Politics bullies justice and morality at Chicago City Council
Two resolutions that have nothing to do with each other have been weaponized to silence those who criticize Israel's extremist policies in response to violence by Hamas
The Chicago City Council Wednesday, Jan. 31, will consider a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel's extremist government and the Hamas extremist organization.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and Hamas have been battling each other for more than two decades using violence and terrorism against civilians.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked and killed more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians in a horrendous and despicable act of violence.
But since then, Netanyahu has launched a equally despicable on-going war of revenge targeting civilian neighborhoods, killing 26,000 people including 14,000 women and children.
Both the Arab and Jewish community have been primed for emotion, squaring off to advance their narrow arguments. Only a few are in the center condemning both sides, as I do.
Condemning both sides IS the appropriate thing to do. But the pro-Israel movement has far more leverage with politicians and the American news media than Palestinians. More details of the Oct. 7 massacres are reported than details of the daily, endless violence against Palestinians.
Pro-Israel advocates have used their influence to mute political and media criticism of Israel. They pushed President Joe Biden and Congress to provide $14.3 billion in financial aid and provide the weapons used to kill Palestinians.
Pro-Palestinian advocates have resorted towards massive and disruptive protests because most politicians turn a deaf ear to them, especially Illinois legislators and some Chicago aldermen who have enjoyed trips to Israel sponsored and funded by Netanyahu's government.
The pro-Arab groups are at a political disadvantage in America, including in Chicago.
The right thing to do would be to approve both resolutions at last week's City Council. One introduced more than a month ago by Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez urged a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war. In addition to an ever increasing civilian death toll, Israel's revenge-assault has destroyed 80 percent of homes and businesses in Gaza.
Many pro-Israel activists are driven by revenge, anger and in many cases hate. if you say that, you are falsely bullied as "anti-Semitic."
The second resolution commemorated the 79th Anniversary of the Holocaust liberation of Auschwitz. The Holocaust is one of humanity's greatest horrors, killing more than 6 million Jews during World War II and many Arabs support its passage.
If the issue were just about protecting civilians, both resolutions could have been approved without engaging in a political battle.
But Holocaust resolution sponsor Ald. Debra Silverstein (50) couldn't stop herself from linking the Holocaust to the Israel-Gaza conflict, falsely saying Palestinian activism is fueling anti-Semitism.
Silverstein never referenced Israel's horrendous carnage and daily massacres of Palestinians. Pro-Palestinian activists at the council booed Silverstein's ignorant comment.
Fortunately, Mayor Brandon Johnson and several courageous members of the Chicago City Council including Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez spoke out about the injustice and the killings of Palestinian civilians.
Silverstein got the Ceasefire resolution delayed until this week. And, according to Politico, Silverstein "firmly opposes" the ceasefire resolution and she is working to water it down.
How do you oppose a "ceasefire" in which civilians are being massacred unless you are a human monster of the worst sort?
In her letter to every alderman in the City Council, Silverstein also attacked pro-Palestinian activists who reacted to her hateful comments during last Wednesday's vote.
They rightly booed Silverstein when she tried to connect the Holocaust resolution to a defense of Israel's violence against Palestinians, asserting Palestinian activism and the conflict are fueling anti-Semitism.
Silverstein was wrong to weaponize the Holocaust for her selfish, extremist political agenda. Had she even offered one word of compassion for the thousands of Palestinians whom Israel continues to massacre everyday because there is no ceasefire, the tenor of the protestors would have been different.
But pro-Israel activists don't care about morality, fairness or protecting civilians. They only care about politics and protecting the interests of Israel's government, a foreign government and country.
Aldermen who allow Silverstein to water down the ceasefire resolution, and who are silent, should be ashamed of themselves.
It's not justice. It is injustice. It is shameful politics that allows the continued killing of innocent civilians, mostly women and children.
Don't use your own injustice to close your eyes to the injustice you support against others.
The Arab-Israeli conflict is an ugly conflict and it is truly tragic that Americans have been dragged into this as pawns who, when they express their views, are demonized, vilified and slandered.
Aldermen should pass the ceasefire resolution without Silverstein's political and one-sided interference because it is the American thing to do.
Remarks by Mayor Brandon Johnson:
“I condemn the actions of Hamas, but at this point now we are looking at 25,000 Palestinians being killed during this war and the killing has to stop. So, yes, we need a ceasefire,” said Johnson, who is African American.
“But I can say from a very personal note I know that for black liberation that we have had to make statements that maybe not in the media that had an impact. But I am not mayor of the city of Chicago if people weren’t pushing the government to recognize people’s humanity and understand the value of what liberation, what it means for people, groups and nations. And so, in this instance, people should be liberated. And I hope that other people follow suit if the city council is in agreement with my particular position.”
Remarks by Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez
“When such atrocities and war crimes are committed, I do think that some members of the council should have more empathy, and more respect, and more focus on the history of the facts before making such remarks, especially when we see members of the audience who have seen family members killed, brutalized.
“So I wonder what is the decorum when we are watching genocide in front of us as it has happened in the past, so that it doesn’t happen in the future, and it doesn’t happen now,” said Sigcho-Lopez, who added some council members should have more empathy for the killings taking place today in the Gaza Strip.
“So today, to all our city council members, I hope we remember today, and the same words that have been used, to prevent atrocities, to prevent another Holocaust, to prevent genocide. It is not antisemitic to stand up for human rights, to remember what has happened in the past so we are not seeing these kind of comments in asking for decorum for the same behavior of some of the members of the council. It is appalling.
“So today, I not only rise in support of this resolution, but also making sure that some of the same members of the council who are talking about what has happened in the past that we don’t miss every step to prevent another atrocities just like the Holocaust and the thousands and millions of people who lost their lives ... so we honor them and remember them and so it doesn’t happen nowhere.”
Remarks by Samir Khalil, founder of the Arab American Democratic Club
“How does the Holocaust not have anything to do with urging an end to the killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip? The Holocaust was a great tragedy for the Jewish people involving the murder of Jewish civilians. The ceasefire would address a similar concern, that non-Jewish civilians have a right to life, and that their killing needs to stop,” said Khalil, adding that attempts by Silverstein to suggest the Gaza crisis was a part cause of “rising antisemitism” was “inappropriate.”
“Both resolutions could have and should have been passed together with the same message to protect the innocent.”
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