them to intimidation and the use of racial profiling as a weapon of bias."

-- Shelby Grad

Photos: Marvin Hier, Roger Mahony. L.A. Times files.

Comments

[Fred Raska]

I find it dishearting that you as a city can take such action and believe that it matters to me. Well I boycott LA, I will not spend 1 cent in LA. Laws are enacted for everyone, you don't get to pick and choose what laws you will observe. If you are latino that does'nt give you a special right to ignore the law. If you cannot stand by the oath of office that you took as officers of the city; to uphold the laws then to hell with your racist city! I am an American!! Are you!!!

[enough is enough]

@echolady...right on!! How stupid can the politicians in LA be? I thought they were educated people, but they don't seem to understand the difference between legal and illegal immigration. I'd also like to know how enforcing this law locally (in AZ) "..guarantees and stigmatizes people of color as second-class citizens"?

[Bernadette Sneed]

"there is no need to demonize opponents, even when they are mistaken".
Well, nice of them to stand up for America's emigration law or did they?
Arizona is enforcing CURRENT federal laws that the government has ignored for 30 years. The result of ignoring these laws: an overwhelming 5th column of Mexicans & other assorted Latins from Socialist countries who have come here demanding "rights", demanding that we adjust to them, demanding that this nation be turned into a 3rd world nation (which O & pals are doing faster than Superman as a speeding bullet) so they can finally feel comfortable.
The LA City Council has no "right", no authority to boycott a state that is fighting for it's very life against invastion. The fact that the City Council is made up of these invaders as anchor babies is another issue.
As for Mahoney, traitor to his Roman Catholic faith, traitor to this nation, he needs to go into a monestary for 20 years to reflect on what his actual duty is supposed to be & stay out of the politics. Lousy liberal bastard is a disgrace to the 2010 years of Cardinals who worked for the church, not for the "man".

[Reality Chick]

Illegal is a crime and Mexican doesn't mean illegal. Mexican has become the scapegoat for misdirected Anglo anger over having an African American president.

[lewis]

The word "holocaust" has been in the english language since the 15th century, yet you'd better not mention it in relation to ANYTHING horrific...the Jewish people OWN that word, and have all rights to it's use. Sad.

[Dawn]

No, it's not like Nazi Germany yet, but if the economy continues to worsen...well, people need their scapegoats and I'm pretty sure there will be several groups that the residents would like to put into camps. No one can blame THEMSELVES for taking out HELOCs and spending foolishly during the boom times. oh no, we must scapegoat!

[Scott]

Have we nothing better to do in the City of LA than to boycott AZ...Really? Why not do something more substantial by having an online hearts tournament. In the last decade politicians in general have become a self centered laughing stock with the sole ambition of lining their pockets and selling off any piece of integrity that remains. Do us all a favor by relocating to Mexico so you can take on this challenge at the source. When your mission is accomplished, we will welcome you back! We forgot to mention, while you were gone, you were replaced by people passionate about this country. You will have to apply for residency and can no longer sneak across! Nice to see a country with new found Integrity!!!

[Herman Munster]

You people all just plain goofy! Do you realize that? Arizona residents (Americans) are laughing California. In fact, if you read the polls, California and the Los Angeles City Council are the laughing stock of the nation. But thank you for encouraging all the illegal invaders of our country to leave other states and join your Mexican one. Arizonans are now contemplating sending the National Guard to the Arizona-California border to close it down. Good riddance California!

[Frank]

The only DRAMA being spread here is by the supporters of Arizona's racist law. Put aside your hate and you will see that this law is discriminatory and written with haste and no sense of thought.

[Richard]

The illegals, the law breakers, immigrants from Mexico and Central America are the descendents of the original people of the Americas. Their presence on this continent dates back thousands of years. The fabricated lies and consent that has marked them as illegals, law breakers, and immigrants is based on European-American history and it's laws aimed at keeping the working class at odds with each other in order to maintain the status quo.
Our Jewish brothers do have a claim to one of history's most notorious crimes, along side the crimes committed against the ancestors of Mexicans and Central Americans during the invasion of the Americas, which witnessed the death of 20 million humans who had lived on this continent for thousands of years. Although there were no cameras to capture this and imbede it into our memories; it happened none the less marking it as one of the most notorious crimes committed against a people. They deserve a break! They are not illegal!

[Chad Chen]

Just want to add that I fully support the Arizona Law. Police that tries to verify a person that committed a crime of illegal entry to the states is justified and must be carried out.

[curious]

It is sad that folks cannot recall how the Nazis tracked down, rounded up, ghettoized and marked Jews with Stars of David -- all well before the utter and shameful evil of the war years and death camps.

Arizona isn't the same.

The God-given color of their skins obviates any need for marking the breasts of Arizona's non-whites.

Citizens or not, anyone in Arizona who is not white will suffer under this pathetic law.

[Stephen Santamaria]

I have to respectfully disagree with Rabbi Cooper. The Nazis took a holistic approach in their drive for nationalistic purity, so it is wrong to soft-pedal the measures they took short of genocide to reinforce the perception of themselves as a Herrenvolk. I'm no lawyer, but I know racism when I see it, even when it hides behind the law.

[2Obtuse]

What is not being understood is that being born on one side of an imaginary line makes you "illegal." If you were born on the right side of the line instead of the wrong side, you'd be legal.

[Craig]

Am I blind cause I have read this law and no where in it do I see anything even remotely close to racial profiling. Just inforcing a law that already exist on the fedral level. and Punish the people hiring these illegals and stop giving them goverment hand outs.

[Todd Lorber]

Millions of jews tried to get OUT of Germany in the 1930's. Unfortunately you can't ask them, but they would have been tickled pink to have been pulled over, asked for papers and then deported.
Instead, they were rounded up and gassed.

Comparing the law in Arizona to the Nazi's is an insult to humanity and to history. By the way, in Mexico, if you don't have your papers, you'll be placed in prison for 2 years (where they do NOT have cable tv) and THEN deported.

I wonder what happens when Guatamalans entering Mexico, legally or not, carry signs demanding rights and handouts.

[target shoot]

people are just tired of letting these illegles coming into the country and asking for help or just slowly pushing out the real american dream away from american's everyone want to live good , but what is the problem is that their country should be better manage , then people won't flee away to better themselves . all is pretty much gone since this invasion of different coultures have became such a very big deal look what have happen to the middle class america family dreams ( all gone ) and for the poor just getting by paycheck to paycheck american's their is no dreams these american are in survival mode hopeing and wishing that they win some big money or the lottery just to escape the current life style that they living now .why don't all the states consider one very important fact . if you are an immigrant, and lived in the US for over 7 years then you should be giving 1 year to become a resident of the US , but if you have been here under 7 years then they should be sent back ... period .Its funny that they been here for years and token over the american dream ,house,car ,bussiness, and never thought about becoming a resident of the US. now that this is a big issue , here comes the cry babies .. who's fault is that ..

[Peoplescomments]

It may not be Nazi Germany yet. But neither did the Nazis started killing Jews the first day.
they were singled out and given star patches before doing the worst.

[Jon K.]

Please excuse my poor grammar.

It should be: "Why Does The Media Have Such A Different Perspective Regarding Illegal Immigration WhenThe Overwhelming Majority Of The American Public Are In Favor Of Arizona's Law?"

[Andrew Ellis]

When the irresponsible socialists running LA start attempting to dictate what is good for other states they overstep their assigned boundaries. It is amazing to me that the term Illegal carries a stigma unless you are talking about an illegal immigrant. If you drive without insurance you can get away with it for a while however, sooner or later you will be asked to show proof. When this happens you are punished. This is all the Arizona law does. The issue is Illegal immigrants will be repatriated. This is of course received poorly in the illegal immigration capitol of the USA.

There is a reason I never moved into LA. It's as corrupt as corrupt as Mexico.

I support a Buycott for Arizona. Do whatever you can to help Arizona.

[PAUL OLIVAS]

all the indians in arizona, you don't hear them saying get out whites this is our land!1

[Blithe]

The rabbis are right- the comparing Arizona to Nazi Germany is way off base. It is much more fitting to compare Arizona to the South African apartheid regime.

[J Moss]

In comparing Arizona to Nazi Germany, Koretz shows us just how ignorant of the facts he is, and how ignorant of the feelings of survivors of the Nazi regime he is. In the USA today, you have to carry ID. When a cop asks to see your driver license, registration and insurance, why isn't that like the Gestapo demanding to see your "papers?" It isn't, and we all know it. Koretz and the rest of the City Councils showed us what a bunch of sheep they really are. No wonder that the City's bankrupt with this bunch of lame brains at the helm.

[Ryann]

This is absolutly rediculous. Hitler tried to go to every other contry in the world and change them all into people of "his standards". All Arizona is doing, and I think other states that border Mexico should do too, is protecting our country from ouside invadors. I have no problem with ANYONE becoming a citizen of the United States. But I am of the believe that if you want to live here, you should speak our language, learn our history, and pay your damn taxes like the rest of us! Arizona is not being racest. They are not kicking ALL the Mexicans out. All they are trying to do is insure that the people who are in this country are the ones who are supposed to be. America isn't a race... America is a country where any person of any backround can come to try their luck at a better life. But it isn't fair for them to be here and take advantage of our system and not belong. You would let someone into the movies without buying a ticket. You wouldn't let someone who can't swim to be a life gaurd. It's not discrimination. It is equality. I know every state in the US. I know the pledge of allegience, and passed my drivers test, and pay taxes to be put into our welfare system. Why should we allow them to hold a lower standard? I would not expect to move to France without learning French.

[John]

Um, Rabbi, the formative years of the Nazis occured in a democracy; Hitler was elected. If they're wrong, they're wrong. I don't think we should be silent about it.