Jon Stewart gamely tackles the question: 'What's more Hitler?' COVID or vaccine mandates?

published 16 October 2021

"Individual freedom requires collective action, and a collective is a group," Jon Stewart said on The Problem With Jon Stewart. "But if every sacrifice for the group is viewed as oppression, then we lose the ability to preserve your individual freedom." Then he tried to make his point, specifically about the backlash to COVID-19 vaccine and mask requirements, a little lighter, with a game about Nazism.

The game started with a highlight reel of people on OAN and Fox News comparing vaccine and mask mandates to the Holocaust. "Agreed: Auschwitz is a terrible prom theme," Stewart said. "But I see the problem. You think the government taking public safety measures to combat COVID is like Hitler, and we think COVID is like Hitler. And so it looks like we've got ourselves a good old fashioned Hitler-off. So once and for all, let's find out: What's More Hitler?!?" He kept score.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.