Anti-mask Republican wields chainsaw and blowtorch while comparing safety mandates to Nazi Germany
A state representative in Louisianna has protested against mask safety orders while wielding a chainsaw and comparing the measures to Nazi Germany in a video posted on social media.
In the advert, Louisiana Rep Danny McCormick tries to destroy masks with a blowtorch and a chainsaw and tramples a piece of paper with a stick.
Throughout the video, Rep McCormick speaks about his grievances of “mask mandates” stating that “masks aren’t bad, mandates are”.
The Republican argues that being ordered to wear a mask to help limit the spread of the virus is a restriction of his freedoms and that in doing so “the constitution is being shredded before our very eyes”.
He condemns the Shreveport executive order implemented by the city’s mayor that requires residents to wear masks in business establishments to protect the population against coronavirus infection.
He goes on to compare the treatment of those who refuse to wear masks to attitudes towards Jews in Nazi Germany.
“You see, the government needed a villain,” Rep McCormick said in the video. “People who don’t wear a mask will be soon painted as the enemy just as they did to Jews in Nazi Germany.”
The lawmaker can then be seen peeking out from behind a tree, wearing a mask over his face with eye holes cut out to illustrate the villain he had mentioned.
Later asked to clarify his remarks about Nazi Germany Rep McCormick told KTBS: “I’m not referring to the murder of the Jews. I’m not referring to that. I’m talking about leading up to that, that began by the demonization of the Jews.
“That’s what led to the Holocaust. Not that this is equal to the Holocaust. But those of us that don’t want to wear a mask are being painted as villains.“
Rabbi Sydni Rubinstein of Agudath Achim Synagogue has said the representative’s comparison is “belittling” to the atrocities committed against Jewish people throughout World War Two.
“It’s really belittling the experience of the Jewish people in Nazi Germany. There’s a huge difference between limited access to food and resources and wearing a little piece of cloth on your face.”
In another part of the video, Rep McCormick argues that “your body is your private property”. He also references a number of conspiracy theories.
“If the government has the power to force you to wear a mask they can force you to stick a needle in your arm against you’re will, they could put a microchip in you.
“Now is the time to push back,” he warns. “Before it’s too late.”
The representative’s message comes as Louisiana surpasses 70,000 recorded cases of the novel coronavirus disease, with 3,339 deaths. Nationwide, more than three million cases have been confirmed and over 130,000 have died.
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