JOHN CRANE THINKS HITLER WAS A GREAT LEADER

Today Newsweek featured a story about Indiana. Sadly, in what seems to be the norm for Indiana these days, this story is disturbing.  Although, with the newly emboldened hate groups scattering out from under their rocks, we have seen a lot of this. 

According to the Newsweek article, “Nazi Political Applications” were being passed out in a park in Henryville, Indiana.  The article features first hand accounts and pictures of two men dressed in white button up shirts, wearing the nazi armband while passing out material. Henryville is just 20 miles north of Louisville.  

While Henryville does not fall in senate district 24, actions like this should concern us all. The fact that Nazi sympathizers are now so emboldened they can pass out recruitment material in broad daylight should be a wakeup call for all of us, especially those of us who had loved ones who served in WWII or those of us who went on to serve later. The true depth of loss during World War II may be far beyond comprehension for many of us today. Historians have long attempted to capture the devastation, but few have successfully done so. The plethora of sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation deserves to be respected, not to be shunned by racist anti-semites. Actions like this, elected officials who dare show sympathy or reverence toward Nazis, spit directly in the faces of Veterans across our country. 

I served for over thirty years in the United States Air Force. I worked at the Pentagon during 9/11. I deployed to Baghdad during the initial invasion. Our country has seen more than its fair share of war. World War II still impacts our lives today. Anti-semitic comments and Hitler adoration have no place in a civilized society, and especially not in an elected office.

In 2016, Indiana Politics ran an article about my opponent, John Crane. According to the article, Senator Crane has a long history of questionable comments about Adolf Hitler, Anne Frank, and even the subject of race (which would likely explain why he has been eerily silent over the past few months on the topic of race). According to Senator Crane, “Hitler was a great leader, but not a good leader.” A great leader, not a good leader. Reverence for someone who committed mass genocide against the Jewish communities around Europe should NEVER be revered! Yet, here we are. Ironically, if you look at the actions of Senator Crane, he’s most outspoken against immigrants, abortion, anti LGBTQ, and schools that are more likely to be diverse (public schools). Now, we are being shown a pattern of behavior that should leave Hoosiers appalled and embarrassed. 

I am disgusted anyone would sympathize with the Nazi political party. I am disturbed that a man who vocally seeks to legislate Hoosiers morality to fit inside his religious box would champion genocide of any religious group. Hate has no place in our country. We are better than this. And this November, we have to show up and vote to restore balance, sanity, and basic human decency.