The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland issued a statement on Monday amid an ongoing debate between U.S. lawmakers over whether the Holocaust offers lessons for contemporary events such as those at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process,” the museum said in a tweet on Monday afternoon.
“It's important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers,” the museum continued. “This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanization & escalating violence.”
When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process. It's important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanisation & escalating violence.
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) November 26, 2018
The tweet came hours Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamGraham neck and neck with challenger in South Carolina Senate race: poll Harris slams Trump's Supreme Court pick as an attempt to 'destroy the Affordable Care Act' Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election MORE (S.C.) slammed Democratic Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) for comparing recent events along the southern border involving migrants to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany.
"I recommend she take a tour of the Holocaust Museum in DC," Graham tweeted Monday. "Might help her better understand the differences between the Holocaust and the caravan in Tijuana."
Graham was replying to a tweet Ocasio-Cortez shared over the weekend, in which she wrote, "Asking to be considered a refugee & applying for status isn’t a crime."
"It wasn’t for Jewish families fleeing Germany," she continued. "It wasn’t for targeted families fleeing Rwanda. It wasn’t for communities fleeing war-torn Syria. And it isn’t for those fleeing violence in Central America."
Ocasio-Cortez also responded to Graham’s tweet later on Monday night, in which she told Graham “the point of such a treasured museum is to bring its lessons to present day.”
“This administration has jailed children and violated human rights,” she added. “Perhaps we should stop pretending that authoritarianism + violence is a historical event instead of a growing force.”
Ocasio-Cortez has since found support from many on Twitter in making her case, including from actor Ben Stiller, who countered Graham’s suggestion with his own.
“Just to add into this, I would say that @LindseyGrahamSC go visit Guatemala as I did earlier this year and talk to the families fleeing the terror of targeted gang violence an unlivable poverty rate to understand the refugee experience,” Stiller said in a tweet on Monday night.
“These people are fleeing for their lives,” he added.
Just to add into this, I would say that @LindseyGrahamSC go visit Guatemala as I did earlier this year and talk to the families fleeing the terror of targeted gang violence an unlivable poverty rate to understand the refugee experience. These people are fleeing for their lives.
— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) November 26, 2018
