By far the most odious aspect of the controversy over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address to Congress last month was the notion that there was a racial dimension to it.
There were some very disturbing fulminations coming from members of the Congressional Black Caucus at the time of Mr. Netanyahu’s visit, with several representatives questioning whether the prime minister would have so publicly challenged America’s Iran policy and chosen not to coordinate his appearance with the White House had Mr. Obama been a white president.
Indeed, some caucus members based their decision to stay away from Mr. Netanyahu’s speech on their contention that the Israeli leader had disrespected America’s first black president.
In other words, the unpleasantries went well beyond the issue of support for Israel and one’s position on the Iran nuclear question. While we honor political disagreement – even as we take notice and make judgments in terms of support or opposition – the suggestion that President Obama’s race was a factor was not simply outrageous, it was dangerous.
After all, here were members of Congress suggesting that the head of a Jewish state was acting with a racial animus. Ordinarily we understand and acknowledge the fealty expressed by members of the caucus to America’s first black president. But this was no ordinary circumstance.
Happily, there were those in the caucus who recognized the full dimension of the issue. In the New York metropolitan area, U.S. Senator Corey Booker of New Jersey, Cong. Yvette Clarke (9th CD, N.Y.), Cong. Hakeem Jeffries (8th CD, N.Y.) and Cong. Charles Rangel (13th CD, N.Y.), whatever their views on the administration’s negotiations with Iran and Mr. Netanyahu’s appearance on Capitol Hill, chose to attend the prime minister’s address.
Unfortunately, Cong. Gregory Meeks (5th CD, N.Y.), Cong. Chaka Fattah (2nd CD, Pa.), Cong. Donald Payne, Jr. (10th CD, N.J.) and Cong. Bonnie Watson Coleman (12th CD, N.J.) boycotted the speech.