Supporters of Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. are sometimes found in front of our downtown post office with their provocative signs preying on the fears of the day. Recently they have added a large photo of President Obama with a Hitler mustache drawn on it.

If one looks into the facts, what they should have on display is a photo of their leader Lyndon LaRouche with the mustache, since many of LaRouche’s past statements evince a strong similarity to Hitler’s demagogy.

A top spokesman of the Anti-Defamation League, Irwin Suall, was once sued for defamation by LaRouche for calling him a “small-time Hitler.” The jury ruled against LaRouche. British Times of London journalist Roger Boyes wrote in 2003: “Anti-Semitism is at the core of LaRouche’s conspiracy theories, which he adapts to modern events – most recently the war in Iraq.”

In addition to LaRouche’s anti-Semitism, his comments reveal further evidence of racism as well as homophobia. LaRouche’s 1985 campaign book, “A Program for America,” called homosexuality a “filthy and immoral practice.”

And the fact that LaRouche served five years in prison for acts of federal conspiracy, mail fraud and tax law violations seems to have been omitted from the literature handed out by his supporters who often complain about the government’s financial dealings.

Passers-by should also be aware of past violations of citizens paying for his publications with credit cards and later finding extra expenses tacked on to their credit card bills. It is of course the right of the LaRouche organization to peddle their ideas and display distasteful photos.

But at the same time it’s important for citizens to be informed about the background of this group, especially as economic fears seem to permeate so much of what we read and hear these days.

Unfortunately most citizens of 1933 Germany didn’t do that when the person with the original mustache expounded his ideas.

Many of us recognize LaRouche’s techniques from 25 years ago, however, many younger people today may never have heard of him, and can do their own research by going to “Lyndon LaRouche Views” in Wikipedia on the web.

Charles Schmid

Bainbridge Island