Tag Archives: Gavin Newsom

Open Letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the Antisemitic rhetoric at Oakland City Council session

Dear Governor Newsom,

While I know that you are currently very busy “NOT running for President”, and that I am neither a resident of California nor someone who can likely do anything to help you in your future endeavors, I feel there is an urgent matter that requires your immediate and unequivocal attention and as a result I will not remain silent.

Even though it is my understanding that you have no actual authority over the Oakland City Council, as Chief Executive of the most populated state in the country, your response to what took place at the reason session is of critical importance. In response to the City Council voting on a resolution calling for cease fire in Gaza and not condemning Hamas, your response was very clear.

Referencing the vote you said, “Hamas is a terrorist organization. They must be called out for what they are: evil”.

While I appreciate the moral clarity your statement represents, in light of what took place and statements made during the session, your response was weak and insufficient, and I will explain why I believe that to be the case. For you to make your statement of how you condemn Hamas while failing to call out those who made the comments, comes across as though you are attempting to pander to both sides.

Here are 5 different comments made by members of the Council.

“Calling Hamas a terrorist organization is ridiculous, racist and plays into genocidal propaganda that is flooding our media and that we should be doing everything possible to combat.”

“I support the right of Palestinians to resist occupation, including through Hamas, the armed wing of the unified Palestinian resistance.”

“Hamas is not a terrorist organization just because the U.S. and Israel deems it so. Hamas is a resistance organization that is fighting for the liberation of Palestinian people in their land.”

“The notion that this was a massacre of Jews is a fabricated narrative. Many of those killed on October 7, including children, were killed by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces).”

“There have not been beheadings of babies and rapings. Israel murdered their own people on October 7.”

These cynical statements, not one of which can be substantiated, reflect a mindset at the session that is as evil as the criminals they are supporting, and subsequently do not merit the benefit of a response from an average citizen. However, you are the Governor of California, and you once said that we can “rely on California”. As one of your responsibilities is to see to it that the citizens of your state are safe, seeing as your state has a population of 1,234,500 Jews, your failure to confront hateful anti-Semitic rhetoric, should make anyone question whether or not we truly can rely on California. As the Jewish vote is important, not handling this properly certainly does nothing in your efforts to “NOT run for president”.

Regardless of your future political aspirations, it is clear to anyone paying attention that you wish to stand apart from the rest of the pack. With so much of the rest of the back being self-serving and weak, this is an opportunity for you to actually stand out. Should you squander this opportunity you will be showing a weakness that will likely set you back in whatever additional political ambitions you may have moving forward as it will show a weakness in character many people will not want from a leader.

Sincerely,

David Groen

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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