Posted on 09/11/2014 11:07:58 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walked offstage at an event Wednesday evening after his remarks in support of Israel drew boos from some members of the audience.
Cruz was speaking at a dinner for In Defense of Christians (IDC), a group that aims to raise awareness of persecuted minority communities in the Middle East, particularly Christians.
According to The Daily Caller, it was Cruz's assertion that "Christians have no greater ally than Israel" which drew the first negative reaction from some in the crowd, who booed and yelled, "stop it!"
As Cruz doubled down on his point - "those who hate Israel hate America," he said - the interruptions grew.
"If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews," Cruz said. "Then I will not stand with you. Good night, and God bless." He left the stage.
"I came to this event [Wednesday] to help shine a light on the tragic persecution and slaughter of Christians by ISIS and Islamic radicals throughout the Middle East. American leaders have been far too silent as to this horrific evil," Cruz said in a statement released after the event. "But bigotry and hatred have no place in this discussion. Anti-Semitism is a corrosive evil, and it reared its ugly head."
He blamed a "vocal and angry minority of attendees" for what he called a "shameful display of bigotry and hatred" and said he had no choice but to leave.
IDC issued its own statement reprimanding "a few politically motivated opportunists" for choosing to cause division in the room.
"Tonight's injection of politics when the focus should have been on unity and faith, momentarily played into the hands of a few who do not adhere to IDC's principles. They were made no longer welcome," IDC President Toufic Baaklini said.
During his less than two years in the Senate, Cruz has often displayed a talent for making his points with flare. A day before the speech, he was on the Senate floor to protest a constitutional amendment proposed by Democrats that would undo two Supreme Court decisions striking down limits on campaign spending.
His argument: the constitutional amendment would criminalize political speech - including the satire that pokes fun at politicians on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL).
"Lorne Michaels could be put in jail under this amendment for making fun of any politician. That is extraordinary, it is breathtaking, and it is dangerous," said, referencing the SNL creator and producer. "Who can forget in 2008 Saturday Night Live's wickedly funny characterization of the Republican vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin? It was wickedly funny and also had a profound effect on people's assessment of Governor Palin, who's a friend of mine."
To underscore his point, Cruz did a brief impression of comedian Dana Carvey imitating former President George H.W. Bush on the show, saying, "Not gonna do it."
Thanks for the clarification.
Liberal pro-palestinian anti-Israel christians are mad at Sen Cruz because he is pro-Israel.
The SP “joke” is typical republican foolishness at its worst. She was justified in pointing out her state borders Russia.
They allowed it to become a mock. All this was done precisely because she was a threat. They needed to fight for her.
He did something courageous before a relatively fringe group.
I hope people realize the headline is intentionally misleading.
Quite clearly a prime CAIR/Liberal dem tactic.
The organizers were either in on this or too dumb to see it coming.
Cruz handled it perfectly!
Quite clearly a prime CAIR/Liberal dem tactic.
The organizers were either in on this or too dumb to see it coming.
Cruz handled it perfectly!
Quite clearly a prime CAIR/Liberal dem tactic.
The organizers were either in on this or too dumb to see it coming.
Cruz handled it perfectly!
I’m with Cruz on this issue, and refuse to be held hostage to the irrationality of others.
There was a time when propaganda had a more benign meaning. That was over eighty years ago.
Precisely so, wmfights.
Problem is probably more than 50% of the morons people who vote think she really said that.
Exactly = and more that 95%, I' wager don't know that, tho' not from Palin's yard - Russia is only 3 miles from Alaska - and you CAN see it from there. (Look up the map for yourselves, Freepers who scoff, I'm tired of doing the work for lazy folk who want to be spoon fed)
Russia being so close is why Palin had more top security clearance than any other governor...
The man is carrying a big brass set... of balls..
That took mozie and gitalong to flip off those idiots..
Not all in the audience were idiots no doubt..
BUT enough were that pissed Ted off...
Obviously being “christian AND democrat” is an oxymoron..
They are in direct opposition to each other..
Unless the democrat christian is delusional, a moron, or tripping..
BUT I repeat myself..
There - I think it reads more accurately now!
This is a development worth watching. I have to wonder the context of his words, and what these Christians were expecting to hear from speakers come to them. They’re not all Southern Baptists out there, and Christians whose families have been so for such a long time that they still speak the language of Christ, Aramaic, don’t cotton too well to what they see as lecturing from other varieties of Christian on how to be so, from what I’ve observed.
Yeah, it was. It's called humor and/or political jokes. Didn't insult me at all.
Besides, all of it is a double edged sword.
None of it matters much to me. You see, people who know how to think, see through all of this.
FMCDH(BITS)
I thank God for Ted Cruz! He spoke the truth whether or not they could bear to hear it.
“I think a lot of people have set out to train themselves not to hear anything following the word “Jew” under any circumstances.”
Spirited: The same holds true for anything following the words “gay,” “racism” “evolution” and “science,” to name but a few untouchable gorillas squatting in the living room of our increasingly deranged culture.
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