A Jew and a Catholic went to Congress … but it’s no joke

A Jew and a Catholic went to Congress … but it’s no joke

Speaker John Boehner invited two people to speak to a joint session of Congress. The House speaker didn’t check with the president before making either invitation (nor did he have to). Each of the speakers has something important to say to American lawmakers and the American people.

The Premier of the Jewish State didn’t accept the invitation until the president was informed, and then he was roundly criticized for accepting. The head of the Catholic Church was invited and when he accepted no one asked if the president knew; everyone just cheered.

Only the Jewish man’s visit was criticized. I am not saying his visit was bashed only because he is Jewish — I’m just pointing out a fact.

When the Jewish man was invited without checking with the president, the White House called it a breach of protocol. (The president, as we have all seen, is a real stickler for protocol.) On the day the head of the Catholic Church accepted the invitation, the president said he was eager to welcome the Pope to the U.S.:

Like so many people around the world, I’ve been touched by his call to relieve suffering, and to show cand mercy and compassion to the most vulnerable.

It was strange that he praised the leader of the Catholic Church but called the Jewish leader’s acceptance a breach of protocol. I am not saying that the president treated the Jew differently because of his faith; I’m just pointing out fact.

A few months ago, the president blasted the same Premier of the Jewish State for allowing Jews to purchase homes in certain areas of Jerusalem. It was a unique criticism. That president had never criticized people of any other faith for buying homes in any other spot in the world.

Now I am not saying the President hated the home sale because the buyers were Jewish — I’m just pointing out a fact.

On Thursday, Nancy Pelosi said that many member’s of her caucus would be too busy to show up when the Prime Minister of the Jewish State spoke before Congress. Pelosi explained:

I don’t think anybody should use the word ‘boycott.’ When these heads of state come, people are here doing their work, they’re trying to pass legislation, they’re meeting with their constituents. and the rest. It’s not a high-priority item for them.

Just a few hours earlier when she heard that the leader of the Catholic Church was going to speak before Congress, Pelosi said in a written statement that she looks forward to “hearing his call to live our values, to protect the poor and the needy, and to promote peace.”

Why was Pelosi’s reaction different for the Jew and the Catholic? I am not saying it had anything to do with the Jew’s faith; I’m just making a statement of fact.

Democratic Reps. John Lewis (Ga.), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), and G.K. Butterworth (N.C.) all said they wouldn’t attend the Jews speech because they were too busy. They haven’t said whether they would attend the Catholic’s speech.

Just because they might show up for the Pope but already know for sure that they be too busy for the Jew doesn’t mean they made they made the decision based on religion. I am just pointing out what is happening.

Essentially both leaders will be delivering a message about how we should be treating one another. The Pope is going to Congress to deliver a message of peace; his teachings are usually about how human beings should be nicer to each other no matter what group they belong to. He speaks of a Savior who saves souls. The Jewish Premier is going to Congress to talk about preventing one evil nation from creating a super weapon to kill millions of people, both in his country and in this country. People of both parties share his opinion.

One of the speakers is talking about saving souls; the other is talking about saving lives. But only the Jew’s message is criticized in the mainstream media as a “slap” at the president. I am not saying it’s because he is Jewish; I am just pointing out a fact.

I am not saying that this apparent double standard has anything to do with Benjamin Netanyahu’s being Jewish or head of the only Jewish country in the world, a country that is threatened by terrorists and by Iranian nuclear weapons. I submit that there must be a more logical reason for the conduct of the Democrats.

I just can’t think of one at the moment.

Jeff Dunetz

Jeff Dunetz

Jeff Dunetz is editor and publisher of the The Lid, and a weekly political columnist for the Jewish Star and TruthRevolt. He has also contributed to Breitbart.com, HotAir, and PJ Media’s Tattler.

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