The Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council and Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo issued this statement in response to comments made at the Williamsville Village Board meeting on May 9, 2022 when Williamsville officials compared Covid-19 rules to Nazi and communist abuse.
The Buffalo Jewish Community Relations Council and the Holocaust Resource Center of Greater Buffalo unequivocally reject the comparisons made between Covid-19 rules and the Holocaust made by the Mayor of Williamsville and two fellow trustees at the Williamsville Village Board Meeting on May 9, 2022.It is deeply wrong to make these parallels.These comparisons are extremely disrespectful and demeaning to those who survived the Holocaust, their family members, and to the 11 million people who were murdered. When we inappropriately equate modern issues to the Holocaust, we increase the chances of becoming immune to this global tragedy, which deserves to be remembered in its ownright. Making analogies to the Holocaust or other oppressive acts distracts from the important task of finding solutions to the issues of today. Modern issues do not need to be compared to the Holocaust or other oppressive acts to be considered negative or important.We are calling for more civil discourse in our public spaces. We must remember and respect our history, be mindful of language that is misused and hurtful, and reject these comparisons whenever we hear them.
