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| Picture of Chelsea Clinton being confronted by several students |
Angry student
confronts Clinton
Video of Chelsea Clinton being confronted by several
students who claimed her “rhetoric” had “stoked” the New Zealand mosque attacks
went viral Saturday — and allowed for an unexpected bipartisan moment as
Republicans came to her defense.
The video was taken Friday at a vigil in New York for the 50
victims of the shootings, which targeted two mosques in Christchurch. Students
confronted Clinton, who is pregnant with her third child, over statements she’d
made denouncing anti-Semitism.
“This right here is the result of a massacre stoked by
people like you and the words that you put out into the world,” one student
said in the video. “I want you to know that and I want you to feel that deep inside.
The 49 people died because of the rhetoric you put out there.”
Other students who circled around started snapping in
support, a show of solidarity instead of clapping.
Clinton responded, putting her hands up to her heart, and
telling the group that she was sorry they felt her comments were wrong.
Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton, was one of many political leaders who denounced
anti-Semitism after Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar criticised Israel’s treatment of
Palestinians and alleged money and lobbying were driving the United States to
defend Israel and halt debate over the issue.
“I am so sorry that you feel that way,” Clinton told the
students. “It certainly was never my intention. I do believe that words matter.
I believe we have to show solidarity with each other.”
Another student chimed in on the video asking, “What does
‘I’m sorry you feel that way mean?”
The students, at least one of whom were Palestinian, said
they felt the need to speak up after the controversy surrounding Rep. Omar.
Critics, including some of Omar’s fellow Democrats, said her
comments about lobbying and Israel played to anti-Semitic tropes. In the
aftermath of her comments, the House took up a resolution that denounced
anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred.
Omar apologised for the comments but stood firm in wanting
to spark conversation about lobbying and whether money influences the
relationship between countries. She said the charge of anti-Semitism was “designed
to end the debate” about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
U.S. presidents have tried and failed for decades to fashion
an agreement to end the conflict that has persisted since Israel was founded in
1948, including calls for a two-state solution. The goal of creating an
independent Palestinian state existing peacefully alongside Israel has been
embraced by past Democratic and Republican administrations and the United
Nations.
But the path for peace has been marred by terrorism, wars
and a growing Israeli presence in areas Palestinians want for a homeland.
At a town hall earlier this month, Omar said she was
concerned that because of her religion “a lot of our Jewish colleagues, a lot
of our constituents, a lot of our allies, (think) that everything we say about
Israel (is) anti-Semitic because we are Muslim.”
The video of Clinton and students quickly started making the
rounds Friday evening with a wide array of people, on both sides of the
political aisle, condemning the students for blaming Clinton for the tragedy in
New Zealand.
Pediatrician sexually assaults 31 children
Pediatrician sexually assaults 31 children
“It’s sickening to see people blame @ChelseaClinton for the
NZ attacks because she spoke out against anti-Semitism,” Donald Trump Jr., the
president's eldest son, wrote on Twitter on Saturday. “We should all be condemning
anti-Semitism & all forms of hate. Chelsea should be praised for speaking
up. Anyone who doesn’t understand this is part of the problem.”
Other Republicans used the confrontation to compare it to
how President Donald Trump”s rhetoric has been blamed for stoking violence and
allowing a rise to white supremacism. Conservative pundit Candace Owens, whose
name was mentioned by the New Zealand gunman in his 74-page manifesto, said
blaming others for such a tragedy was “nonsense.”
“It should go without saying but neither myself,
@ChelseaClinton or Spyro the Dragon had anything to do with the tragedy in New
Zealand,” Owens wrote on Twitter Saturday. “Please stop the nonsense.”
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a prominent conservative
commentator, agreed and said the blame lies solely with the gunman.
“Blaming Chelsea Clinton for NZ massacre is as dumb as
blaming @realDonaldTrump for it, or blaming Bernie Sanders for assassination
attempt of @SteveScalise It’s the shooter’s fault. Period,” Huckabee said,
mentioning the 2017 congressional baseball shooting suspect who was a Sanders
supporter. “No one ‘MADE’ him do it.” (USA Today)