Letter to the Editor: County Should Prohibit Sale of Pro-Nazi and Confederate Materials on Its Property

In 2010, after a display of Nazi paraphernalia at the Westchester County gun show, the chair of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education issued a statement stating that the sale of Nazi artifacts was "an unbelievable insult." Richard Laster, chair of the center in 2010, said that he would reach out to County Executive Astorino and encourage him to avoid a similar sale at a gun show.

On Jan. 21 and Jan. 22, 2017, seven years later, the Westchester County Center was again the location for the gun show at the Westchester County Center. Once again, Nazi propaganda and Confederate materials were sold for profit at a government owned building.

I am shocked — I am outraged that the County Executive would allow a taxpayer paid for building to be used for this disgraceful purpose, to help someone profit from the sale of books, flags, paraphernalia promoting Hitler, the Confederate states, those who supported slavery. The event was a gun show. The county center is not a museum, it's not a library. This was a for-profit event. And the vendor attended the event to make money selling symbols of hate.

SEE ALSO: Pro-Nazi Literature, Confederate Flags Sold at Gun Show at Westchester County Center

The sale of pro-Nazi and pro-Confederate materials at this time in our nation's history is very disturbing. Anti-Semitism is up. Racism is becoming more acceptable to some. The 2016 presidential elections featured more anger, more hatred — something the county should not promote. The Journal News frequently publishes articles about Nazi symbols appearing all over the county.

Six million Jews died during the Holocaust. Slaves were abused and treated like subhumans by the Confederate states. County Executive Astorino should show some sensitivity to Holocaust survivors, their families, those whose ancestors were slaves by prohibiting the sale of Nazi and confederate materials at county owned buildings.

I applaud the Democratic members of the Board of Legislators for speaking out on this important issue. This is not a Democratic or Republican cause. Every elected official should show sensitivity.

I urge the legislature to pass a law banning the sale of pro-Nazi and Confederate artifacts and materials at gun shows and other for-profit events held at the Westchester County Center.

Paul Feiner, Greenburgh Town Supervisor