[Alzona flier] Nazi comparisons are not uncommon

Montgomery Journal (Maryland) ^ | March 24, 2002, p. 6A | Steve Schulin

[Steve Schulin]

Letter to the editor

Nazi comparisons are not uncommon

Your editorial on campaign finance reform ("Slime creep," March 21) refers to "the blitzkrieg ad wars, conducted mostly on television, that demolish the reputations of candidates." Is there any difference in your use of the term "blitzkrieg," which was a particular Nazi military strategy, and Gus Alzona's controversial flier's emphasis of another strategy - gun owner registration - used by the Nazis? The ridiculous characterization of the flier as "hate speech" trivializes the proposed trampling of our right to bear arms.

The proposed retaliations by our public officials against the flier's author tend to reinforce the flier's message. The Journal reports that the county executive has concluded that the flier is sufficient to have the author removed from appointed position "for cause." If I were an editorial cartoonist, I'd consider a cartoon showing Nazi book burners next to Montgomery County flier burners.

[Steve Schulin]

The letter title was provided by the paper. Since the only other Nazi comparison I mentioned besides the flier was the one in their own editorial, I'd say they're a bit ambivilant on the subject. They mistakenly listed my teen-aged son's name as letter author...