Lucas makes visit to Holocaust museum after uproar

Seymour State Rep. Jim Lucas made a trip to the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute yesterday. That’s after a social media post quoting a Nazi mastermind raised outrage.

Earlier in the week Lucas had posted a screen shot, supposedly by the Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels on his Facebook page talking about spreading the Big Lie. The image included a link labeled “The Jewish Question”.

The social media post drew condemnation from the museum and from Democrats.

But on Thursday, CANDLES released a statement saying that Lucas had traveled to the museum to learn about the lessons of the Holocaust, the museum and its founder, Eva Kor.

Museum executive director Troy Fears said that it was a positive visit, and Lucas and the museum shared a conversation about the importance of Holocaust education in Indiana.

Fears said “We are always happy to engage in conversations that lead to a greater understanding of the Holocaust.”

Lucas wrote on Facebook that when there is a misunderstanding, you should meet face-to-face to fix it. He said he spent two hours touring discussing and learning about the museum and its purpose.

Lucas said that he made the drive “Given the amount of misunderstanding and subsequent ensuing hysteria generated by too many in the media and those simply looking for an opportunity to bash me over a recent social media post I made involving history.”

Photo courtesy of CANDLES Holocaust Museum. State Rep. Jim Lucas met with the staff and toured the CANDLES Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute on Thursday. From left to right, Trent Andrews, CANDLES staff; Troy Fears, CANDLES Executive Director,  Rep. Jim Lucas; Gwen Montgomery, CANDLES Staff and Catie Hann, CANDLES Staff .