Thoughts on The Squad's "Condemnation" of the Anti-Semitic Terrorist Attack in Boulder

 

In the wake of the anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, it is worth examining the response of the core members of The Squad namely Democratic Congresswomen Ayaana Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib.

In the context of this specific attack, I shall pair Omar and Tlaib in one subgroup with AOC and Pressley in the other.

Omar and Tlaib's responses can be characterized as boilerplate:

Omar: I’m holding the victims and families in Boulder, Colorado in my heart. Violence against anyone is never acceptable. We must reject hatred and harm in all its forms.

Tlaib: The violent attack in Boulder is horrific. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their families. Violence has no place in our communities.

Nothing in either Omar nor Tlaib's statement acknowledges the fact that the victims were Jewish and that the perpetrator was motivated by his hatred of Jews. In the case of Omar, the only reason she put out a statement was due to the fact that she refused to comment on the shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff at the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. last month. If one is unwilling acknowledge there are Jewish victims and a perpetrator motivated by anti-Semitism, perhaps it is best if Omar said nothing at all. Ditto for Tlaib.

In the case of AOC and Pressley, however, both acknowledge anti-Semitism as the motivation for the attack:

AOC: I am horrified by last night’s horrific attack in Boulder. My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country. Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.

Pressley: The antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado is horrifying and unacceptable. Violence against innocent people is never the answer. It will never bring justice for anyone and we must do everything to root it out. I pray for the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted.

While AOC and Pressley's statements are a cut above those of Omar and Tlaib, they remain insufficient.

AOC's comments drew the ire of former MLB player Kevin Youkilis, who is Jewish. Youkilis, who played the majority of his 10-year MLB career with the Boston Red Sox, stated AOC's word held no weight with him and demanded action:

Jews are targeted with violence and it’s the same virtue signal post time and time again.

What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.

Confront the radical mobs chanting for intifadas in NYC. That would be brave leadership, but we know politicians, on both sides of the aisle, shy away in fear of losing votes and power.

At the very minimum, AOC ought to resign her membership with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) (as I have argued) given that several of its factions have praised Hamas attack against Israel and the Capital Jewish Museum shooting. It is only a matter of time before DSA praises the Boulder attack.

It would also help if AOC and Pressley refrained from making defamatory statements such as accusing Israel of genocide. Statements such as these which motivate the attacks which have taken place in Boulder and in D.C. It is hard to for someone to decry anti-Semitism seriously when that someone sees fit to engage in anti-Semitism.