Jackson County commissioner carries swastika sign, compares Obama to Hitler

Jackson County Commissioner Phil Duckham arrives at Thursday health care protest lugging signs, including one emblazoned with a swastika. (Photo by Todd A. Heywood/Michigan Messenger)

Jackson County Commissioner Phil Duckham is under fire for carrying a sign with a swastika on it during a health care reform protest outside the Jackson district office of U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer on Thursday.

Duckham’s photo appeared in the Jackson Citizen-Patriot along with comments comparing Hitler’s rise to power with President Obama’s tenure in office.

(Michigan Messenger snapped its own photo of Duckham at the rally, at right)

According to the Citizen-Patriot, Duckham said:

This is how Hitler started out. First, Obama took over the auto industry, then the banking industry. We don’t need him to take over the health-care industry.

Jackson area residents have been sounding off on Duckham’s appearance and sign in the comments section of the Citizen-Patriot’s article.

Wrote poster KThoughts:

Mr. Duckham’s sign was truly offensive. It’s the height of insensitivity to those whose ancestors were victims of Nazi terror. Is there anyone on the County Board of Commissioners with the courage to seek his censure? Shame on you, Mr. Duckham!

And commenter Daffairc had this to say:

Regardless – Whatever the position of the County Commish who showed up with a sign – NEVER is it acceptable to brandish a swastica [sic]. EVER. EVER. No matter what your thoughts are on this measure that was completely inappropriate. I will do my level best to see he is not reelected and will attend the next commission meeting to voice my concern about his judgement [sic]. I urge others to do the same.

And Pluto88 wrote:

I’m glad that Phil Duckham showed who he is to the greater public.

We could be shocked to know what this man’s real politics and opinions are about a lot of things.

Someone that crass and ignorant as to use the swastika in a debate on health care has deeper issues. These scare tactics disgust me.

But poster Empyrean says the Citizen-Patriot got it wrong.

Hahahahaaaaaaa!!! What absolutely shoddy, inaccurate, and blatantly biased reporting by the Pat. Error in fact; error in fact; error in fact.

Clearly, as seen in the picture shown above that the Pat published, Duckham’s sign WAS ANTI-NAZI — it’s got the international NO symbol, a circle with a bisecting line through it, drawn over that NAZI swastika. That sign denotes that the carrier is anti-Nazi-ism, not that he’s for it, you ink stained morons.

Can all you Pat reporters actually be so thick in the head — and culturally and historically ignorant — that you don’t really understand what you’re actually seeing when you go out to report on a political event … oh, never mind, I’m pretty sure that I already know the answer to that question. A pox on all of your houses. Bah!

And Greg Wilson defended the county commissioner as well:

Phil Duckham is a TRUE patriot of America. His display of the swastika with the international “NO” drawn over it proves that he will be the first one to protect your rights as an American. Those who criticize his right to express himself are the same people who would (or have) burn(ed) our United States of America flag. How pathetic.

There are a lot of parallels between Obama, the Democrats and Hitler. Current history is reflecting past history…. don’t get sucked in one little “change” at a time.