Rantz: Reykdal runs from criticism over Nazi tweet

I’m not one to play any race or religion card, but I feel compelled to in the case of Washington State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s problematic and historically ignorant tweet where he compared the Trump administration to Nazis in Germany.

You see, Reykdal was set to come on my morning show, with the date and time still being worked out, when he pulled out, citing my blog post criticizing his tweet. He didn’t think I wanted a sincere dialogue on the topic. He is wrong.

I sometimes think about withholding critical blogs or segments until after I have the opportunity to talk to a guest I take issue with, but that would indicate me not wanting a sincere dialogue. And, of course, if I withheld opinions until after I speak with people, I wouldn’t have any content and wouldn’t be able to talk about anyone from Trump to Clinton to, well, Reykdal. I suppose I could always surprise the guest with criticism and put them on the defensive, and perhaps it’d make great radio, but I have no reason to hide from my opinions and I’ll happily share them before an interview. I don’t need gotcha interviews. His tweet was inappropriate and offensive. I would have told it to him directly if he didn’t cancel our interview.

My question to Reykdal would have probably been: “You compared this administration to Nazis in Germany. As a Jew, why should I be scared of Trump? What does he want to do to me?”

I suppose it’s kind of a gotcha question. Maybe. I’m not sure how he can answer that and seem like a reasonable person, unless he backtracked on his tweet because no one in their right mind thinks Jews – or anyone – will be rounded up with the intent of extermination. I mean, I suppose some absolutely insane people think that’s happening; they’re the kinds who, I presume, are the ones using violence to silence opposing speech (including the speeches of Orthodox Jews). We’ll set the irony of that aside, but I can’t imagine Reykdal believes that’s what the Trump administration is doing.

So if he doesn’t believe that, why use Nazi comparisons? To exploit the deaths of millions for a political point? Reykdal was on Seattle’s Morning News to explain his tweet. I’m embarrassed for his answer.

“This is the first evidence I see of an administration essentially trying to wipe out science,” he said. “When you destroy language, you destroy culture and you destroy the ability to have critical thinking… There is a growing bit of momentum here by this administration to do things that look a lot like propaganda and manipulation of language, and I just think it’s a slippery slope.”

Okay. I’m starting to think he didn’t even read the Washington Post report that he’s so outraged by. In fact, I’m certain of it. None of what he explained here actually happened. None of it. Science isn’t being touched. Culture isn’t being touched. A handful of budget documents are. I learned that literally from the first sentence in the Post report he linked to. Trump’s team is removing language that was added under the Obama administration to pursue certain social justice causes.

I’m a Jew. I went to Hebrew school as a kid and I learned about Nazi Germany from a very young age. And that kind of education hits Jews — even those of us with no known family member tied to the atrocities — in a way that won’t hit most, particularly since, beyond Nazi Germany, Jews are vilified and hated routinely. So perhaps it’s why I was so struck when I saw Reykdal’s tweet. Virtually the only bit of outward bigotry I’ve ever experienced in my life has come from the fact that I’m Jewish. I’ve been called a ‘kike’ too many times. I’ve been ridiculed on Twitter with stereotypical caricatures of Jews to try to shame me for my religion. Blah blah blah. It happens. But it happens a lot. So, perhaps that makes me even more hypersensitive to situations like this, but why should Reykdal use the history of a community I belong to for some political cheap shot on a story he doesn’t even understand? And then, when a Jew calls you out, he runs from criticism? That seems cowardly.

I emailed him directly extending the invite to come on my show, even though he declined through my producer. Reykdal didn’t react to that; he simply wished me well on my show, then said “Happy Hanukkah,” which actually seems condescending since in the email I told him, as a Jew, I found his tweet offensive, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

After suggesting Trump might be engaging in propaganda, he said: “If I am wrong, I’m a fool and we can all look back in a year or two and say ‘Nope’ but as an educator I’m hypersensitive this kind of behavior.”

As a Jew, I’m hypersensitive to politicians using Nazi Germany for your own bit of political grandstanding. And I don’t need to wait a year or two to come to the conclusion as to whether or not you’re acting like a fool. I needed the ten seconds it took to read your tweet.

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