Rashida Tlaib censured

Rep. Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in the House of Representatives (at least I think she is the only one) was censured by the House for “promoting false narratives.”  She not only called for a cease fire, but used the phrase “from the river to the sea.”  That phrase is seen as a call for the destruction of Israel.  Rep. Tlaib denied that was her intent.

The vote to censure Rep. Tlaib was 234-188.  That included all but seven Republicans–four voted against the resolution; three voted present.  The pro-censure group also included 22 Democrats with 188 Democrats voting no.  (One voted present.)  No Pennsylvania Democratic representative voted to censure Rep. Tlaib.  That includes my representative Susan Wild.

To me this is a matter of free speech and democracy.  I think the call for the destruction of Israel by many Palestinians continues to set back the cause of peace.  I don’t think Rep. Tlaib meant that.  By the way, I do agree with Rep. Tlaib that the cries of Palestinian children don’t sound all that different from the cries of Israeli children.