Beck criticized for likening Bloomberg to Nazis

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NEW YORK, May 7 (UPI) -- Jewish groups are criticizing conservative commentator Glenn Beck for likening New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to a Nazi during a speech to the NRA.

While addressing the NRA's annual conference last weekend in Houston as its keynote speaker, Beck said he had come up with a new marketing advertisement for New York to replace the "I heart New York" logo that has been around since the 1970s.

"I'd like to show you my new advertisement for it, new slogan ...," he said. "'You will love New York!'"

He then revealed a picture of Bloomberg, who has spearheaded efforts to ban assault rifles and institute background checks on all sales, appearing to give the Nazi salute while wearing a Nazi armband, ABC News reported Tuesday.

"Glenn Beck, the keynote speaker at the NRA's annual convention, trivializes the Holocaust when he compares New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to Adolf Hitler," B'nai B'rith said in calling for Beck's apology.

Abraham Foxman, a Holocaust survivor and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, issued a similar rebuke.

"While he doesn't say it, it seems Glenn Beck is implying through an image of Mayor Bloomberg in an apparent Hitlerian salute is that the mayor's policies on gun ownership and other issues are turning New York city into a Nazi-like state," Foxman said. "That suggestion is outrageous, insensitive and deeply offensive on so many levels."

Beck hadn't responded to the criticism, ABC said. Bloomberg, who is Jewish, declined to comment.