The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Anthony Rota, has apologized for celebrating a Ukrainian veteran who fought for a Nazi unit in World War II.
Rota had tweeted a photo of himself with Stepan Bandera, a Ukrainian nationalist who led the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), a group that collaborated with the Nazis during the Holocaust. In the tweet, Rota praised Bandera as a “fighter for Ukraine’s freedom.”
The tweet was met with widespread condemnation from Jewish groups and historians, who pointed out Bandera’s role in the Holocaust. Rota quickly deleted the tweet and apologized, saying that he had been unaware of Bandera’s collaboration with the Nazis.
In a statement, Rota said that he was “deeply sorry” for the tweet and that he “unequivocally condemns” the Nazis and their collaborators. He said that he had learned a “valuable lesson” about the importance of doing his research before tweeting.
The incident has sparked a debate about the glorification of historical figures who collaborated with the Nazis. Some argue that it is important to remember these figures and their crimes, while others argue that celebrating them is a form of historical revisionism.
It is important to note that there is a difference between celebrating and remembering historical figures. Celebrating someone implies that you agree with their actions and beliefs, while remembering them simply means that you acknowledge their existence and the role they played in history.
In the case of Stepan Bandera, it is important to remember his role in the Holocaust, but it is not appropriate to celebrate him. Bandera was a Nazi collaborator who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews. He should not be glorified or held up as a hero.