Island Voices
Rep. Mink refused to condemn terrorism
By Bob McDermott
I call on Hawai'i Rep. Patsy Mink to stand up for freedom and liberty and finally denounce the terrorism being exercised by the Palestinian Authority and its related terrorist networks.
In the recent past, Mink has refused to support Israel or condemn terrorism, in a congressional vote (HCR 280).
Enough is enough. The terrible massacre of innocent Israelis while they celebrated one of their religion's most high holy days is unforgivable.
How much more terrorism must Israel endure? How many deaths are enough?
It is time for America to stand firmly on the side of reason, resolutely on the side of liberty, clearly on the side of one of our closest allies, Israel. America should now send a clear signal that we stand beside Israel as it tries to protect itself and its citizens. You cannot negotiate with terrorists.
Anyone with any knowledge of the area will tell you that the Palestinian Authority will not be satisfied until the people of Israel are driven into the sea. They want the Jews to be exterminated from the area. Period.
We must stand by Israel and condemn the bloody, brutal terrorism exercised by the Palestinians and others. We need to support Israel as it eliminates the regime that harbors terrorists.
On Dec. 5, 2001, shortly after another Palestinian attack against Israel in which 26 innocent women and children were killed and 175 wounded, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution "condemning the use of terror" by the Palestinians. The resolution, HCR 280, also expressed "the solidarity of the United States with Israel in our common struggle against the scourge of terrorism."
Pasty Mink voted against condemning terrorism. She voted against HCR 280, one of only 11 people out of 435. I can't believe that our local media never reported that she failed to condemn the use of terrorism.
I am still shocked that we have a representative in Congress who failed to condemn terrorism. Clearly, this naive, soft-on-terrorism approach has not and will not work. Now is the time to get tough with these cowards.
Now is the time for a congressional representative who will condemn terrorism, as the people of Hawai'i so rightly condemn this cowardly violence.
State Rep. Bob McDermott is a Republican candidate for Congress.
