This is a press release that my office sent out the afternoon of February 11th, 2019.
Carroll Committed to Israeli-American Partnership, Condemns Anti-Semitism
Following a series of recent anti-Semitic comments from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, state Rep. Jonathan Carroll, D-Northbrook, is fighting to prevent hateful and divisive views from gaining a voice on the national stage.
“In this time when bigotry, violence and anti-Semitism are returning to the mainstream, senseless attacks against any vulnerable community need to be actively denounced and condemned,” Carroll said. “Regardless of party, I am going to call out all anti-Semitic statements, as they have no place in our public discourse. I applaud Speaker Pelosi on her decision to demand an apology for these abhorrent comments.”
According to data gathered by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, attacks against the Jewish population increased by 37 percent between 2016-2017. During this same time frame, nearly 60 percent of the religiously based hate crimes were targeted attacks against the Jewish populace. Among these threats, the most staggering of them include, but are not limited to, bomb threats made to Jewish community centers and mass shootings in synagogues.
Carroll, who’s a member of the Jewish Caucus in Springfield, is urging other leaders to stand for their local Jewish communities and Israel.
“In a part of the world where there is no democracy, we must be unified in our support of Israel and the Jewish people,” Carroll said. “Unfortunately, it has become more acceptable to attack my community. I will not stand on the sidelines and let these false and dangerous narratives continue.”
