give will smith a break

OK, Will Smith's comment about Hitler is all over the internet tubes. But no, contrary to some press reports, Smith didn't say Hitler was "good."

Look at the quote closely - Smith didn't use many big words, we should all be able to understand them. He said, "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'let me do the most evil thing I can do today.' I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.'"

That is absolutely true, and blindingly obvious. Hitler was obviously a dangerous and bad man, and if "evil" can be applied to a human being, Hitler would seem the obvious candidate. But Hitler did NOT see himself as evil. He thought the stuff he was doing was GOOD.

Now, you and I and a whole bunch of European Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, Communists, and almost everybody else outside of Nazi and neo-Nazi circles disagree. Will Smith disagrees, too (and he is rightly angry about how his statement has been mischaracterized). But he was right - Hitler did not see himself as evil.

That is completely different than saying Hitler was good. Judging from the reactions to Smith's comment, you'd think he was the Democratic nominee for the Presidency.