Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies Disturbed by Crass Trivialization of Nazi Symbol by Nova Scotia Newspaper

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 7, 2014) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) was troubled to learn that a Nova Scotia newspaper saw fit to publish an editorial cartoon that tried to ridicule the Prime Minister of Canada by portraying a flag with the Nazi swastika flying at the top of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill.

"This cartoon is deeply offensive on so many levels," explained FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. "It equates the Canadian Prime Minister with one of the worst and most evil men in human history, and trivializes the unimaginable pain and torture of Hitler's victims for a cheap political - and deadly unfunny, jab. I advise a serious review of history for all the staff at the Pictou Advocate. I honestly cannot imagine what the editor was thinking when this cartoon was allowed to be published."

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is a leading non-profit human rights organization directly representing over 30,000 Canadian members. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and education. Through its affiliation with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the organization has won two Academy Awards, has two Museums of Tolerances (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is represented at the United Nations and the OSCE. FSWC has a diverse number of programs, including Freedom Day and the Tour4Humanity.