AIPAC Joins Chorus Against Medal of Freedom for Mary Robinson
EmailAdding to the criticism from Jewish groups about President Obama’s decision to award a Medal of Freedom to Mary Robinson, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee just “respectfully” called for the Obama administration to “ firmly, fully and publicly repudiate her views on Israel and her long public record of hostility and one-sided bias against the Jewish state.”
According to AIPAC, “Robinson is widely known for the high-profile role she played in leading the deeply flawed U.N. Human Rights Commission and for presiding over the U.N.’s Durban Conference on Racism, which the United States boycotted for its unprecedented hostility to Israel and its final outcome document that equated Zionism with racism.” The pro-Israel group describes her tenure on the United Nations Human Rights Commission as “deeply flawed, and her conduct marred by extreme, one-sided anti-Israel sentiment.”
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in response that “Mary Robinson was the first female president of Ireland, and she is somebody whom we are honoring as a prominent crusader of women's rights in Ireland and throughout the world. There are statements that obviously that she has made that the president doesn't agree with, and that's probably true for a number of the people that the president is recognizing for their lifetime contributions.”
-jpt
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Anybody who had anything whatsoever to do with the Durban Hate Festival has no business being in the White House, much less getting a medal from the President of the United States.
Posted by: mesquito | August 4, 2009, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
Why demonize a worthy person?
” Waving a book of anti-Semitic cartoons distributed at the anti-racism conference in Durban, UN High Commissioner Mary Robinson – in a dramatic act of identification with the Jews vilified in the pamphlet – declared “I am a Jew” at an NGO dinner there Wednesday night.
Shimon Samuels, of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Paris, said that after he showed Robinson the booklet, she stood up, waved it and said, “This conference is aimed at achieving human dignity. My husband is a cartoonist, I love political cartoons, but when I see the racism in this cartoon booklet, of the Arab Lawyers’ Union, I must say that I am a Jew – for those victims are hurting. I know that you people will not understand easily, but you are my friends, so I tell you that I am a Jew, and I will not accept this fractiousness to torpedo the conference.”
Samuels, head of the Jewish caucus at the anti-racism conference, said that the booklet, which he said contained vile anti-Semitic cartoons, was handed out at registration, and that several of the Jewish groups in Durban had complained about it.”
The AIPAC are doing themselves no favours.
Posted by: fjt | August 4, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
Didn’t Israel just boot 50 Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem this week? I believe those Palestinians lived their for 50 years and have the paperwork to prove it. If anything more people should be critical of Israel. AIPAC has done enough damage to this country.
Posted by: Huh | August 4, 2009, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Don’t worry, knowing this President, she’ll get the Medal.
Posted by: Gunnerv1 | August 4, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
@Huh is right. Israel just booted out 50 Palestinians from East Jerusalem even though the world unanimously agrees that the continued building of Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands is illegal. More hot air coming from the neo-conservatives.
Posted by: edditnyc | August 4, 2009, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
Note to AIPAC: there is freedom of speech in the USA and even if someone wanted to view, or create, anti-semetic cartoons it is their right. Just as you are, apparently, allowed to lobby for a foreign interest.
There also is freedom of association and simply talking to people that you might not agree with is not a crime.
Note to radical Muslims and Palestinian activists: we don’t want your intolerance either. There is freedom of religion in the USA.
Why don’t people who don’t like America simply go back home. While legal, they have no business lobbying our government or interfering. If you come to America your allegiance should be here, not to foreign causes. If you care so much move back over there and “community organize”.
Posted by: Ed | August 4, 2009, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
As a Irish Citizen I am shocked and appawled at the RJC and AIPAC’s stance against a lady who has constantly struggled for gender equality not only in Ireland but indeed across the world, a selfless humanitarian who has laboured for the defence of the world’s most vunerable, the protection of the ideals set down by the United Nations and Amnesty International while also leading the Peace Movement in Northern Ireland as an Irish Senator and as Irish Head of State.
Mrs Robinson’s comments were not intended to insult the Jewish or Israeli people but to mirror not only her concerns but the concerns of the Irish People towards the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and regardless of this it should not take away from the great humanitarian work Ms Robinson has achieved.
These organizations seem hell-bent on labelling Ms Robinson as a racist, something I regard as completely ridiculous and offensive not only to her but to Ireland, one of America’s oldest and most loyal allies.
Posted by: Cian, Ireland | August 4, 2009, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
Why does ABC News cover the AIPAC talking points on Mary Robinson, but gives short shrift to the anti-Palestinian apartheid conducted by the IDF and the Likud administration in Israel? The MSM is so timid in the US, it has no ####### when it comes to reporting the truth in the Middle East. Where was its coverage of the illegal eviction of Palestinians in Jerusalem, who were forcibly removed at 5 AM in their pajamas from a home they lived in for 50 years?
Posted by: Jason | August 4, 2009, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
Obama sat in Reverend Wright’s church for twenty years. Reverend Wright says Louis Farrakhan “truly epitomized greatness.” Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. ‘Nuff said.
Connect the dots.
Posted by: Blue Skies | August 4, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
I am amazed that AIPAC are happy to make difficulties for one of the best people Ireland has ever produced.
Perhaps if they took the mote out of their own eye first they might learn to respect a woman who has acted as their friend in the past.
Posted by: Larry | August 4, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
“Obama sat in Reverend Wright’s church for twenty years. Reverend Wright says Louis Farrakhan “truly epitomized greatness.” Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. ‘Nuff said.
Connect the dots.”
Some more dot connecting.
Jewish Americans voted for Obama by 3 to 1 over McCain.
There is currently only 1 member of the Republican Congress that is of the Jewish faith.
“LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A Republican state lawmaker hoping for his party’s nod to run for Senate reportedly referred to Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer as “that Jew” during a recent appearance before a Republican group.”
Posted by: Ryan C | August 4, 2009, 6:04 pm 6:04 pm
Ryan, none of that is pertinent to the fact that Obama is wrong in giving the Medal of Freedom to Rashid Khalidi’s associate, Mary Robinson. Will Hugo Chavez be next? Maybe Manuel Zelaya? Or the Castro Brothers?
Posted by: Blue Skies | August 4, 2009, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
Ryan, none of that is pertinent to the fact that Obama is wrong in giving the Medal of Freedom to Rashid Khalidi’s associate, Mary Robinson. Will Hugo Chavez be next? Maybe Manuel Zelaya? Or the Castro Brothers?”
Because you attempting play guilt by association that Obama is anti semitic is pertinent?
I understand why right wingers are upset when they are reminded how the hate in the heart is quite obvious to people paying attention.
Makes it that much harder to lead people to their deaths.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 4, 2009, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Being against the policies of Israel is not being anti-semitic.
Posted by: danita | August 4, 2009, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
Robinson, in the real world, was very soft on Israel.
Mildly proposing that a nation ought to follow the established norms of the civilized world is not in any way anti-semetic.
Posted by: Flash Override | August 4, 2009, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
Can I just say how outraged I am by these accusations of bias and anti-Semitism against Mary Robinson, a person the Irish people are extremely proud of. This whole ‘debate’ over her character is an insult against the Irish who were well represented by her during the time she was president and the time afterwards she continued her good work around the globe.
I can honestly say that if people actually take the time to examine her words and deeds over the past few decades they will see how unfound these accusations against Robinson are.
Posted by: Irishman | August 4, 2009, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
Mary Robinson does not deserve a Medal of Freedom, but rather a good spanking. In fact, she is the opposite of anything that represent the American values. She is a disgrace…
Posted by: Ulf | August 4, 2009, 9:17 pm 9:17 pm
There’s enough bona fide anti-Semitism in the world for it to seem folly to cry wolf like this, lest the real deal go unrecognized.
Fjt’s post bears repeating. Does the Wiesenthal Center have sufficient credibility for you, Mr. Tapper?
“Waving a book of anti-Semitic cartoons distributed at the anti-racism conference in Durban, UN High Commissioner Mary Robinson – in a dramatic act of identification with the Jews vilified in the pamphlet – declared “I am a Jew” at an NGO dinner there Wednesday night.
Shimon Samuels, of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Paris, said that after he showed Robinson the booklet, she stood up, waved it and said, “This conference is aimed at achieving human dignity. My husband is a cartoonist, I love political cartoons, but when I see the racism in this cartoon booklet, of the Arab Lawyers’ Union, I must say that I am a Jew – for those victims are hurting. I know that you people will not understand easily, but you are my friends, so I tell you that I am a Jew, and I will not accept this fractiousness to torpedo the conference.”
Samuels, head of the Jewish caucus at the anti-racism conference, said that the booklet, which he said contained vile anti-Semitic cartoons, was handed out at registration, and that several of the Jewish groups in Durban had complained about it.”
Posted by: Jerry | August 4, 2009, 10:35 pm 10:35 pm
AIPAC?!? If the Anti-Defamation League wants to preserve Israel’s public image… they should go after AIPAC.
Robinson absolutely deserves the medal.
Posted by: blip | August 4, 2009, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
Chorus? What chorus? As far Google can tell, AIPAC are the only people criticizing this award. Which just goes to show that AIPAC will brand anyone an anti-semite if AIPAC disagrees with them on the slightest issue.
Mary Robinson deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for her work on women’s rights and human rights, and her willingness to stand up for those who have no voice.
Posted by: Fergal Mullally | August 5, 2009, 10:25 am 10:25 am
So now Mary Robinson, that stalwart activist for human rights is the latest victim of the far right Zionist smear campaign. If she helped expose the brutality of the Israeli occupation and incurred the wrath of the pro Israel lobby then she must have done something right – give her the award now !
Posted by: SAS | August 6, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
we already knew/know where Obama stands… why is this a surprise.
wake up america
vote them all out, and quick
Posted by: what's new? | August 6, 2009, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
Thank you AIPAC and the ADL for reminding us that she criticized Israel. This makes her even MORE deserving of this award.
Thank you AIPAC and the ADL and all the other right-wing Zionists for a job well done as always!
Posted by: Robert K | August 12, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm