Minnesota GOP leader resigns after comparing mask order to Holocaust

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A board member of the Wabasha County Republican Party resigned this week after an image comparing Minnesota’s mask mandate to the Holocaust was posted on Facebook. 

GOP party members in the county are claiming that the image was “maliciously posted.”

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According to KSTP News, Wabasha County Republican chairwoman, Beverly Snow, said the image was not authorized by the party. The image depicted a Nazi officer telling a prisoner of war to wear the Star of David during the Holocaust. The imagery was compared to the current COVID-19 mask mandate.

The caption read, “Just put on the star and quit complaining, it’s not that hard” at the top of the image. Beneath the meme, it read, “Just put on the mask and stop complaining.”

The post was taken down hours after it published. However, prior to its removal, it was condemned by the Jewish Community Relations Council. 

Jewish Community Action, an activist group, re-posted the photo on Twitter. 

Given that Minnesota rabbis recently spoke out in favor of a mask mandate, comparing that mandate to the Holocaust feels especially disgusting. We ask the @MNGOP to tell Wabasha Republicans to stop using imagery like this. It betrays a total lack of both empathy and education. pic.twitter.com/xGMT3cUvvo

— Jewish Community Action (@JCA_MN) July 27, 2020

“Given that Minnesota rabbis recently spoke out in favor of a mask mandate, comparing that mandate to the Holocaust feels especially disgusting.”

“We ask the @MNGOP to tell Wabasha Republicans to stop using imagery like this. It betrays a total lack of both empathy and education.”

It’s a “disgrace,” they noted. 

“It’s a disgrace to the memory of World War II veterans, as well as survivors of the Holocaust and anybody that fought,” executive director Steve Hunegs of the Jewish Community Relations Council said. https://t.co/AOYD1cnuRM

— Algemeiner (@Algemeiner) July 30, 2020

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Minnesota GOP chairwoman, Jennifer Carnahan, responded to the tweet saying, “Upon further investigation today, the Republican Party of Minnesota has learned the Wabasha County Facebook page was not hacked last night, as believed by the Wabasha County Chair.”

“The offensive picture was unfortunately posted by a board member who has resigned effective immediately at the party’s request,” she continued. “We are saddened by the vitriolic post and hope as we move forward that Republicans and Democrats alike will maintain the highest level of integrity, respect, and sensitivity.” 

“The Wabasha County Board and MN GOP apologize for this disappointing post.”

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