The National Jewish Democratic Council questioned several Republican leaders for not speaking out against Tea Party activists who allegedly invoked strong Holocaust references at a November rally on health care. (Photo Credit: Getty Images/File)
Washington (CNN) – The Republican Jewish Coalition called foul Monday on the National Jewish Democratic Council after the group criticized GOP leaders and an Illinois Republican Senate candidate for failing, in its estimation, to repudiate anti-Semitic rhetoric.
The NJDC wrapped its' criticism of the GOP in a statement declaring that it had "launched a 'pledge campaign' to demand that federal candidates condemn and refrain from 'abusive Holocaust rhetoric and anti-Semitic language.'"
The NJDC offered specific praise for the candidates seeking the Illinois Democratic Senate nomination, while at the same time disparaging Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, for not embracing their language. Kirk is running for the Republican Senate nomination.
"The leading Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Illinois have committed to condemn and repudiate abusive Holocaust comparisons and anti-Semitic remarks made by anyone claiming to support their candidacy or attending any campaign events," Linda Berg, NJDC political director, said in the statement. "Where are Mark Kirk and the other Republican candidates on this important issue, and why won't they pledge to take a stand against this profoundly divisive rhetoric?"
Kirk condemned anti-Semitism in a blog entry time stamped Monday morning on his official House Web site.
"As we pause to remember the horrors of the Nazi genocide, we must reaffirm our commitment to fight anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial in our day – at home and around the world," Kirk wrote in the post.
Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks condemned the NJDC for the criticism of Kirk and other Republicans saying it was insincere.
"It's transparently obvious that this is nothing but a disingenuous effort on the part of the NJDC to play politics with a serious issue," Brooks said. "The fact that they would tilt their pledge so overtly partisan discredits the entire effort."
"I think we can all say that we would like to see an end to Holocaust imagery and anti-Semitism in politics," Brooks added.
From CNN Politics
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Where were they when Bush was compared to a NAzi on every sign we say in 2007?
Other than that I agree whole heartedly with them. Its about time people realised what a crass and untrue comparison it is for almost any subject.
Still wish they did it a little earlier.
Just a family feud here. Nothing interesting.
The Republicans did just stand around silently while tea-party activists used horrible Holocaust references. That's just a fact.
This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Republicans are known for being friends to the Israelis. Democrats have a history for not standing beside our allies in Israel.
The National Jewish Democratic Council IS RIGHT! How can the Republican Jews accept the "Hitler" OR "Nazi" references by the Teabaggers?????????
One thing is to be angry or disagree with President Obama and his agenda...... its quite another to SPEW HATE & DIVISION in our Nation & between our People!
HOW IS HATE, ANGER, DIVISION, NAME CALLING GOING TO HELP OUR NATION?
the tea baggers love to call obama hitler. republicans have never distanced themselves from such racist hateful comments. they have only encouraged it with their silence. americans rallied around bush after 9/11. republicans called everyone unpatriotic for criticizing bush during the iraq war. their attacks on obama are relentless while we fight 2 wars. they are HYPOCRITES and unpatriotic!
Why anyone who is not a neo-conservative white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant thinks that the Republican party actually cares about them is beyond belief. You think that any party that is against every other conceivable race and religion, would somehow embrace just you. Wake up and smell the coffee!
So let me get this straight, it was ok to use Nazi symbols when referring to President Bush, but it's not ok to use them when referring to obama and the democrats' socialist policies?
What about the U.S. financed holocaust 2 taking place in the occupied territories? Why are U.S. tax dollars being used to build illegal settlements on stolen land. How many Americans have died because blindly support Israels expansionist government.
I'm a Republican who worked in a legal internship for the Anti-Defamation League (a leading Jewish civil rights organization) a few years ago. I'm married to a Jewish woman, and I've had a Jewish business partner. Is somebody really calling me an "anti-Semite" because I also believe in a small, disciplined federal government and therefore vote Republican? Please! The NJDC should really apologize on this one.
Frankly, the Tea Party people started it, and they should be condemned for it. I give the Tea Partiers maybe one year before the country realizes how biased and inflamatory they are, and even their own members will get sick of the style of communication (biased, hateful, angry) they use.
Why don't Republican leaders condemn racist imagery and speech?
Gee....I wonder.....
I find it really odd that especially orthodox jews vote for conservative republicans who are probably the most anti-semitic. As for the so-called tea parties themselves: its a case of the oats after they've gone through the horse.
the new republican ideals are all about purist ideas and ideals . so good luck to anyone that wants the republican party to back off anything . other than kissing there own ass's or making anyone else that isn't a true purist whitie not worthy of being human . about the same as the bottom feeder republican lutenant govenor bad mouthing lost children as a pack of wild dogs ..
I'm not sure I'd care to take this pledge myself. I would like to see exemples of 'abusive Holocaust rhetoric' because I have no idea what they are talking about. I presume it refers to those who deny the holocaust.
Conservatives actively and aggressively court and pander to the sizable racist minority among us. Antisemites and good ol' boy southern segregationists cast a few million votes. Conservatives refuse to repudiate these groups using very mealy-mouthed rhetoric. There is plenty of wink-and-nod code language passed between Conservative politicians and racist voters, like two members of a secretive men's club exchanging the secret handshake.
When do we pause to remember and even now recognize the ongoing war crimes and genocidal practices of the so-called Jewish state against the Palestinian people? After all the Palestinians are dead or expelled from their homeland?
So Mark Kirk isn't Democrat enough to suit the NJDC? Too bad. Mark Kirk is no more anti-Semite then Obama is a right wing conservative.
A lot of us are getting awfully tired of the incessant whining from the Jews. The Nazis are pretty much long dead.
It wasn't anti-semite when Sarah Palin told Barbara Walters the US Jews are going to move to Israel because 1. she didn't say they have to and 2. it was because of her religious beliefs.
"The NJDC wrapped its' criticism..." That should be "its's."
Holocaust is a tragic part of European history, distasteful yes like slavery is a part of American history. There have been horrendous crimes against humanity in the history of this world, humans inflicting unimaginable damage to human dignity.From the recent past, the two world wars, partition of India & its aftermath & Bosnia The use of chemical weapons in Iran,Iraq war. The ongoing misery humanity is suffering in Darfur & Palestine. The world is watching.
We never learn. What needs to be done is not to just rally against any speech or thought that is perceived as anti-Semitic or to just focus on the wrongs done in the past, but to rally against all crimes against humanity that we witness in our own time any where. That's the only way to make sure that Holocaust is never repeated again.
The GOP is tacitly encouraging teabaggers and others in their use of Holocaust imagery – it's pretty obvious. The GOP is the party playing politics with this – and Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks knows it.
BTW, teabaggers are idiots in that they don't realize that Hitler, Nazis and Fascists were/are all ultra-rightwing in political orientation.
You know, like the teabaggers themselves.
Just two politically charged groups, each claiming some sort of monopoly on the "truth".
We are several generations past slavery and three or four generations past the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. I think that it is past time for people to stop pretending to be victoms and get on with trying to build a beter USA. Those who find racism and anti-Semitism behind every action and constantly accuse Republicians of being all
White raceist and anti-semantic are themselves being the worst of these by their catagorical condimations. I can assure you that I an a Republician and do not harbor such feelings.
It will be really nice when we can all quit looking for excuses and problems and name calling and get on with our lives.
Democratic sheenies, Republican sheenies...what's the difference? They're both brainwashing the goys and destroying America from the inside out! And they would have us feel guilt sixty years after a war that THEY STARTED? Parasites.
This is a clear sign that Palin will become America's greatest President.
THESE JEWISH GROUPS have it all mixed up.
The Republicans are the ONLY ones that stick up for Israel.
Your MAN Barack gives into the arabic hate and all the anti Semite talk.
The DEMS all want to throw Israel under a bus. They dont want you to even be allowed to protect yourselves.
They are more concerned for the Palestinian Terrorist who want to build a state in Israel.
Even HILLARY the dream loved visiting Arafat and went to his grave.
Wake up my JEWISH FRIENDS you are proetesting the wrong side.
Leave it to the TEA PARTIERS and the far-right RepubliCAN'Ts who support them to alienate every nationality in America. The only PURE race is THEIR race and what they belive in.
I keep saying and I will say it again – In the LONG RUN – the far right RepubliCAN'Ts are in for a RUDE AWAKENING!!! They think they are WINNING America back when America DIDN'T belong to them in the first place!!!
As someone Jewish who normally votes Democrat, I would like to go on record as saying that using such a serious and grave topic to play politics is disgusting, and should not be happening. Pot, meet Kettle. Both of you, stop playing into each others' crap.
No surprises here....the Repukes hate America. Why shouldn't they hate Jews?
I wonder if the NJDC will now take a stand against Jimmy Carter...I think not. Hypocracy is their true religion.
Gee, the party of Jimmy Carter, the most egregious anti-semite in the modern American political environment, and in support of a President who never heard anything worth challenging in 20 years of anti-semitic preaching in his church, is upset because their partisan 'anti-semitism' language isn't adopted? Where was the NJDC when Jesse Jackson was commenting on 'Hymietown', or Al Sharpton when he was calling Jews 'diamond merchants' and teasing about 'pinning yamulkes on' in Crown Heights? Linda Berg would have more credibility is she first addressed 'the beam in (her) eye' before focusing on the mote on Mark Kirk. And yes, I'm quoting the New Testament, but the quote fits better than any in the Torah I'm aware of. Of course, I left my Reform synagogue over similar concerns, all political evil comes from Republicans and no Democrat has ever done wrong.
Rubbish.
I wonder if any of these activists have read Norman Podhoretz's latest?
Nope. The NJDC is too busy getting Dems elected.
Then again, is it possible that this is yet another coordinated attack linked to Mr. Foxman?
Naaaaah.
Caught like a five-year-old's hand in the cookie jar. No one believes these antics anymore.
Except doltish progressives...
Why would the Jewish community expect the Republican (Nazi) Party to acknowledge the Holocaust?
Look at their party leaders, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, etc and anyone wonders about the coming emergence of the Nazi's?
Every war is a Holocaust and the first casualty of was is the truth.
How about speaking out regarding Israel murdering Palestinians ...
Is one murder any different than another ...
Look in the mirror NJDC, before you judge others ....
Too bad Mark Kirk won't repudiate the Tea Partier's anti-Semitism!