Dear Jessie & Matthew,
I am writing as a follow up to our phone call last week.
We appreciate the Congressman's recent comments about his personal pain as a result of racism. Similarly, Palestinan children are a "walking threat for no reason other than" their ethnicity.
However, we find the Congressman inconsistent when he says that "change happens in a democracy set against the alternative that only might makes right" in reference to the militarisation of the US police yet does not acknowledge the military detention, interrogation, & abuse of children in violation of international humanitarian law as addressed in HR 2407.
Please watch this short documentary video & invite our representative to do the same. It profiles the stories of sons and families who have lived through abuse at the hands of the IDF."Detaining Dreams": https://youtu.be/7rw69pLILqw.And, please remind the Congressman that child detention and incarceration has increased by 6% in Israel since the outset of COVID.
I had requested that you send me the CRS report you referenced so when you didn't send, I found it and have attached links below for your convenience.:
Frankly, we find it difficult to reconcile the contradiction in our Representative who on the one hand speaks openly about how, "in America, we have committed ourselves to the noble idea that ordinary people can govern themselves - and do so freely", yet, stands by silently as our taxpayer dollars fund an occupation of an entire people.
You know we are just a handful of the many in NYS 19 who feel committed to addressing this injustice - we see it as one SMALL step the Congressman can take to right a wrong. We voted for you because we heard him say he stood for justice - we expect him to stand with us now.
When you have had a chance to review the Congressional Report and the video, we request a follow up meeting to get the final answer from Congressman Delgado.
Thank you,
Cheryl Qamar
Naomi Allen
Bob Gelbach
Felice Gelman
Tarak Kauff
Fred Nagel