On October 18th, Rep. Raskin sent out a tone-deaf and dismissive email to constituents regarding their concerns about Gazans. Many of us who sent emails demanded an immediate ceasefire against Israel’s assault on Gaza civilians, which scholar Raz Segal characterizes as a“textbook case of genocide.”
In addition to refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire, Rep. Raskin’s letter was quite prejudiced. In reference to the killings of Israeli civilians, he uses words like “bloody” “murderous” and “slaughtered.” However for Palestinians, he uses words like miserable and vulnerable. He also writes in the passive voice regarding Palestinian deaths “lives have been lost” which is a way to convey something without referencing accountability (e.g., mistakes have been made).
With regard to the ceasefire, Rep. Raskin states that Congress should do everything they can to support the Biden Administration. Instead, members of Congress need to do everything they can towards not letting US tax dollars be used to perpetuate genocide. Every day that the bombs drop, more Gazans die not just from direct fire but lack of water, sanitation, food, and medicines.
Click Here to Send an Email to Rep. Raskin
Please send an email to Rep. Raskin asking for a ceasefire and also that his correspondences stop “othering” the Palestinian civilians as less worthy of compassion. This means more than cleaning up his vocabulary. It means opening demanding an immediate ceasefire.
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