Dana Rohrabacher: “I will vote for H. Res. 429 because I agree that it is right and proper for this House to condemn the racist and…”

“I will vote for H. Res. 429 because I agree that it is right and proper for this House to condemn the racist and xenophobic statements of Jeorg Haider, who until a few weeks ago was the leader of the Austrian Freedom Party. Mr. Haider's statements and political activity relating to Austria's past are alarming. Clearly, many in Austria have yet to come to grips with Austria's Nazi past. That Haider, a governor of a province and the head of a major political party, went to a reunion of SS veterans (and praised them) is unforgivable and should sound alarm bells. In some of his statements that I have read, Haider is trying to create a moral equivalency between wartime deaths and destruction caused by the Allies during the war, and the crimes and mass genocide caused by Hitler and his henchmen (including many Austrians). This mindset is delusional. It deserves the forceful condemnation contained in this resolution, and I join the resolution's author, Mr. Lantos, who could not be here today, in support of this resolution. I see Haider as an Austrian version of David Duke, someone who is hiding his respect for an historic movement that was monstrously evil. This is obviously the result of nationalistic emotions that are totally negative and can have serious consequences, and thus should be of utmost concern. Yes, Haider is no Nazi. But yes, it is clear that he has sympathy for them.”