Campaign for Working Families

Monday, December 30, 2019 -- Christians & Jews Under Attack, Evangelicals For Trump, Confronting Iran

Christians & Jews Under Attack
 
Christians were attacked all over the world over the holidays.  There were beheadings carried out by radical Islamists in Nigeria last week. Sadly, these atrocities received very little press coverage. 
 
In Texas, an evil man walked into a church yesterday and opened fire, killing two people.  Fortunately, there were good men there with guns who quickly neutralized the threat and prevented a far greater disaster.  Their actions proved yet again that the best way to stop bad men with guns is to have good guys with guns nearby.
 
In New York, there have been multiple anti-Semitic attacks against Hasidic Jews.  The worst attack took place on the seventh night of Chanukah. 
 
A black man with a machete forced his way into Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg's home and started slashing people.  They fought back with anything they could get their hands on.  Two are in critical condition.  The assailant, Grafton Thomas, was arrested yesterday in Harlem.
 
In the past 14 months, there have been two deadly attacks on synagogues, both carried out by white men.  Virtually all the attacks in New York captured on video have been carried out by black men. 
 
The evil of anti-Semitism sinks its roots into every race, every community and every social group.  Unfortunately, not all anti-Semitics attacks are treated equally, particularly by left-wing politicians and progressive activists
 
Neither New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio nor Governor Andrew Cuomo have been able to mention that the New York attacks were carried out by minorities.  In fact, Mayor de Blasio inexplicably blamed President Trump for the attacks. 
 
As you know, some of President Trump's family members are Jewish, including his daughter Ivanka, who converted, and Jared, his son-in-law.  This president has done more to fight anti-Semitism than any president in modern history.  Most recently, he issued an executive order to fight anti-Semitism on university campuses. 
 
There is an added irony here:  The Hasidic Jewish communities being attacked overwhelmingly support the president.  I trust these Jews to know who the anti-Semites are, and they don't think the president is one.
 
The inability to point out the racial pattern inherent in the New York attacks makes it hard to stop the anti-Semitism.  There is a vicious strain of anti-Semitism in the black community.  Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam are the prime example. 
 
Not only do progressive politicians hesitate to condemn Farrakhan, a significant portion of the Congressional Black Caucus, including then-Senator Barack Obama, secretly met with Farrakhan in 2005 and posed for pictures.
 
We have previously reported on the Black Hebrew Israelites.  They are not Hebrews.  They are anti-Semitic radicals who claim they, not the Jews, own the original blessings from God.  Supporters of this extremist movement were implicated in the deadly attack on a kosher market earlier this month. 
 
Here is the only effective way to take on anti-Semitism:  When someone coming out of the progressive left like Ilhan Omar or Rashida Tlaib or Linda Sarsour engages in anti-Semitism, they need to be called out first and foremost by their fellow progressives.
 
When someone coming out of the right like David Duke promotes anti-Semitism, first and foremost they must be condemned by conservatives.
 
When Islamic terrorists and radical imams promote anti-Semitism, they need to be called out first and foremost by their fellow Muslims.
 
Each political, social and religious movement needs to clean its own house before trying to score cheap points at the expense of their political adversaries.
 
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) has strongly condemned the attacks, as they do no matter who the perpetrators are.  CUFI founder Pastor John Hagee denounced the "dark and sinful evil of anti-Semitism" that motivated the recent attacks in New York and New Jersey.  I represent CUFI in Washington, and I am proud to join them and their 8 million members in condemning this ancient evil.
 
 
 
Evangelicals For Trump
 
As you may know, I am blessed to be among a small group of evangelical leaders who have regularly been in touch with the president and vice president since they secured the Republican nomination in 2016.  Periodically, the White House reaches out to this informal coalition for advice and counsel. 
 
Later this week, dozens of faith leaders will gather in Florida for the launch of the Evangelicals for Trump Coalition and a speech by President Trump.  Our friends in South Florida who are interested in attending the event can request tickets here.
 
 
 
Confronting Iran
 
In recent weeks, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have started launching rockets and mortars at bases that house U.S. troops.  There have been 11 such attacks since October.  In most cases, the attacks were relatively weak and ineffective. 
 
That changed dramatically last week when more than 30 rockets were fired at a base Friday in northern Iraq.  A U.S. defense contractor was killed and four U.S. troops were wounded.
 
Yesterday, the Trump Administration responded by striking five Kataib Hezbollah camps in Iraq and Syria.  At least 25 terrorists were reportedly killed in the strikes.
 
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper warned yesterday that the United States "would take additional actions as necessary to . . . deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from Iran."