I don’t know how one can say that public relations are hampered by this kind of event, but that’s the only real argument I can see, else be forced to consider firing someone for comparing Hitler to President Bush an overreactionary and inappropriate action. Yet, it’s happened again.
CBS Producer Ed Gernon was fired for statements alluding to Bush’s actions as Hitler-esque, following his latest work on a mini-series about the famous German dictator.
Chilling to me is the fact that someone can be fired from a company or government position for making a comparison, regardless of facts. Does it occur to decision makers that if they disagree with something someone said, they could inform them of this, and perhaps argue it? Or are we so emotionally pent up nowadays that making a comparison, albeit a bad one, results in immediate, unconditional backlash?
The power of words, particularly as it relates to Hitler, is an interesting one. If it’s one thing the former German leader did manage to conquer, however, is a name; does anyone see “Hitler” or even “Adolf” in a light not associated with penultimate evil?
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