RJC: Bipartisan congressional opposition to Robinson honor: Reps. King, Berkley, Ros-Lehtinen and Sen. Bond speak out
Washington, D.C. (August 7, 2009) -- Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have expressed their opposition to President Obama's decision to honor former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.Leading Democrat Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) is the second Jewish Democratic member of the House -- after Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) (1) -- to criticize President Obama's choice of Mary Robinson to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Berkley stated: (2)
The biased views expressed by Mary Robinson against the nation of Israel remain deeply troubling and her tarnished record of actions on this issue cannot be erased with the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
This includes her role in the U.N.'s infamous Durban Conference, the scene of highly-charged anti-Jewish attacks against Israel and its supporters.
Mary Robinson's one-sided criticism of Israel and her actions while serving as a U.N. commissioner deserve to be condemned and I add my voice to those already expressing concern about her shameful record when it comes to this issue. I respectfully request that the President of the United States reassess the awarding of this prestigious medal to a woman with such a blatant record of inappropriate and inexplicable bias against America's most reliable ally -- and the region's only democracy -- the State of Israel.
This includes her role in the U.N.'s infamous Durban Conference, the scene of highly-charged anti-Jewish attacks against Israel and its supporters.
Mary Robinson's one-sided criticism of Israel and her actions while serving as a U.N. commissioner deserve to be condemned and I add my voice to those already expressing concern about her shameful record when it comes to this issue. I respectfully request that the President of the United States reassess the awarding of this prestigious medal to a woman with such a blatant record of inappropriate and inexplicable bias against America's most reliable ally -- and the region's only democracy -- the State of Israel.
Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) is the first U.S. Senator to speak out against honoring
Mary Robinson. (3) He told journalist Jennifer Rubin that he objects to the President's decision to honor Robinson. Bond said, "The United States boycotted the UN's Durban Conference on Racism for its hostility to Israel; to award now our nation's highest civilian honor to someone best known for presiding over the conference sends the wrong signal to one of our most steadfast friends and allies."
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) issued a statement saying: (4)
Mary Robinson was the poster-child for the anti-Israel bias that pervades the United Nations system.
During her tenure as High Commissioner, she never missed an opportunity to single out Israel for condemnation, while often excusing violent Palestinian extremism.
Just recently, Robinson bordered on bigotry when she blamed opposition to this award on 'bullying by certain elements of the Jewish community.' Under her leadership - or lack thereof - Durban I was hijacked by the world's most intolerant regimes and transformed from an anti-racism conference into an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, anti-American hate-fest.
The U.S. did the right thing by walking out - and by staying away from a biased Durban Review Conference that reaffirmed Durban I's declaration. The U.S. can do the right thing again by denying Robinson this undeserved honor. The cause of freedom is too important to be linked with Mary Robinson.
During her tenure as High Commissioner, she never missed an opportunity to single out Israel for condemnation, while often excusing violent Palestinian extremism.
Just recently, Robinson bordered on bigotry when she blamed opposition to this award on 'bullying by certain elements of the Jewish community.' Under her leadership - or lack thereof - Durban I was hijacked by the world's most intolerant regimes and transformed from an anti-racism conference into an anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, anti-American hate-fest.
The U.S. did the right thing by walking out - and by staying away from a biased Durban Review Conference that reaffirmed Durban I's declaration. The U.S. can do the right thing again by denying Robinson this undeserved honor. The cause of freedom is too important to be linked with Mary Robinson.
Rep. Peter King (R-NY) was the first member of Congress to express concern about the choice of Robinson for this honor. (5) Gil Troy and Tevi Troy, in their opinion piece in the New York Post, quoted King as saying that Robinson's views are outside the American foreign-policy mainstream. King told them, "She is definitely from the school of moral equivalency which somehow invariably comes down on the side against vibrant democracies such as Israel and the United States."
Gil Troy, a professor at McGill University, and Tevi Troy, a former senior Bush White House aide, wrote in their New York Post opinion piece: (6)
Medal of Freedom selections shouldn't cause the president political
trouble. If President Obama believed he could honor Robinson without
harming himself politically, he's taking for granted the votes of both
American Jews and more traditionally hawkish moderate Democrats.
Worse, it seems Obama doesn't mind celebrating a symbol of Western
weakness and appeasement of anti-Semitism at a time when the world'sdictators and terrorists are deciding what to think of him.
trouble. If President Obama believed he could honor Robinson without
harming himself politically, he's taking for granted the votes of both
American Jews and more traditionally hawkish moderate Democrats.
Worse, it seems Obama doesn't mind celebrating a symbol of Western
weakness and appeasement of anti-Semitism at a time when the world'sdictators and terrorists are deciding what to think of him.
"The choice to honor Mary Robinson sends a definite message to the Jewish community, to Israel, and the world," agreed Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks. "If that's the take-away President Obama wants from this incident, then he should let the decision stand. If not, he should rescind the award."
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