Jim Matheson: “I rise today not to assess blame--because there is too much of it to go around. Nor to offer unqualified support to…”

“I rise today not to assess blame--because there is too much of it to go around. Nor to offer unqualified support to either side in this conflict--because blind support only deepens the tragic spiral of violence. I am here today to say once and for all, violence is wrong. Killing in the name of religion only defames it; and forcing the submission from an entire people only spawns hatred, contempt, hopelessness, and more violence. We are here today to give support to Israel, and they do deserve our support. Israel, like all nations, has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens. Just as our nation needs to protect itself from terror, so must Israel. This resolution allows this great institution to emote; it is full of emotion, righteous indignation, and colorful language. But as elected officials of the greatest nation in the history of the world we must do more. Emotion is cathartic, but wisdom and pragmatism offer much more. This resolution was written under the justified anger that follows the terrorist's carnage. And in its emotion we have lost wisdom. We have made no mention of the 1,500 Palestinian civilians who have lost their lives in the recent conflict. Surely, the United States of America and its Congress consider the health of an innocent child to be equally tragic--whether she is Israeli or Palestinian, Jewish, Christian, or Muslim.”