Congressmember Gary Ackerman – a self proclaimed great supporter of Israel – failed to criticize President Obama for urging that Israel begin the negotiating process at the foot of the 1967 borders.
I wrote to Ackerman about this and I received a two-page letter gushing with unconditional support and praise of President Obama. Unbridled party loyalty should not silence a congressmember from speaking out, even against members of his own party as others have done.
Ackerman understands the importance of diplomatic nuance. It is in this context that we saw President Obama’s support of Israel, lukewarm at best. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to “lecture” the president about the realities on the ground and the 1967 borders during that unprecedented and uncomfortable White House exchange during the prime minister’s visit. Only afterwards did the administration begin to do some back-pedaling. But yet Ackerman writes a two-page letter, unabashedly praising the president’s policy and position. My representative was not elected to be the president’s apologist.
I find this lack of independent thought on his part and blind support of party politics troubling. I am a life-time Democrat, but yet willing to criticize party members when appropriate. Why? because moral clarity must always trump party loyalty.
Bob Friedrich
Glen Oaks
