Colorado State Legislator, Tim Hernandez, Attacked By Television, Denver Post for “not attacking Hamas”. Statement from Center for Freedom and Justice – Colorado
Abraham Ortelius (Antwerp 1527-1598)
To Hon. Julie McCluskie, Speaker of the House, and Hon. Monica Duran, Majority Leader:We are writing to express our deep concern over the reaction to a video of State Representative Tim Hernandez circulating widely on social media, editorials written in Colorado newspapers condemning him, and negative reactions by some Democratic members of the Colorado House of Representatives.
It is nothing less than a McCarthyite smear of a U.S. citizen, one of Mexican American background, who attended a rally, did not speak there, was not part of a program, made no statements one way or another about the current military conflict between Palestinians and Israel. He was simply an observer trying to learn about the conflict. That some Democratic members of the Colorado House of Representatives, and the Denver Post, would attack Representative Hernandez in this fashion, to isolate him for merely attending a public event is not only political bullying but is also profoundly racist in its approach.
Representative Hernandez demonstrated courage and conviction by attending the rally in support of Palestinian rights. His refusal to make a statement about Hamas to the person who videotaped him is understandable. No responsible elected official who has carefully studied the fundamental causes of the 75-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict could respond with one sentence and without informing and educating the person posing the question.
Here is how a Palestinian-Israeli citizen and member of Israeli-Knesset answered the same question. We suggest you view it:
https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoPalestineClub/videos/2172240096501124
The attack by Hamas on civilians is a war crime. But what of the 75 years of unprosecuted war crimes by the State of Israel? The reality is that Israel has replaced the barbed wire of Dachau and Auschwitz with the world’s largest prison of 2.2 million Gaza inhabitants. the brutal occupation of the West Bank, and a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing. Therein lies the cause of the growing conflagration.
What is needed now is a universal call for a ceasefire so that bloodshed on both sides can stop and so an international political process including confidence building measures and negotiations take place to end the cycle of violence. This is the opposite of what we are seeing and hearing from the President and almost all Democrats.
We hope that more Democratic members of the Colorado House of Representatives will take the time to better understand what led to this war and how to end it, other than with more death and destruction on both sides,
In Peace and Justice,
Joe Drexler and Rob Prince on behalf of the Center for Freedom and Justice – Colorado (https://www.cfjcolorado.org), PO Box 12235, Denver, CO 80212, 720-320-8737
Related Media:
View from the Left Bank: Rob Prince's Blog 
Hamas got the world’s attention. The world can prosecute them for a war crime after they lock up the Zionists for 70 years of war crimes including the Nakba.