Jewish Democrats Denounce Rep. Allen West’s Dangerous and Radical Remarks
Listed in: Women's Issues, NJDC News, Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC- The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) today denounced Representative Allen West’s (R-FL) recent remarks in which he alleged that progressive women are “neutering American men and bringing us to the point of ... incredible weakness.” In addition, NJDC pointed to other inflammatory views advanced by West that he conveyed in the same speech, including statements that appear to support ancient eugenics and childhood conscription.
“The National Jewish Democratic Council denounces Representative Allen West’s radical and shocking accusation that progressive women are ‘neutering American men’ and ‘bringing us to the point of ... incredible weakness,” said David A. Harris, President and CEO of the NJDC. “Rep. West’s statements aren’t just provocative; his full remarks, which include praise for ancient eugenics and forced childhood conscription, demonstrate that he holds dangerous beliefs that are out of step with the vast majority of Americans, especially American Jews.”
With his most recent remarks West has confirmed that he personally does not represent the views of the vast majority of American Jews—let alone those who reside in his district—due to the wide support for women’s rights and equality that exists throughout the American Jewish community at the institutional and grassroots levels.
West stands as an emblem of the Republican Party’s growing extremism and is further proof that the GOP is out of step with the values of the dramatic majority of American Jews.
Since West’s campaign for the House in 2010, NJDC has been monitoring West’s record of questionable behavior that has raised serious questions about his fitness for public office given his disregard for Jewish communal concerns. From his attempt to appoint a controversial and unqualified talk radio host with a history of offensive statements regarding Jews to be his chief of staff to his tirade against religious freedom, West has demonstrated a pattern of poor judgment that is simply unacceptable for a member of the United States Congress. West has made it clear that he cannot be trusted to fight for the issues of concern to the vast majority of American Jews and, as a rising star in the Republican Party, personally symbolizes the ever-growing chasm between today’s Republican Party and the American Jewish community.
A brief summary with analysis and a video of West’s remarks can be viewed here.
NJDC’s previous statements on West include:
Rabbis & Other Religious Leaders Rebuke Rep. Allen West
