Mar. 8, 2019

Rep. Ted Deutch: Why Can’t House Resolution “Singularly Condemn” Anti-Semitism? – Juliegrace Brufke
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) called on the House on Thursday to pass a resolution that would “singularly condemn” anti-Semitism in the wake of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s recent comments. “We are having this debate because of the language of one of our colleagues, language that suggests Jews like me who serve in the United States Congress and whose father earned a purple heart fighting the Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, that we are not loyal Americans?” said Deutch.
“Why are we unable to singularly condemn anti-Semitism? Why can’t we call it anti-Semitism and show we’ve learned the lessons of history?… It feels like we’re only able to call out the use of anti-Semitic language by a colleague of ours…if we’re addressing all forms of hatred. And it feels like we can’t say it’s anti-Semitism unless everyone agrees that it’s anti-Semitism.”
“Jews control the world? Jews care only about money? Jews have dual loyalty and can’t be patriotic members of the country in which they live? Words matter. For generations, they have had dangerous consequences for me, for my family and for my people. This shouldn’t be so hard.”  (The Hill)

U.S. House Passes Broad Measure Condemning Hate in Response to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Comments – Mike DeBonis
Democrats engineered a 407-to-23 House vote broadly condemning hatred on Thursday in an attempt to move past anti-Semitic comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar. The resolution condemned anti-Semitism and discrimination against Muslims in equal measure, and acknowledges “traditionally persecuted peoples, including African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other people of color, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, and others.” It did not mention Omar or her comments. (Washington Post)

Video: Rep. Ted Deutch Speaks in House on Anti-Semitism (YouTube)

See also Why, as Members of Congress, We Must Call Out Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Comments – Reps. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Elaine Luria (D-Va.), and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) (CNN)