A visitor to the Newman Poses Preserve, off Coleytown Road, spotted this yesterday:
Yes, that’s Hitler.
With a swastika.
And mustache.
And outstretched arm salute.
The hiker notified Westport Police.
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The unfortunate thing is that there really is no corollary for Christians – there’s no anti-Christian symbol that can instill such a sense of powerlessness, threat and ostracism. This was probably some kid, but they evidently felt both insecure enough and emboldened enough to create something that would make others feel so unsafe.
you don’t know who did it and why
It’s just one person. Just someone who doesn’t think … just someone who parrots something they don’t understand. I wouldn’t give it a lot of airtime. It just makes people feel uneasy. We don’t have to feel bad … just move on.
But it is clearly not just one person. You wish. Over 70 million Americans signed up again for another round with a wanna-be dictator who is busily dismantling the USA, ending the rule of law, and replacing it with the United States of Straight White Men. That’s even okay with a certain percentage of 06880 readers who rush in to defend our Nazi criminal president and his criminal Nazi side-kick no matter what they do. Right, TF?
Musk has given the Natzi salute and has defended far right German natzi criminals recently convicted of hate crimes in Germany. Israel loves Trump Israel refuses to say anything about Trumps love of Neo Natzis.
People feel uneasy because this an uncomfortable, very real, and rapidly increasing issue. It’s necessary in communities face issues instead of sweeping them under the rug. I urge to be mindful of the way this impacts your Jewish neighbors, whose parents and grandparents survived the unthinkable just 2-3 generations ago. (And are currently experiencing unimaginable pain as well.) Many of us do not have the luxury to “just move on”. Your reflection and thoughtfulness would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Exactly Erika! “Just move on”? What?!! Umm, no! We just do not normalize this behavior or sweep it under the rug!
I imagine you’re not Jewish to say this…
I’m actually offended that you feel this way. When we normalize this or allow ourselves to say it’s just one person it takes away how clearly terrible it actually is. All the “ism” hatred has to end and we need to call it out
One asshole doesn’t mean “America has come to”
there are thousands of Neo Natzis. and the president of the USA has pardoned many. I don’t have to remind you of all the times he has refused to call them out. He is a role model for letting the far right speak up. it’s not just one. wake up
Ah, I was wondering who would be the first to blame Trump. We have a winner! “Thousands”? In a country of 360 million? I’ll take those numbers.
I didnt blame Trump. But he makes it easier to support the Natzi cause.
How many nazis does it take for you not take those numbers? How would you feel if your next door neighbor, your doctor, your kids teacher or your preacher were nazis? There might only be a few but they might be right up in your grill, that okay with you Rob? Let us know when you start to worry. Of course, by then, it’ll be too late. Is that a bet you’d like to place?
Someone with a warped sense of humor.
Forget the snowman. The question is do many or most of us fear that the American system of government ia being destroyed by the actions of our President and his people and, if so, what, if anything should we as individuals do. A law school classmate of mine, also old, who served as Counsel to Pres. Regan, suggests we all wait and see and that most of the illegal acts are “infractions”. I have a different view. As to legality, some of that may turn on future decisions of our Supreme Court. At this point, I am skeptical of the ability of the law to work given the approach of Pres. Trump to the law. I leave it to all to think about what is occurring and to act or not act as each thinks best.
There is no doubt that after a day or two, we will in fact forget the snowman. As of today, it’s a little difficult, seeing how the Hitler snowman is an absurd reminder that anti-semites are living among us. In the town full of “this house has no hate” lawn signs.
“A nation never falls but by suicide.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) This “statement” in the snow reflects just one horrible, dark symptom. It is up to us to find the antidote.
it looks more like Charlie Chaplin. “Art” is interpretive. Made of snow it will melt and find its way to the sewer. Not exactly a homage to the Reich.
Weird comment Paul. Not sure how anyone else would interpret this “art” other than a hateful message. Not sure if it’s fleeting existence makes it any better.
That’s a valid interpretation Matt. That’s kind of the point
Charlie Chaplin with a swastika? Of course this comment from a “kelly” .
…and what exactly do you mean by that….’this comment from a ‘Kelly.”
Yeah – definitely not ok samcara77.
thank you Ms Baxter . I wondered the same thing
Remember that Chaplin’s 1940 film, “The Great Dictator” mocked Hitler (called Adenoid Henkel in the film) and the Nazis
Exactly. Making an image out of snow of a dictator who bragged his Reich would last 1K years is a form of mockery regardless of the image’s creator’s intent
Are you actually serious? Art? No.
Art?! Are other forms of hate considered art? I believe black face is not art, correct? How is it possible that the world just ignores the rampant hate towards Jews and has an excuse for everything?! Art?! That’s a deplorable and ignorant response.
I grew up thinking that the Holocaust could never happen again and I am seeing how sadly wrong I was. Hate is strong and is very much still present. And it’s still being either ignored or excused. Shame on you.
I have to explain to my children that there are people out there that hate us for the sheer fact of being Jewish while still building a pride within them. Excuse me if I will not interpret this as “art”. Excuse me for seeing this as hate fueled by the silence of people like you. Shame. On. You.
Heartbreaking. The hate in this town is palpable. Some days, like today, it feels systemic. Odd, given the hue-and-cry about being a town for children. This starts at home.
(And yes, Don Berman, it is perpetuated and enabled at the top of the USA. Act now).
There is no, “we don’t have to feel bad…just move on” when it comes to swastikas and nazism.
It all starts with excusing this type of behavior. I remember The Westport I grew up in in the late 50’s and early 60’s as intolerant of this sort of thing! There would likely have been a town meeting and a Staples assembly devoted to discussing this behavior.
This is horrifying. It is not “art” or Charlie Chaplin. It is HATE and DANGER. And anyone who claims it’s “not exactly an homage to the Reich” needs to do some really deep thinking. This is a direct message that some people aren’t people and should be exterminated. This is not OK and something to move on from.
Let us not overlook the fact that this was intentionally done on the Newman reserve. Mr. Newman considered himself Jewish and proudly defended his heritage throughout his lifetime. Thousands of Americans gave their lives to defeat Nazism…… and I fear we are at the precipice of that scourge once again.
As a community it is our obligation to speak out against hate on every level.
Walked by and saw it should have destroyed it.
Simply DISGUSTING !
Tragic! We do not want your HATE!
Our country is in real trouble. These cowards need to attach their name to these hateful actions.
Bravo to everyone who speaks out to destroy anti semitism
Unacceptable
Society is in decline
I urge everyone to become more involved in our Jewish communities
Strength in numbers
Show your support by showing up and saying it LOUD
Wanna bet Musk and JD Vance were around. This is what happens when people like these are glorified on Fox News and social media.
Sir… While we have no way of knowing if Musk and JD Vance were in fact “around” (who knows, maybe they were in fact lurking around in the woods), let us remember that out of thousands – and I mean THOUSANDS – of people participating in the anti-Semitic, pro-Hamas, anti-American protests in the last year, ZERO were likely to be Trump voters. The person creating this Hitler snowman might equally have been attending a Trump rally or a pro-Hamas protest. The truth is that we will never know, but pretending that anti-semitism is always one-sided is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst.
It’s important to speak out against hatred of any kind
Way to politicize it, what a shocker.
It’s some dumbass local kids, just like the flyers downtown a few years ago.
Calling the Police is a waste of our limited resources. Take a picture, kick it over, and move on.
There is NO acceptable level of Nazi behavior or approval.
Sure hope those weren’t your dumbass kids.
our president is a role model that accepts Natzi behavior.
He doesn’t just accept it, he approves it, he encourages it and he throws accelerants on it. “There’s good people on both sides”.
I’m with Mr. Loffredo. Kick the snowman over, stomp the s__t out of the sticks forming the swastika and know that we Jews will never / ever allow the atrocities committed against our people to happen again.
If the chicks__ts that did this have the nuts to identify themselves, I’d be happy to discuss with them their act of complete cowardice and why it should never happen again.
This is sad and upsetting. And the attacking around the posted comments is equally unsettling. This is a symbol that is connected to millions who lost their lives. This should not be a debate, or the loudest one shouting. Thank you @Danwoog for continuing the conversation and raising awareness.
Worse than the snow man are done of the responses
Some of nit done
Hello!?!?!? Where is Westports elected leader? Why hasn’t our First Selectwoman condemned this egregiousness? We need our “leader” to step it up! It’s unacceptable to not comment on this egregious act and not take this opportunity to bring unity to our small community during these most tumultuous times.
she follows the Republican Party leadership. What did Trump say about Natzis marching? What did Jared Kushnet and Ivanka Trump say ? What ?
Frosty the Hitler?
It’s art of a sort, a sculpture, and it’s certainly zeitgemäß.
It might have been better to do direct action and just stomp it flat instead of giving it a bit more respect than it might deserve.
For one thing, it’s out in the woods, not in front of a synagogue or on the town green, so that it does lack context. This sort of thing can need to be quite site-specific to be taken seriously.
What would the police be expected to do about Hitler as snowman, anyway? It could be taken as satirizing him as having scarcely lasted that thousand years he promised, although I think it was probably more just some brain-dead try at causing offense.
Westport must have its share of jerks, same as anywhere else. With Trump back in the White House, riding high, they are coming out from under their flat rocks.
Ah yes, must know the context. Hate crimes within the right “context” make it okay. I just have let that rule slip my mind.
Just like the atrocities of 10/7 must be discussed “ain’t in context”
The fact that universities allowed antisemitic rallies and prohibited Jews from getting to class “required context”.
This ignorance is deplorable. Do better. Be better.
Not to worry, folks. TEAM Westport’s got this one with an essay.
Let’s not make excuses. Is it? Isn’t it? No one wants to see this. Nor should we have to see this. I don’t want this in my town or any other town in our world. Let’s take it at face value. It’s antisemitism. Whom ever built it should educate themselves. End of story.
Not a great look in any event. Whoever did this took some time and effort to make a point. My first and remaining reaction is “disgusting”! Listening to “Book and Dagger” about the WWII OSS you realize how much pain and suffering was caused by the “snowman”.
It only takes a few seconds to stop and think about how one’s actions may hurt others. We all have choices to make about being kind or cruel. In this day and age, it is hard to believe they did not understand how the snowman would be received. In the time it took to construct the snowman, the person had plenty of time to change their mind. The person chose to be cruel. In a town trying to be inclusive and welcoming, we should be outspoken against such unwelcoming, hateful and unkind choices.
Maybe one person made this snowman, maybe a bunch. Could be a message of antisemitic hate, or a very ignorant prank. We could conjecture forever. That’s not the point. The point is that, since the Holocaust, leaders in our country, both national and local, have made it a priority to recognize and call out the appearance of the swastika. It should not take time to respond to this. It is an obvious quality in any leader to respond, and it should come from the bones, not from an outraged constituency.
leaders in our country have not responded to hate. Some glorify hate. Musk has been giving the Natzi salute in Germany at right wing rally’s and defending criminals charged with hate crime in Germany. Trump pardoned many neo Natzis and does not call out Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Trumps Jewish family says little to nothing about anti semitism Israel adores Trump. it’s going to take a long time to recover from our current ways.