In a speech Friday to an international penal law association, Pope Francis compared a resurgent homophobic and racist political rhetoric to that of Hitler and the Nazi era. The Pope did not name specific politicians.
Said Francis: “It is not coincidental that at times there is a resurgence of symbols typical of Nazism. And I must confess to you that when I hear a speech (by) someone responsible for order or for a government, I think of speeches by Hitler in 1934, 1936.”
“These are actions that are typical of Nazism, that with its persecution of Jews, gypsies, people with homosexual orientation, represent an excellent model of the throwaway culture and culture of hatred,” he added.
“That is what was done in those days and today it is happening again.”
