AJC Urges Glenn Beck to Apologize to Jewish Organization Head

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May 29, 2010, 05:51 ET

NEW YORK, May 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC sharply criticized FOX News commentator Glenn Beck for his verbal assault on Jewish Fund for Justice Director Simon Greer, and urged him to use his program to apologize for invoking Nazi and Holocaust imagery.

"Glenn Beck's assertion on his radio program that Simon Greer's advocacy for social justice 'leads to death camps' is outrageous and inexcusable," said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

Beck was commenting on an opinion piece Greer wrote in the Washington Post On Faith blog, part of an online conversation about faith and social justice, in which he criticized the FOX commentator's views on the role of churches.

"Whatever one's views of the relationship between houses of worship and the pursuit of social justice, debates always should be conducted in a civil and respectful manner," said Harris.

"We agree with Simon that Beck unconscionably crossed the line by invoking Nazi and Holocaust imagery to advance his political agenda," said Harris. "Exploiting the most painful and tragic period of the twentieth century diminishes Holocaust victims and survivors, and cheapens the millions of Americans who sacrificed their lives to defend our nation's cherished values and to defeat Hitler."

www.ajc.org

SOURCE American Jewish Committee