Groups Respond to Nazi Flag Display in Caldwell, Idaho
United Vision for Idaho and Western States Center released the following statement:
“On Tuesday, three people were killed in a targeted attack on a kosher market in New Jersey. The suspects, who were allegedly motivated by anti-Semitic animus, killed a law enforcement officer shortly before launching the attack.
“In the wake of this attack, and in the context of a spike in anti-Semitic violence nationwide, we learned that a Caldwell, ID man is flying Nazi flags from his home as part of a dispute with his homeowners association, which he says is acting like the Nazis. The Nazi flag, with its prominent swastika, is the hallmark of the genocidal German Third Reich, which systematically murdered six million Jews in the Holocaust.
“Even in the midst of heated disagreements, we must never forget the power of hateful symbols. Swastikas and Nazi flags invoke one of the most murderous periods of human history. While we were relieved to learn that the homeowner does not personally support the Nazis, his display of Nazi flags is unjustifiable and deeply disturbing. These symbols have no place in Caldwell, and they have no place in Idaho.
“Recent terror attacks against the Jewish community reveal that the hate-filled ideology of the Nazis is anything but a relic of history. The life and death fight against hate and bigotry continues to the present day. As we mourn the lives lost in New Jersey, we must recommit ourselves to ensuring that all Americans can live in safety and dignity.”