Glenn Beck criticized for comparing Norway victims to "Hitler Youth"

Glenn Beck addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington on Feb. 20, 2010.

/ AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File

The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) criticized conservative talk show host Glenn Beck Tuesday over the former Fox News host's comparison of the victims of Norway's mass shooting to "Hitler Youth."

"Just when we think Glenn Beck can get no more offensive, he ups the ante," said NJDC President David Harris in a Tuesday statement. "It is simply horrendous that Beck would compare the young victims of this tragic crime in Norway to the 'Hitler Youth.' It is repugnant to invoke the Holocaust like this when discussing a Labor Party summer camp for teens -- to say nothing of a camp that was attacked in this calamitous way."

Sixty-eight people, mostly in their teens and 20s, were killed Friday in a shooting spree on Norway's Utoya Island, which was hosting a summer camp connected with the Labor Party's youth wing. Eight people were killed in a connected bomb blast outside the government headquarters in Oslo.

During his show Monday, Beck, called the idea of having a politically-oriented summer camp "disturbing" and likened those attending to members of the Hitler Youth, the Nazi Party's paramilitary arm for children.

"There was a shooting at a political camp, which sounds a little like the Hitler Youth, or whatever," Beck said. "I mean, who does a camp for kids that's all about politics? Disturbing."

In the same show, Beck tied Anders Behring Breivik, the man who confessed to carrying out the two-pronged massacre, to supporters of "big government."

"He is doing the work of a madman. He is doing the work of what all people who want big government always do, and that is commit terrorist acts," Beck said.

Harris called on Beck to "cease and desist" his rhetoric in honor of the victims of Norway as well as the Holocaust.

"After myriad offensive examples of abusive Holocaust rhetoric, the time has finally come for Glenn Beck to cease and desist," he said. "Doing otherwise dilutes the memory of the Holocaust and stains the memory of the victims in Norway as well."

Torbjorn Eriksen, former press secretary to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, also condemned Beck's remarks as "ignorant, incorrect and extremely hurtful."

"Young political activists have gathered at Utoya for over 60 years to learn about and be part of Democracy, the very opposite of what the Hitler Youth was about," he told the Daily Telegraph. "Glenn Beck's comments are ignorant, incorrect and extremely hurtful."

Breivik pleaded not guilty in an Oslo courtroom on Monday. According to the presiding judge, Breivik explained that he wanted to "save" Europe from the spread of Marxism, multiculturalism and Islamic immigration.

[Blackandtandog]

Beck is an idiot.

[archangelodiluce]

The AUF is a vile, National Socialist youth organization. People who hate Glenn Beck are too stupid to actually challenge anything he says with facts. Yes, the AUF is eerily similar to the Hitler Youth. Same methods, same antisemitism. Pathetic.

[GeoHull]

Legalize marijuana. Pay the farmer to grow it. Tax it. Agriculture can save America if we are allowed to. Signed a Kentucky farmer.

[dodinyc]

Evil, Glenn Beck. You are pure evil.

[dhough1953]

Glenn Beck is the darling of the Tea Party, and when he says things like this, he shows why they are now our country's biggest threat, as shown here >> http://wp.me/pNmlT-Ii

[seriouslyOMG]

I am seriously sadden. In the beginning I thought, hey this man Glen Beck is on to something. I think even at this point he has forgotten why he started his talk show and the show on air (that no longer exists). Remember the Nine Principles to Believe in:
1. America is good place, not perfect, but good.
2. I believe in God and He is the center of my life.
3. I must try to be a better, more honest person than I was yesterday.
4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority.
5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness and not a guarantee of equal results.
7. I work hard for what I have. I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
8. It is not un-American for me to disagree or share my personal opinion.
9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them. They answer to me.
I seriously believed Beck had a lot to teach everyone the things we had forgotten long ago....but now after being in the light for a few years it is sad. Beck or who ever I hope you read this maybe it will give you some food for thought. I haven't watched your shows well before it ended. I don't listen to what you speak about any longer as a lot of people did when you first was on the air. I'll give you a good reason why and maybe just maybe you'll listen.
When you start labeling tragedies that include children it becomes an all lost cause for anyone who is listening to you to follow, as well as feeds the haters you know you have in this world. This makes me know you enjoy giving more fuel to the fire. You now are known more today as someone who is off his rocker than someone who has a good point and we the people need to take a stand up for ourselves and our country.
This tactic that you used is no different when the Dems or pretend to be Republicans say that the Tea Party is Republican and start spewing ignorance when they do the name calling.
At this point in my life when someone starts name calling it's no different than when someone swears it's not right and your not doing any good when you start such. People are tired of labeling and name calling, grow up. We the people don't need labeling or name calling, after all my mother taught me if I didn't have something nice to say don't say it at all. It's to bad that adults forget this as they grow up. I wish you well and hope one day you think about what you say before saying it. Peace!

[realist2010]

Nope. Try again.

[FreshxWater]

Beck didn't mean Hitler Youth camp. He meant to say that American Bible Camps are like Hitler Youth Camps. American Bible Camps where adults teach children about Christians Crusades (murder) in the name of the Lord and sanctioned by the Pope! The camps where most councilors is a Right Wing Conservative Christian Extremist.

[Bojax39]

Beck: Mouth opens, brain slips out of gear, bullsh*t over-revs, "should be ashamed of his own stupidity" factor skyrockets....

[tmn]

Beck has always been a big fan of Hitler.

[maripaul-2009]

aLL i CAN SAY IS: bECK DOES NOT CONSIDER HIS WORDS BEFORE UTTERING.
HE COULD HAVE REFERRED TO THE GATHERING OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO boy scouts. Why politicize the victims?

[djd68]

I agree. It looks like he meant it as a compliment, maybe? It's hard to follow his logic

[davidsondesign71]

Glenn Beck represents the noir of America. It's all money driven and he should be forced to attend the island camp in Oslo. No one else present, just Glenn and a sniper! I am a tenth generation Norwegian American and find Mr. Beck disgusting!

[elektra77]

I am a fourth generation American, and I find him disgusting, as well. I would say the majority of intelligent people in this country find him disgusting.