Rep. Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana, is being criticized for making comments about the United States’ military and terrorism while inside the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland.
Higgins recorded videos inside the museum—including in Nazi gas chambers and crematoriums. The five-minute video was first posted on the YouTube channel Lee Johnson Media, which describes itself as “A Conservative Podcast looking at America of Today!” The video was later reposted by NOLA.com.
“This is why homeland security must be squared away, why our military must be invincible,” Higgins says in one of the videos, later adding: “The world’s smaller now than it was in World War II. The United States is more accessible to terror like this, horror like this. It’s hard to walk away from gas chambers and ovens without a very sober feeling of commitment, unwavering commitment, to make damn sure that the United States of America is protected from the world.”
The museum was quick to criticize Higgins’ video.
“Everyone has the right to personal reflections,” the museum tweeted. “However, inside a former gas chamber, there should be mournful silence. It’s not a stage.”
Everyone has the right to personal reflections. However, inside a former gas chamber, there should be mournful silence. It's not a stage. https://t.co/AN5aA1bYEU
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) July 4, 2017
The Auschwitz Memorial also tweeted a sign that asks visitors to “maintain silence” when entering the building.
This isn’t the first time Higgins’ has been criticized for being insensitive.
In June, the congressman called for the killing of “radicalized Islamic suspects” on his verified Facebook account following the London terrorist attack in Borough Market.
Higgins’ Facebook post was addressed to “all Christendom” and said they were at “war with Islamic horror” before calling for people to be hunted down and killed “for the sake of all that is good and righteous.”
Higgins represents Louisiana’s third congressional district.
You can watch all of Higgins’ video here: