German 'far right' leader out after posting photo of self looking like Hitler

Pro tip: Thinking about doing your hair and moustache like Hitler and posting a photo on social media? Oh, and you're the leader of some sort of political movement? In Germany? Do I really need to say it? Apparently, if you're Lutz Bachmann (no relation to Michele as far as we know . . . sorry, lefties), you might benefit from someone following you around explaining things you should not do.

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Dude:

The leader of the German right-wing movement PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) resigned his post on Wednesday following claims that he posed as Adolf Hitler in a Facebook post last year with the caption, "He's back." The photo depicts Pegida founder Lutz Bachmann, 41, with his hair combed straight and a mustache resembling Hitler's. German newspapers featured the image on their front pages. "I sincerely apologize to all citizens who were offended by my posts," Bachmann said in a statement posted on the group's page. "I am sorry that my actions hurt the interests of our movement, and I accept the consequences." The display of Nazi symbols is against the law in Germany. Earlier Wednesday, Bachmann told the German publication Bild he took the photo while at the hairdresser due to the release of the satirical audiobook about Hitler by Timur Vermes called "Er Ist Wieder Da," or "He Is Back." "You have to be able to sometimes make fun of yourself," he told the newspaper.

I put "far right" in scare quotes in the headline only because I don't really know if they're actual extremists or just easy for the media to portray in that way. Opposing the Islamization of the West doesn't sound extreme to me, but how they describe themselves and what they actually believe could be two different things. I'll also throw in a couple of caveats here: Generally speaking, I don't like the trend that sees people forced to resign, apologize and so forth because they express themselves in a way that bothers people or falls outside the mainstream of currently acceptable expression. I've said this before and I've even defended obnoxious liberals who do it. People have to have the freedom to express themselves, and society has to have the intestinal fortitude to deal with it rather than freaking out and demanding that everyone who tweaks us a little bit be fired or forced to quit. I also think satire deserves to be defended almost absolutely, and that even includes public figures. Now, having said all that, what a lunkhead. It's one thing to engage in satire for the sake of making some sort of point. What is the point if doing yourself up like Hitler and declaring "he is back"? If he doesn't deserve to have to quit for offending people, maybe his movement needs leadership that isn't just abjectly stupid. By the way, since we're talking about Hitler imitations, let's enjoy one of the best ones ever done. Of course, it took place at Stalag 13, and even General Burkhalter bought it: