Dear Friends,
While we may disagree on politics and policy sometimes, we all can
agree to strongly condemn anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and the
institutions that foment them.
I remain a stauch supporter of Congressman Mark Kirk who has co-
chaired the Congressional Task Force on Anti-Semitism, led the way on
hate crimes legislation, continues to lead on opening the Holocaust
archives in Bad Arolsen and remains the strongest voice in Congress
for the U.S.-Israel strategic relationship.
I write to you today to make sure you know about an issue I find to be
pivotal in the upcoming race for Congress in the 10th District. While
the two Democrats vying to take on our friend Congressman Kirk next
year claim to support our values, their actions to gain political
support suggest they do not.
In an effort to appeal to their party's far-left, both candidates
participated in this week's Kos Convention in Chicago--with Jay
Footlik working the crowd and Dan Seals addressing the conference.
Both expressed great pride and satisfaction in attending.
What's troubling is that Seals and Footlik speak to our community with
one mouth and then run to a convention filled with anti-Semitic
bloggers. DailyKos is a community of bloggers--thousands of people
who write their own opinions online. The site's real attraction comes
from the discussion that ensues.
Let's see a few examples of what the Kos Convention attendees are
blogging--the very same people Seals and Footlik come running to for
support. Many times posts are left up for weeks or months until
watchdog groups raise concerns over anti-Semitism--at that point, Kos
removes the blog pages. Fortunately, there are other savvy bloggers
out there who keep archived copies.
1) "Once we lock up a Majority, where we don't need Lieberman, I hope
they will kick him to the curb like the dog he is." This post
received 24 positive ratings and zero negative.
"He's [Lieberman] a much lower form of life than a dog" 8 plus/
zero minus
"He's a snake in the grass." 4 plus/zero minus
"Don't insult dogs like that, Given a choice between my dog and
Lieberman, I'd gas him without thinking twice." 4 plus/3 minus
http://www.netscape.com/viewstory/2007/05/16/daily-kos-gas-jew-lieberman-like-a-dog/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnetwmd.com%2Fblog%2F2007%2F05%2F16%2F1682&frame=true
2) "because as everybody knows, jews ONLY care about the welfare of
other jews"
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2005/12/7/162152/209/100
3) "Israel is showing the entire world why the Iranian President was
absolutely right to suggest that Israel cease being a sovereign state
as is."
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21553&only
4) "Zionism was and remains a racist ideology." A picture was
included in that post showing an Israeli cabinet minister merging
faces with Adolf Hitler, with a Star of David inside a skull.
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25034_The_Protocols_of_the_Daily_Kos&only
5) Another blog expressed sympathy and support for the Hamas takeover
of Gaza.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/15/153353/694
Of course, I'm not surprised that Dan Seals attended. In his
unsuccessful 2006 race, he made two comments caught on film that
caused eruptions in the Jewish community.
The first, during an interview with 2004 candidate Lee Goodman, Seals
said that if war ever broke out between Israel and Iran, he would come
down on the side of peace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB9fEmrKw6I
The second, during the height of the August 2006 war in Lebanon, Seals
called on Israel to cease fire immediately and begin addressing the
root causes of terrorism: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPuSvhVRN4E&mode=user&search=
But why did Jay Footlik attend? Is he that desparate that he runs to
a community that slurs Jews and supports the Iranian President's dream
of wiping Israel off the map?
And while you think about this, I urge you to contrast the action of
both men to the continued leadership of our dear friend, Congressman
Mark Kirk. While his opponents run to anti-Semitic and anti-Israel
bloggers, here's a sampling of Congressman Kirk's leadership on our
core issues since the beginning of 2007 alone:
* Established the 10 th District Israel High School Forum for
students in our community to learn more about the U.S.-Israel
relationship?he first of its kind in the nation.
* Authored an amendment which passed the House ( H.R. 1585)
directing the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress with a plan
to fully integrate the U.S. National Ballistic Missile Defense with
the State of Israel.
* Authored appropriations language now in law ( H.R. 2206)
requiring the Secretary of State to report to Congress on the Lebanese
Government's progress in fulfilling its mandate under Section 14 of
U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.
* Authored appropriations language mandating a comprehensive
review by the Government Accountability Office of Cash Assistance and
Emergency Cash Assistance programs run by the United Nations Relief
and Works Agency. The language was prompted by UNRWA reports that
terrorist and families of suicide bombers may received emergency
assistance.
* Authored appropriations language mandating a report by the
Secretary of State on the feasibility of executing an international
restriction on gasoline to Iran. Iran imports more than 40% of its
refined petroleum? unique economic weakness.
* Authored appropriations language earmarking $5 million for
women's support programs in minority communities in Iran and $2
million for democracy programs in Syria.
* Introduced H.R . 2880, the bipartisan Iran Sanctions
Enhancement Act of 2007, to extend current sanctions to companies that
provide gasoline to Iran.
* Sponsored a bipartisan resolution ( H.Res.64) which passed
the House calling on Bangladesh to drop all charges against journalist
Shoaib Choudhury. Congressman Kirk previously negotiated Choudhury's
release from prison following his arrest for attempting to visit
Israel .
* Authored a bipartisan letter with 104 co-signers to Secretary
Rice urging her to work within the Security Council to give UN Forces
in Lebanon a new mandate to intercept arms coming across the Syrian
border.
* Authored a bipartisan letter with 12 key foreign assistance
leaders in the House calling on World Bank President Robert Zoellick
to end disbursements to Iran immediately.
* Led a successful international effort to pressure European
nations to open Holocaust archives in Germany. Co-authored a series
of bipartisan letters to European Ambassadors and was the lead co-
sponsor of the Hastings-Kirk resolution which passed the House (H.Res.
240).
* Lead co-sponsor of the Conyers-Kirk Local Law Enforcement
Hate Crimes Prevention Act ( H.R. 1592), which provides federal
resources to investigate and prosecute hate crimes.
* Ordered an Inspector General investigation into reports that
more than $140,000 was provided by the U.S. Agency for International
Development to the Hamas-controlled Islamic University in Gaza. In
June, Congressman Kirk authored appropriations language tightening
anti-terror vetting language to include institutions that have
terrorist trustees?hereby closing the funding loophole to Islamic
University which boasts Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
* Authored a bipartisan letter to the Japanese government
urging it not to open direct assistance to the Hamas-dominated
Palestinian Authority. After receiving the letter, the Japanese
government reversed its decision and upheld the Quartet conditions on
assistance.
* Co-authored a letter to Secretary Rice urging her to fire the
news director of Al-Hurra TV after airing an interview with Hezbollah
leader Hassan Nasrallah and sending reporters to cover the Iranian
Holocaust Denial Conference. Congressman Kirk then co-authored
appropriations language cutting Al-Hurra's funding and mandating 24/7
online video feeds of all broadcasts. Al-Hurra's news director
resigned the following day.
* Co-authored a letter to the National Institutes of Health
demanding a full investigation of reports of anti-Semitic conduct by
it chief clergy.
* Delivered a special order address before the House detailing
all the factual inaccuracies in President Carter's recent book,
Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.
The time to show your support to this great leader is now. If you are
as disgusted as I am by the actions of Dan Seals and Jay Footlik, I
would urge you to call their campaigns and let them know you're making
a contribution to Kirk for Congress because unlike them, he's fighting
in Congress to combat global anti-Semitism, fight Holocaust denial,
protect Israel and stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Sincerely,
Andy Lappin
