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International News Title: Congressman Justin Amash: Riding a fence made of razor wire Like many Palestinian Americans, I was ecstatic when Justin Amash was elected Congressman from the Michigan in November 2010. There have been several American Arab members of the U.S. Congress, but Amash was the first who was solidly identified as being Palestinian. He joined a besieged group of congressional members, American Arabs who have to battle against the powerful pro-Israel lobby and also win votes against often vicious opponents. Politics is no June afternoon picking strawberries. But the key difference is that Amash, 30, a former member of the Michigan State Legislature from the 72nd District and the second youngest ember of the U.S House behind 29 year old Aaron Schock of Illinois, is a Republican Conservative, two words that often do not jive with the rhetoric of the Israel Palestine conflict in terms of supporting justice for Palestine or criticism of Israel. The first Palestinian to serve in Congress was John Edward Sununu, the son of former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu, both Republicans often identified as being “Lebanese” but who were actually from a Palestinian family that left Acre, Palestine to settle in Lebanon. Sununu served three terms in Congress from 1996-2002 and then later one term in the U.S. Senate from 2002-2008, losing to the Lebanese American challenger who fought him the first time, Jeanne Shaheen. Amash must have learned a lot from Sununu who rarely identified himself publicly as being Palestinian. It’s not an easy thing to do in American society let alone in politics where your ethnicity means a lot. Amash doesn’t wear his Palestinian heritage on his shoulder as a badge, though he openly describes himself of being the son of a Palestinian father and Syrian mother. The media coverage doesn’t play up his Palestinian background either, maybe because they take his lead. And during this latest conflict, Amash has been silent. There is an old saying from the Chinese Military General Sun Tsu who cautioned that if you can’t win a battle, don’t fight it. But the truth is Sun Tzu didn’t say it exactly that way, as it is often misquoted. The wise General said, “He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.” And that’s entirely different from the popular misquoted lamentation. Maybe that’s Amash’s policy, when it comes to the issue of Israel and Palestine. Since Israel began its aggression against the Gaza Strip following the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers, Congressman Amash has been pretty much silent on the conflict on his Facebook Page, as have been many major American Arab politicians. That’s different from his public views when he wrote on his Facebook Page on May 24, 2012: “I voted “yes” on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H R 4133, United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012. The bill reaffirms the U.S.-Israel security relationship, supports the continued development of a joint missile defense system and the production of the Iron Dome defense system, pledges to assist Israel to “forge a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states living side by side in peace and security,” and temporarily extends an existing line of credit to Israel’s government, which may not be used for activities outside of the 1967 borders. (This is constitutional in connection with Congress’s power to raise and support Armies.) “My father is Palestinian and my mother is Syrian. Israel is far from perfect. Some of its policies and actions violate deeply held American principles of liberty and justice. But Israel is our closest friend in a very troubled region. Our national defense benefits from Israel’s ability to defend itself and to serve as a check against neighboring authoritarian regimes and extremists. Assisting with training and the development of Israel’s military capacity allows the U.S. to take a less interventionist role in the region. I am hopeful that American troops soon can leave the region and Israel and its neighbors can live in peace without U.S. aid or involvement. It passed 411-2-9.” Since then, though, after stirring some backlash from pro-Arab and pro-Israel activists (it is a world where oftentimes you can’t make either side happy), Amash has focused mainly on being a Republican, and the chairman of the 36-member Liberty Caucus in the Congress, also known as the “Tea Party.” Yes, the Tea Party is not exactly a pro-Arab or pro-Palestinian political organization at all. Far from it based on the insane rantings of many of its advocates and media disciples like Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh who libel Palestinian rights and justice all the time. Amash had the backing of rightwing Texas fanatic (is that redundant?) U.S. Senator Ted Cruz who described and endorsed Amash as “a strong conservative fighter.” And why the silence on Palestine and Israel? Not just because it contradicts the Tea Party train that supports Israel blindly, but also because he is running for re-election in the Republican Primary this Tuesday, August 5, in Michigan. His district is solid Republican so if he can get past that primary, he has no problems and is certain to win the General Election oN November 4. And so far, Congressman Amash has no problems. Although he has a wild and crazy Republican challenger doing everything he can to throw mud on Amash, a goof named Brian Ellis. Ellis has made claims that Amash has opposed Israel’s right to exist, but offers no facts to back it up, just twisted rhetoric and lies. Ellis is challenging Amash in the Republican Primary, but he really doesn’t have much ammunition of support, for that matter. Obviously, Amash doesn’t want to do anything that would give Ellis and his coterie of extremists any ammunition to attack him, so he is avoiding any deep thoughts about Israel and Palestine. Justin Amash I have reached out to Congressman Amash to interview him several times, and he has declined. Although I have been a political reporter and columnist for more than two decades in the 1980s and 1990s covering Chicago City Hall and Illinois and Midwest politics, I am also one of the best known Palestinian American writers and media consultants in the country. The issue of Palestine would come up, in a fair way, of course. And I would be fair in questioning him. But even being fair is not enough in the Israel- Palestine conflict with AIPAC and the israeli lobby attacking anyone for saying anything that even hints at the slightest criticism of Israel. If you bump Israel by accident, the pro-Israel lobby with nuke you with charges of being “anti- Semitic,” the overused, hackneyed phrase that has been gutted by excessive use in the wrong circumstances. But in elections, the vitriolic vicious name calling still has capital. It’s a quagmire for Palestinian Americans like myself. We WANT a Palestinian in the U.S. Congress. But we do want one who stands up for justice and fairness. There is no doubt that in this conflict in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have gone overboard, crossing the line of humanity by targeting civilians. More than 1,500 civilians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its assault in July following the discovery of the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers. But it wasn’t just Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped. A Palestinian teenager was kidnapped and murdered, too, the next day. And since then more than 175 Palestinian infants, babies, children and teenagers have been among those killed by Israel’s onslaught against the Gaza Strip. The war has elicited an outcry of revulsion and has included protests against the brutality from the administration of President Barack Obama and others who have said that killing civilians is wrong. Can you imagine that in this day and age, that NEEDS to be said? It should go without saying. But we are dealing with Israel. We have little choice but to give Justin Amash a pass, knowing he can’t really speak out about what Israel is doing massacring Palestinian civilians int he Gaza Strip from a Palestinian member of Congress, even though many Congressman are openly denouncing Hamas and the Palestinians and defending Israel’s war crimes blindly and with unfettered enthusiasm. I like Justin Amash. But I think the issue of Israel’s war against civilians in the Gaza Strip demands something more than a milk-toast abandon of the topic entirely. Piers Morgan expressed shock at the massacre of civilians, and embraced the notion of peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. And that’s the most disappointing thing about Amash. He can’t even say he supports peace, security and safety for the Palestinians. There are a lot of Palestinians who are saying nothing, and many who are saying too much in incoherent screams and emotion. But you might expect the one Palestinian in the U.S. Congress to say something, rather than follow int he footsteps of his predecessor, Sununu, who barely said acknowledged his Palestinian heritage and said little. For all those who aspire to change the American political system, to make it fair, Justin Amash is not exactly a poster child for a campaign of change. He’s more of less little more than a voice of political rhetoric who has found his place in Republican conservatism that has abandoned Palestinian humanity. I get it Justin. I won’t put you on the spot and ask what your thoughts are on the massacre of civilians in Palestine. I’ll stick to you support of the Pro-Life Movement, which you help define as not including Palestinians. I guess this is the price of having a Palestinian serving in a U.S. Congress so tightly controlled and influenced by the powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, and the threat of being slandered. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 11.
#1. To: Gatlin (#0)
I recall that effort to unseat Amash. His opponent was completely unhinged. It brings to mind all the times both Dems and GOP tried to defeat Ron Paul and take his seat in the House. It didn't work then either. Amash seems to have that same close bond with his district. About the only way to get rid of such a congresscritter would be to redistrict him. If you can't change the voters' minds, change the voters.
Okay? Let me try to understand exactly what you are saying….this “old country boy” has to digest things slowly. Something I learned from reading all about Will Rogers. Let’s see now, where have I once before….heard something like you are saying. Oh yea....here we go: So, now….what did you say again” Oh, yea: So you are saying that Amash is a “shoo in” for his reelection. Right, TC….I GOT IT.
I'm saying that efforts to oust Amash remind me of similar efforts to oust Ron Paul by both GOP and Dem opponents, sometimes in the same election cycle. Finally, they just gave up and he finally retired. Another guy they'd really like to defeat is Walter Jones Jr., another old buddy of Ron Paul. But he keeps hanging in there, doing his own thing, much as Amash and Massey do.
I'm saying that efforts to oust Amash remind me of similar efforts to oust Ron Paul by both GOP and Dem opponents, sometimes in the same election cycle. Finally, they just gave up and he finally retired. Another guy they'd really like to defeat is Walter Jones Jr., another old buddy of Ron Paul. But he keeps hanging in there, doing his own thing, much as Amash and Massey do. But then, you did say that you could pee in your pants, if you want to....didn’t you? It may bode well for you as an omen of a particular future outcome, to always remember … There ain’t a horse that can't be rode, or a politician that can't be “throwed” [out of office]. Just some old Arizona cowboy wisdom, I pass on to you. Probably something Will Rogers could have said….had he thought of it..
Who?
Who? You're funny. Enjoy ...
#12. To: Gatlin (#11)
Apparently, he died in 1935. Unless you're even older than you've hinted, you were still sucking your mama's teat back then. So even you don't remember Will Rogers.
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