Since the early days of the pandemic that's killed more than 900 thousand Americans, conservatives have repeatedly railed against public safety guidelines and vaccine verification as government oversteps.
Far-right founder of Republican youth group Turning Point USA, Charlie Kirk, is one such conservative. Last year, he whined that vaccine passports amounted to "medical apartheid." He's repeatedly embraced vaccine disinformation and acted as a leader of conservatives' fight against any vaccine or COVID-19 testing requirements.
But in a recent speech, Kirk's absurdity reached new heights when he compared having to confirm his vaccination status to the horrors of the Holocaust.
Watch below.
Charlie Kirk likens a restaurant asking him for his vaccine status to living in Nazi Germany: "I never want to hear again, like, how could the atrocities of Germany happen? Like, go to Corner Bakery, alright? You'll see." https://t.co/lmJsecZ1hc pic.twitter.com/xtv5T5XCtX
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) February 17, 2022
Kirk was discussing a recent interaction wherein a restaurant employee requested his proof of vaccination:
"[T]hey were being nice enough. They were being very compliant Stasi members of the regime, right? They would've been -- again, I never want to hear again, like, how could the atrocities of Germany happen? Like, go to Corner Bakery, alright? You'll see. Seriously. Show me your papers. Like, what? Like, I want a panini. This is weird. Show me your papers."
It's unclear how Kirk thinks vaccine verification at restaurants during an ongoing pandemic will lead to the antisemitic genocide of millions. Wildly offensive point aside, bars and restaurants already confirm ages before serving alcohol, and vaccine mandates have been in the United States, in some form, for centuries. Will Kirk balk at having to hand over his debit card at the end of the meal as well?
People were disgusted at the comparison.
My grandmother's sister would have appreciated the option of taking a lifesaving vaccine to avoid being murdered in the death camps.
And scones weren't even an option, you f----- anti-semite. https://t.co/n0ehWGg8cd
— Nathan Newman 🧭 (@nathansnewman) February 17, 2022
If you can say this with a straight face, you have no idea what living in Nazi Germany was like. https://t.co/ecAR3MI4R6
— Noah Combs (Paul) (@DrNo_98) February 17, 2022
Just a reminder that the Holocaust was not a series of minor inconveniences to people. https://t.co/bm0kl3CEos
— Rabbi Mike Harvey (@RabbiHarvey) February 17, 2022
What’s so hard about, "We don’t intend to have you spreading or catching a potentially deadly contagious disease on our property"? https://t.co/9XhiYKJLMT
— Harry Turtledove (@HNTurtledove) February 17, 2022
Charlie's still occupying residence at the intersection of Stupid and Vile. https://t.co/oThJdLKgmw
— Michael Freeman (@michaelpfreeman) February 17, 2022
What do these people think happened during World War 2?
This isn’t even “Hitler was a vegetarian” energy, he actually relaxed Germany’s vaccine requirements. https://t.co/dA3CPC2non
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) February 17, 2022
Social media users soon began roasting him.
when they forget the guac at Chipotle it's Charlie's 9/11 https://t.co/nZW07aps6M
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 17, 2022
Yes. They’re exactly the same.
One had gas chambers, the other has Hibiscus Lemonade. I completely see the equivalence. https://t.co/bSrII1qdX5
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) February 17, 2022
wow damn he nailed it, getting a donut is the same as being placed in concentration camps https://t.co/s3vz8dkH0S
— joey (@joeygrundl) February 17, 2022
Absurd.
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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images