co-founder,  Z STREET

October 20, 2009
         
Please send a fax or make a phone call (or, last choice, send an email) to your elected official if on the list below.  The members of congress on this list are endorsing the J-Street conference by lending their good name to an organization which claims to be "pro-peace and pro-Israel," but is nothing of the kind.

Thanks,
Lori
*******

The relatively new organization J-Street, is currently using what it boasts is your endorsement to promote itself as a mainstream vehicle for positive change in the Middle East.  The policies being promoted by J Street are not, as it claims, “pro-peace and, pro-Israel.”   But you can use the strength of your good name to influence positive change, rather than appear to support negative policies.

By linking your name to its conference, J-Street implies you support the following people and policies.

Muslim Public Affairs Council leader Salam al-Marayati will deliver a lecture at the J-Street conference being held October 25-28th.  Al-Marayati publicly claimed that Israel attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and he has also publicly praised Hezbollah, a group on the official U.S. terrorist list.  Is this a “pro-peace” or “pro-Israel” organization?

J-Street seeks effectively endless “negotiations” over Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and refuses to identify a time when that tactic should be replaced with, as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for, “crippling sanctions.”  Iran poses a direct and immediate threat to Israel and only later, but most assuredly, one to the US.

J-Street also wants Jews banned from living in certain parts of Jerusalem, a policy that would be in flagrant violation of the Civil Rights laws if imposed in the United States.

There is good news, however.  Removal of your name can produce positive results.  In just the past few days nearly a dozen lawmakers have removed their names from the J-Street Host Committee.  Once that happened, J-Street removed from its lineup Josh Healey who was set to perform his “poetry.” Healey’s “performance art” equates the US with the Nazi regime.  A quick search of Healey clearly reveals his animosity towards Israel and the United States, so presumably the J-Street organizers were well aware of Healey’s version of “poetry.”  But it was only after elected officials removed their names that any action took place.

Your good name is your most important asset; don’t let that be damaged by an association with J-Street’s wrong-headed policies. In fact, undo any harm already caused and use the withholding of your name to promote positive change.

Sincerely............

Last week the following members of congress withdrew their names from the host committee for the J-Street Conference Gala:

The Hon. Chuck Schumer (NY)
The Hon. Thad Cochran (MS)
The Hon. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
The Hon. Blanche Lincoln (AR)
The Hon. Leonard Boswell (IA-03)
The Hon. Michael Castle (DE-AL)
The Hon. Michael McCaul (TX-10)
The Hon. Mike Ross (AR-04)
The Hon. John Salazar ((CO-03)
The Hon. Ed Towns (NY-10)