KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The use of a yellow badge to protest mask mandates is drawing rebukes from the Jewish community.
On Thursday, a woman protesting mask mandates in Kansas City, Missouri was seen wearing a yellow badge.
In response, Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on Twitter, "I don't care your view, wearing a yellow badge into a City Council meeting symbolizing Holocaust victim hood because you hate masks is despicable."
While the freedom to protest exists, using offensive symbolism can be harmful.
“There’s absolutely no comparison between a mask mandate and the genocide of 6 million Jews and one million children," said Sarah Markowitz.
Markowitz is the assistant director of education and programs for the Jewish Community Relations Bureau and AJC.
“The yellow star was something that Jews in Nazi Europe were forced to use, were forced to wear to identify them during the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people," Markowitz explained.
As some protesters use the yellow badge as a symbol of oppression, the Jewish community says there's no comparison to what happened during the Holocaust.
“It’s frustrating as someone who has studied the history of the Holocaust, but I understand that there is a lack of education about the Holocaust, and that is why this is happening," Markowitz said.
Markowitz believes education is the answer to ignorance. At Union Station, the exhibit Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. is on display educating people about the Holocaust.
“It’s eye-opening. It’s amazing. You don’t realize how that many people could be taken out by one country, it’s crazy," said John Freeman who attended the exhibit with his family.
Markowitz said it's important people don't trivialize events like the Holocaust.
“I hope people take away empathy and an understanding that you should not use other people’s traumatic experiences to make your own point about something.”
