Rep. Rashida Talib's Censure

The US House of Representatives voted to censure Rep. Rashida Talib (D-MI) on   7 November 2023.  The stated reasons for the censure were: 

The censure resolution introduced by Georgia Rep. Rich McCormick condemns the Michigan Democrat for "promoting false narratives" around the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel and "calling for the destruction of the state of Israel." [1] 

According to one report: 

Tlaib posted a video Friday that included footage of protesters in Michigan chanting part of a rallying cry — "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" — that the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish groups view as calling for the destruction of Israel and consider to be antisemitic. Tlaib defended the use of the slogan as "an aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate." [2] 

There are those who believe that, by censuring her, Rep. Talib’s peers were trying to interfere with her First Amendment right to freedom of speech: 

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said Tuesday the censure vote will show who "believes in the freedom of speech, even the speech they hate." He argued that those who vote to censure Tlaib "want to impose a new political straitjacket of cancel culture" on the country. [3] 

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), who sponsored the resolution, countered that it was evidence that a majority in the US House of Representatives do not share Rep. Talib’s opinions, and its passage was an exercise of their freedom of speech. [4]  Rep. McCormic has had to temporarily close his office, due to security concerns following his introduction of the resolution. [5] 

How we see things often depends on whose side we support.  I hope we can agree in principle, however, that the constitutional rights of all US citizens must be respected and protected.  I hope that we can also agree that the exercise of our constitutional rights must be done in ways that do not deny others their rights, including the right to life and safety. 

I believe that in most cases the common good is best served by common sense.  Like it or not, the exercise of our constitutional rights is qualified. 

Examples include: 

Americans have the right to free speech - I may disagree with what some people say.  I may even find it nauseating - but I will fight for their right to say it.  Nevertheless, Americans may not expect their speech to be protected if it incites others to violence against individuals or people groups, if it advocates the violent overthrow of the government, if it gives aid and comfort to our enemies in time of war, if it conspires to commit crimes, and so forth.  By way of illustration: you will get into serious trouble if you make jokes about a bomb in your luggage while boarding a commercial airplane. 

Citizens of the United States have the right to keep and bear arms.  I am a staunch and steadfast supporter of the Second Amendment.  However, I worked in the criminal justice system for over 20 years, and it is my firm conviction that the right of persons who have been convicted of a felony to own or possess firearms should be permanently forfeited (subject to clemency from a governor or the president).  I support laws that provide for enhanced sentences for those who use deadly weapons in the commission of a crime.  It is necessary and prudent for society to prevent persons who are determined by a court to be a danger to self or others, due to mental illness, from having any form of access to a firearm. 

A free press is necessary for a free country.  One cannot exist without the other.  Yet, it is necessary, particularly in time of war, for the government to protect the national interest by delaying the reporting of sensitive news stories.  The safety of our military personnel must not be jeopardized by news accounts.  The government should have the right to protect the identities of intelligence agents and their assets, and military covert operatives.  Classified information must not be published without an independent review by the courts to determine if the need for classification outweighs the public’s right to know. 

These commonsense limitations benefit us all.  Remember that the courts are available to rule on any unjust or illegal infringement of our constitutional rights. 

In the case of Rep. Talib, it is clear that, given the volatility of the public demonstrations she has addressed, the totality of her angry and strident remarks has been irresponsible, reckless, and dangerous.  She deserved to be censured.  Her conduct has been unbecoming of a US Representative and a disgrace to the US House of Representatives. 

Jesus told us that we are to love our neighbor as we ourselves. (Matthew 19:19, 22:39; Luke 10:25-37)  To hate someone because of their race, skin color, ethnicity, people group – or because of their religion – is wrong.  It is disobedience to God.  Sometimes, we must defend ourselves against those who are trying to harm us or others.  Yet, we should never give way to hate, grudges, or vengefulness. (Leviticus 19:18)  It would be a good thing if we all take a moment to examine our consciences regarding this matter. 

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[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rashida-tlaib-censure-vote-rich-mccormick-marjorie-taylor-greene/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] https://www.jacksonprogress-argus.com/news/u-s-rep-rich-mccormick-closes-congressional-district-office-following-threats/article_eacf67a7-151a-5c19-b1f0-20e28a945646.html?&p2=%5EEQ%5Ejul21%5E&prod=HP&cmpgn=jul21&locale=en_us&annot=false&sameTabLaunch=false&o=APN12175&installSource=direct&geo=us&browser=chrome&darkMode=false&ueid=f6ae51f1-89de-402f-a2d2-da052b71e17b&doi=2021-08-07

He Who Hesitates ...

President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken have “suggested” that Israel “pause” in its offensive against Hamas in Gaza to allow aid into that area for the relief of the humanitarian crisis there.  Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has wisely refused. 

The suggestion illustrates why America needs a new Commander in Chief.  It is ignorant, naïve, and stupid.  There is no disrespect to the President intended.  It is just the truth, and I can’t think of any other way to say it. 

In effect, a pause is a temporary ceasefire.  Suggesting a pause exposes Biden and Blinken’s ignorance of the basic principles of war.  Armies go on the offensive to find, fix, close with and destroy enemy forces.  Offensive operations provide the opportunity to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative (acting rather than reacting), get and keep momentum, and to keep the enemy off balance and on the defensive.  All of that is lost when there is a halt to remaining on the offensive. 

It is naïve to believe that Hamas would not use a pause to take the humanitarian aid for themselves.  They have done it before.  They are the ones who will not allow Palestinian civilian refugees to leave the country, and they are the ones who use civilians as human shields.  Does the Biden Administration really think a pause would cause Hamas to allow civilians to flee the fighting?  They have not stopped firing rockets and missiles into Israel for years.  Why would anyone believe Hamas would live up to an agreement to stop now?  Hamas will use any kind of pause to regroup and retrench, making an already hellish fight worse for the IDF. 

The naiveté is intensified by the futile hope that if we are just nice enough to the leaders of Iran and its proxies, then maybe they will like us and be nice to us.  It smacks of Barack Obama’s infamous apology tour.  They hate us because they regard us as infidels, and we support Israel while blocking their efforts to establish a worldwide Califate by force.  Further, they believe that our materialistic, hedonistic society lures Muslim youth away from a strict application of their religion to their style of living. No amount of weak-kneed accommodation is going to change that. 

The ”suggestion” of a pause puts Israel in the position of being compelled by the reality of their situation to refuse.  Thus, it detracts from the perceived legitimacy of Israel’s efforts to defend itself.  Consequently, it is stupid because it plays into the hands of Iran and its proxies who are sworn enemies of the United States.  Do you think they haven’t made themselves our enemies?  If they haven't, then why are they always shouting, “Death to America!”?  They mean it, and getting rid of Israel is just a prelude to the “death” of America that they so fervently desire. 

A pause may help to gain the release of at least some of the hostages, but it would also encourage terrorists around the world to take more hostages - in order to avoid the consequences of their heinous actions.  Again, it is stupid because, regrettably, it plays into the hands of those who would use terroristic violence to achieve their ends.  It puts thousands more people at risk, by increasing their vulnerability to being taken hostage. The Biden Administration and the Democrats are pandering to worldwide demonstrations in favor of the Palestinians, to positions being taken by the UN, and to a political base at home that includes intellectuals and students who support the Palestinians, and also includes most of the Muslim refugees and immigrants who have settled here. 

The United States cannot afford to act in ways that our enemies will perceive to be weakness.  We need a strong Commander in Chief. 

“He who hesitates is lost.” *  It would be a strategic blunder for Israel to pause at this point in their offensive operations in Gaza.  They waited the better part of a month to begin it, in part to give the Palestinian civilians in Gaza a chance to leave, but Hamas would not let their human shields get away.  To survive, Israel must destroy Hamas; not submit to Joe Biden’s pressure to deescalate.

 

*This quote is sometimes credited to Cato, however, many sources say it is a paraphrase of a line spoken by the character, Cato, in Joseph Addison’s 1712 play, Cato, a Tragedy.