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Mich. county official defends crossed-out swastika

By AP

JACKSON, MI – A Jackson County commissioner who held up a sign with a crossed-out swastika last week at a health care protest outside Democratic Rep. Mark Schauer's office says the sign misrepresented his views.

Phil Duckham said at a board of commissioners meeting Tuesday night the sign did not convey his message properly.

But he told the Jackson Citizen Patriot that he stands by his comparisons between Nazi politics and President Barack Obama's plans for restructuring America.

Some meeting attendees and the Michigan Democratic Party asked
Duckham to apologize. Duckham told the paper he doesn't believe an apology is in order.

Matt Miller of the Anti-Defamation League said there's "no place in American political discourse" for using a swastika or comparing any American politician to Adolf Hitler.

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