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* Background from the Sun-Times…
With Lightfoot this week announcing that all city employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by Oct. 15, Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara told the Sun-Times Wednesday that the mayor had “lit a bomb underneath the membership” and began comparing the order to actions by Nazi Germany.
“We’re in America, G-ddamn it. We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period. This ain’t Nazi f—ing Germany, [where they say], ‘Step into the f—ing showers. The pills won’t hurt you.’ What the f–k?” he said. […]
“What he said is factually incorrect and deeply offensive to the millions of people and their families of people who were killed at the hands of the Nazis. Not only that, but it’s the latest in the FOP president’s incendiary, offensive, disgusting, racist, xenophobic comments that he’s made,” David Goldenberg, regional director of ADL’s Midwest office, told the Sun-Times. “He needs to apologize and he needs to end the continued use of such offensive and indefensible language.”
Another statement by Sarah van Loon, the director of the Chicago AJC, called Catanzara’s “offensive and categorically false comparison … an insult to every Holocaust survivor and to the memory of the millions of lives lost during one of the darkest periods in human history.”
* Press release…
Jewish Caucus Calls for Catanzara to Apologize, Resign
The Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus released the following statement in response to FOP Lodge #7 President John Catanzara’s recent remarks:
In a long career of inappropriate comments, John Catanzara has truly outdone himself. Leave aside the fact that he’s wrong about vaccine mandates - they’re a vital public health instrument, especially for government workers with whom the public has no choice about interacting.
But the comparison of vaccine mandates to the Nazi genocide is despicable. While we don’t need to belabor the distinctions between poison gas and an FDA-approved vaccine, it bears saying: Vaccines are safe. They save lives. And the Holocaust is an unimaginable tragedy that happened to our people, not a flippant metaphor for the airing of ignorant, petty, aggrieved opinions.
Catanzara has shown once and for all that his voice does not belong in civil public discourse. We call upon him to resign immediately and to issue an apology for his intolerant and intolerable remarks to Jews everywhere.
* Members…
Illinois State Representative Jonathan Carroll
Illinois State Representative Kelly Cassidy
Illinois State Representative Margaret Croke
Illinois State Representative Daniel Didech
Illinois State Representative Robyn Gabel
Illinois State Representative Will Guzzardi
Illinois State Representative Anna Moeller
Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan
Illinois State Representative Sam Yingling
Illinois State Senator Sara Feigenholtz
Illinois State Senator Julie Morrison
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:19 am
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Let’s remember that CPD FOP rank and file elected this monster to lead their organization. Let’s call on them to do something about it, too.
Comment by Now I’m down in it. Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:31 am
John Cantanzera is the poster child for the Peter Principle:
The Peter Principle is a concept in management developed by Laurence J. Peter, which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to their “maximum level of incompetence”:
Comment by don the legend Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:33 am
He won’t, of course. He’ll just double down on this garbage. Sadly, his constituency will continue to support him.
Comment by JoanP Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:36 am
What my fear is that some who speak as he does see these condemnations as a badge of courage and a reason to continue his disgusting language.
The difference now is… these aren’t slips of tongues or exposing themselves unknowingly.
Now it’s about signaling exactly as his words say, and to make clear the words aren’t accidents.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:37 am
He won’t resign. He’s classless and shameless.
What needs to happen is the members need to remove him and show his voice is not theirs. If they don’t do this, then the members are accepting of his statements.
Comment by Chuck Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:42 am
Too many uninformed people are comparing actions on this virus to the Holocaust. They are uninformed on so many levels from history to science to simple human empathy.
Comment by illinifan Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:42 am
Understand that Cantanzara didn’t misspeak. He won’t be walking back anything he said. He chose these words for maximum effect because they reflect his beliefs and by extension the organization he represents.
As has been the case many times in the past, the collective body of the FOP has a choice. Either remain silent and implicitly endorse Cantanzara’s rhetoric. Or actually do something about it. History says they’ll choose the former and not the later.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:47 am
I’m sure this will work. Because we all know that if there’s one thing that police unions stand for, it’s accountability and appeals to collective humanity and decency./s
Comment by Blueberry muffin Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:48 am
Why is it so many knuckleheads always go WWII when looking for an analogy?
Is it their only frame of historical reference?
Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:51 am
Catanzara’s complete lack of historical knowledge as well as self-awareness are damning. “We don’t want to be forced to do anything. Period” would be laughable if it wasn’t coming from a cop. How many laws does he enforce? What a complete goof.
If FOP members had any guts they would unite and demand his immediate resignation.
Comment by Jo Jo Monkeyboy Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 10:56 am
==We don’t want to be forced to do anything.==
Hey John, didn’t you swear an oath or something? Maybe that just applies to white people and those who hold a badge.
Comment by Jocko Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 11:09 am
I’m neither Jewish nor a legislator, but I’d happily sign on.
Comment by Skeptic Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 11:34 am
>Why is it so many knuckleheads always go WWII when looking for an analogy? Is it their only frame of historical reference?
I think they just want a change of pace from comparing things to slavery.
Comment by Earnest Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 11:39 am
So if the CPD wants to pull me over I can tell the officer the head of their union says I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to.
Comment by Publius Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 11:51 am
They’re forced to live in the city.
Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:10 pm
These legislators might want to lobby the AFL-CIO to have FOP expelled from the organization. This is inconsistent with the values of the AFL-CIO.
Comment by Honeybear Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:25 pm
Why don’t organizations seek to have someone who is the best most competent leader, not just the loudest.
Comment by Siriously Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:38 pm
As foul, cruel, and dangerous as Catanzara is, when he goes away, just like any other far-right organization in our time, you can bet the FOP will find someone worse to replace him.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:54 pm
@Honeybear,
According to the AFL-CIO website, the FOP is not an affiliated union: https://aflcio.org/about-us/our-unions-and-allies/our-affiliated-unions
Comment by JoanP Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:56 pm
“Why is it so many knuckleheads always go WWII when looking for an analogy?”
Honest answer?
It’s the most recent instance of the universally endorsed use of violence against inarguable evil.
– MrJM
Comment by misterjayem Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 12:57 pm
>Why is it so many knuckleheads always go WWII when looking for an analogy? Is it their only frame of historical reference?
Well, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition./s
Comment by G'Kar Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 1:36 pm
As was said in social media, anti-vax cops want to defy employer rules but enforce laws and lock people up.
The ranting is that of overgrown brats, as was also said in social media–like children who say the worst things to their parents to lash out at their rules. As they say to others it comes back to them: law and order. You have to get vaccinated (possible mandatory regular test option notwithstanding).
Perhaps someone from the Eastern Bloc or whoever thinks vaccines and masks are Nazi oppression can provide a detailed comparison.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 1:39 pm
He isn’t going to apologize or resign. I’m old enough to have seen this behavior play out many times. He’s going to keep escalating until he eventually arrives at the obvious end result - which I will not verbalize in this comment.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 1:54 pm
I can’t say what I truly would like to say here re this guy, the total “groisser putz” he is. I simply can’t suffer fools the likes of Catanzara; I don’t have it in me any longer.
Comment by Yiddishcowboy Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 2:07 pm
Perhaps Catanzara’s response to all this will be, “Hey, I can’t be an antisemite…I have a “Jew friend.”
Comment by Yiddishcowboy Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 2:12 pm
=== So if the CPD wants to pull me over I can tell the officer the head of their union says I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to. ===
After you get out of the hospital from the beating, you can complain about the hypocrisy of the union membership. Let’s be careful out there.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 2:13 pm
“Making Public Comments as a Public Official - 101″ avoid referencing Nazi’s and Hitler in analogies at all costs. It just never works.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 3:16 pm
not Jewish but you don’t have to be Jewish to find this hugely offensive. There should be a massive drumbeat from more elected officials to tell this guy his comment was horrible.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Aug 27, 21 @ 4:07 pm