Today on “What Did Spicer Say This Time?”
What did Sean Spicer say this time?
Today in a press conference, Spicer tried to justify the attacks on Syria by pointing out how terrible Assad is. In doing so he claimed that “someone as despicable as Hitler didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons.” He also also claimed Hitler brought “them” (he didn’t refer to Jews, Romas, LGBT individuals, etc.) into “the Holocaust center.”
NO. Hitler did in fact use chemical weapons. First, let’s clear up the fact that there were no “Holocaust centers.” The term holocaust wasn’t used to refer to the mass genocide committed by Hitler against the Jewish people (and other groups) until the 1950′s, and wasn’t common until the 1970′s. Hitler had concentration camps such as Buchenwald, Janowska, and Warsaw; and extermination camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Belzac.
Extermination camps utilized gas chambers in order to kill victims. Prisoners were often told that they were going to a bath or shower, as the chambers were designed to look like showers. They were locked inside, where rather than water, poisonous gas called Zyklon-B was released, which is made up of hydrogen cyanide. Those inside would die within about 30 minutes, and an a rather painful manner.
A chemical weapon is defined here by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as
(a) Toxic chemicals and their precursors, except where intended for purposes not prohibited under this Convention, as long as the types and quantities are consistent with such purposes;
(b) Munitions and devices, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in subparagraph (a), which would be released as a result of the employment of such munitions and devices;
(c) Any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions and devices specified in subparagraph (b).
Zyklon-B certainly qualifies as a chemical weapon under this definition.
Yes. The Anne Frank House released a statement calling for Spicer to be fired, and it seems the internet is in agreement.
Did I miss anything else in that press briefing?
Spicer said they released a “comprehensive tick-tock of when the President was informed” about Syria and how he made his decision to launch an airstrike. We’re assuming he meant timeline.
Trump wants to take action against North Korea. This could mean an airstrike, or sanctions, or other “solutions.”
He basically said Russia is a nice kid who fell in with the wrong crowd (Iran, North Korea, Syria according to Spicer) but didn’t admonish Russia or Putin.
It’s unlikely they’ll change the ban because “a lot of these refugees in particular talk about the fact that they’re not looking to flee.”
The administration believes they’re going to gain more support in their initiative to change healthcare, citing that they want to increase competition and consumer choice. That may be great for businesses, but not necessarily good for the American people.
The administration is essentially looking to restart the “war on drugs” claiming that illegal immigrants are often drug cartel members and therefore dangerous criminals.
Spicer offered up “thoughts and prayers” for the victims of the San Bernadino shooting, but no word on gun control. As usual.
And that’s what you missed on Glee Official Things Happening in Politics That Really Should Not Be Happening in Politics.
