Latest news with #GregLandsman
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Landsman: 'I have a hard time getting the image of being shot and killed out of my head'
(Editor's note: The following is a statement released Wednesday, May 28, 2025, by Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) concerning the two Israeli Embassy staff members who were shot and killed outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. last week. The statement has been edited for clarity.) Last week, outside the Capital Jewish Museum, two innocent young people were executed. For many of us, this was deeply personal and profoundly unsettling. First, let me be as honest and as personal as it gets. I have had a hard time getting the image of being shot and killed out of my head. It happens almost every time I'm in a big crowd now. More: What is the Capital Jewish Museum? What to know about site of fatal DC shooting Last Saturday at a rally back home, I decided not to have police protection. Standing in a crowd talking to constituents, I had the most vivid image: All of a sudden, I saw myself on the ground, dead from a gunshot. This is what actually happened a few days later to Yaron Lischinsky and his girlfriend Sarah Milgrim. Anti-Israel protesters have followed me around for the past year and a half. They don't just protest. They get in my face, screaming about the "genocide" I'm causing. They threaten me and my family. "You will pay for this," they say. They slept outside our house for days. Many other Jewish members of Congress and local advocates who have also been vocal about Israel and the war deal with similar safety issues. Some members have constant police protection when they're home. We worry about being on Capitol Hill, too. Without going into specific security concerns, we know that what happened to Yaron and Sarah could happen to one of us as we move around the Capitol. We think about it every time we leave our offices, leave a committee hearing, or cross the street. To be clear, most of the protestors aren't violent. They hate the war and the suffering of innocent people. I hate the war and the suffering of innocent people. Most just want Palestinians to be safe and healthy, and to be in a position to rebuild. They want self-governance and self-determination for Palestinians. I do too. So, how does someone execute two innocent people outside of a Jewish event in D.C. about supporting humanitarian diplomacy in the Middle East? One answer is that what happened last Wednesday is similar to the outrageous murder of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian-American child outside of Chicago in 2023. "Otherization" is very real and refers to the process of treating a person or group as different and alien, and it can lead to marginalization, exclusion and murder. The tragedy of war throughout the globe should never lead to violence against its diaspora communities. We allow people to "otherize" and demonize folks, and we forget to appreciate that it often turns violent. Everyone has to do a better job of ensuring disagreements don't lead to this disturbing and dangerous process. A second explanation has to do with blood libels, which are core to understanding antisemitism. A blood libel is a lie about Jews killing innocent people, usually children. Ancient in its form, it spreads, Jew hate follows, and usually, Jews are killed. What happened to Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, was barbaric. Kidnapping Israelis, holding them hostage in Hamas tunnels, some of whom were executed, is also barbaric. The war in Gaza against Hamas has also been awful. Hamas cannot remain in power. Neither Israelis nor Palestinians are safe with Hamas in power. But innocent Gazans have been killed in this war. It's terrible, and I want this war to end. I'll continue to push for a ceasefire that brings every hostage home and a surge in humanitarian aid. Israel has gone after Hamas, and because of the tunnels and Hamas's tactic of using civilians as human shields, innocent people and children have been killed. Israel has gone after Hezbollah in Lebanon, too, and there have been very few civilian casualties. The difference is Hamas. Hezbollah allows civilians to flee. Some people have convinced themselves that Israelis are genocidal and evil; that Jews associated with and supportive of Israel are also genocidal and evil. That's a blood libel, and it's been spreading like wildfire for 18 months. I believe it's why Yaron and Sarah were executed. The antisemitism bill that has stalled in the Senate would help. It establishes a definition that would be profoundly informative for people. It offers education and training. The bill doesn't say it's antisemitic if you criticize the policies of Israel. Israelis criticize the policies of Israel. But denying Jews self-determination is seen by some as antisemitic, including me. Denying Palestinians self-determination is anti-Palestinian. More: Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Gaza, laments 'cries' of parents of dead children President Donald Trump's actions on campuses have not helped. Some campuses have become hotbeds of antisemitism, but his actions could have a chilling effect on speech. Colleges that explained to students the difference between free speech and hate speech, and the difference between protest and chaos, and held their students accountable accordingly, did well. They protect speech and their students. It was pretty straightforward. To fight antisemitism, we should pass the antisemitism bill and have colleges work with groups like the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The AJC and similar groups partner with organizations on how to identify and combat antisemitism without infringing on anyone's First Amendment rights. I would encourage my colleagues on both sides to stop politicizing this. Our safety and well-being are at stake, and antisemitism should be a nonpartisan, noncontroversial issue. The same must be true for all forms of hate. Fighting hate should be nonpartisan and noncontroversial. Those protesting the war, even the policies of Israel, should be intentional not to slip into blood libels and violent rhetoric. That requires some learning as to what would be considered a blood libel and violent. I understand the desire for this war to end and for Gazans to be free. I hope people understand that Israelis and Jews desperately want security for themselves and their neighbors. They want peace. Either way, we should all advocate for what we believe in − and do so peacefully and without violence or hate. We should also commit ourselves to being the generation that achieves a sustainable peace in the Middle East. It's not inevitable, nor is it impossible. It's up to us and others to fight for it. U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, a Democrat, represents Ohio's 1st Congressional House District and is a former Cincinnati councilman. He has traveled to Israel and the Middle East over a dozen times, including four times in his first term as a member of Congress. Landsman also worked in Israel from 2015-2020, prior to becoming a member of Congress, supporting philanthropic efforts. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Shooting at Jewish museum in DC fueled by hate, demonization | Opinion
CNN
4 days ago
- General
- CNN
Jewish congressman shares emotional message against political violence in wake of fatal shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers
A Jewish congressman on Wednesday shared his personal fears of political violence, as he reflected on last week's fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers and called on those protesting the war in Gaza to do so peacefully. Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman shared Wednesday that the killing of 'two innocent young people,' Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, 'was deeply personal and profoundly unsettling.' 'First, let me be as honest and as personal as it gets. I have had a hard time getting the image of being shot and killed out of my head. It happens almost every time I'm in a big crowd now,' the Ohio congressman, who's now in his second term, wrote in an emotional statement. 'Last Saturday at a rally back home, I decided not to have police protection. Standing in a crowd talking to constituents, I had the most vivid image: All of a sudden, I saw myself on the ground, dead from a gunshot. This is what actually happened a few days later to Yaron and Sarah.' Landsman told CNN in an interview following the release of his statement that he 'felt compelled to be as honest as possible, so that we can pull back from this moment and people stop to read it and think about it and we don't have to live like this. We can protect speech and each other simultaneously.' The congressman said he wants 'people to appreciate that organizing and advocating and pushing for something you believe in is so critically important, and that there is a difference between protest and chaos.' 'There is a difference between free speech and hate speech or violent speech,' he continued. 'And just to do everything in your power to make sure that you and others are in solidly in the camp of protest and free speech and nowhere near chaos and hate or violent speech.' In his statement, Landsman detailed how anti-Israel protesters have followed him for more than a year, including sleeping outside his home, and have threatened him and his family. 'They don't just protest. They get in my face, screaming about the 'genocide' I'm causing,' he wrote, while also stressing that most protesters aren't violent. Other Jewish members of Congress, he said, face similar situations, and some have 'constant police protection' while back in their home states. 'We worry about being on Capitol Hill, too. Without going into specific security concerns, we know that what happened to Yaron and Sarah could happen to one of us as we move around the Capitol,' he wrote. He compared the killing of Lischinsky and Milgrim to the 'outrageous murder' of 6-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea Al-Fayoume, whom authorities said was killed because he was Muslim. 'We allow people to 'otherize' and demonize folks, and we forget to appreciate that it often turns violent,' Landsman wrote. 'Everyone has to do a better job of ensuring disagreements don't lead to this disturbing and dangerous process.' He also attributed the violence against the Israeli Embassy staffers to the spreading of 'blood libels.' He continued his calls for a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas. He also called on the Senate to pass the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which the House passed last year. Landsman argued that the bill would be helpful in fighting antisemitism, along with colleges working with organizations such as the American Jewish Committee. 'I would encourage my colleagues to stop politicizing this, on both sides. Our safety and wellbeing are at stake, and antisemitism should be a nonpartisan, noncontroversial issue,' he wrote. Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were leaving an event on May 21 at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, when a gunman opened fire, killing them, authorities said. 'It is so deeply painful and it shook all of us because one, two really wonderful people were executed. And two, this is what we have been telling people will happen if folks don't change the way they're talking about this,' Landsman told CNN.
CNN
4 days ago
- General
- CNN
Jewish congressman shares emotional message against political violence in wake of fatal shooting of Israeli Embassy staffers
A Jewish congressman on Wednesday shared his personal fears of political violence, as he reflected on last week's fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers and called on those protesting the war in Gaza to do so peacefully. Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman shared Wednesday that the killing of 'two innocent young people,' Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, 'was deeply personal and profoundly unsettling.' 'First, let me be as honest and as personal as it gets. I have had a hard time getting the image of being shot and killed out of my head. It happens almost every time I'm in a big crowd now,' the Ohio congressman, who's now in his second term, wrote in an emotional statement. 'Last Saturday at a rally back home, I decided not to have police protection. Standing in a crowd talking to constituents, I had the most vivid image: All of a sudden, I saw myself on the ground, dead from a gunshot. This is what actually happened a few days later to Yaron and Sarah.' Landsman told CNN in an interview following the release of his statement that he 'felt compelled to be as honest as possible' in order to 'pull back from this moment' and 'lay out a path forward' from tragedy. 'I want people to appreciate that organizing and advocating and pushing for something you believe in is so critically important, and that there is a difference between protest and chaos,' he said. 'There is a difference between free speech and hate speech or violent speech. And just to do everything in your power to make sure that you and others are in solidly in the camp of protest and free speech and nowhere near chaos and hate or violent speech.' In his statement, Landsman detailed how anti-Israel protesters have followed him for more than a year, including sleeping outside his home, and have threatened him and his family. 'They don't just protest. They get in my face, screaming about the 'genocide' I'm causing,' he wrote, while also stressing that most protesters aren't violent. Other Jewish members of Congress, he said, face similar situations, and some have 'constant police protection' while back in their home states. 'We worry about being on Capitol Hill, too. Without going into specific security concerns, we know that what happened to Yaron and Sarah could happen to one of us as we move around the Capitol,' he wrote. He compared the killing of Lischinsky and Milgrim to the 'outrageous murder' of 6-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea Al-Fayoume, whom authorities said was killed because he was Muslim. 'We allow people to 'otherize' and demonize folks, and we forget to appreciate that it often turns violent,' Landsman wrote. 'Everyone has to do a better job of ensuring disagreements don't lead to this disturbing and dangerous process.' He also attributed the violence against the Israeli Embassy staffers to the spreading of 'blood libels.' He continued his calls for a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas. He also called on the Senate to pass the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which the House passed last year. Landsman argued that the bill would be helpful in fighting antisemitism, along with colleges working with organizations such as the American Jewish Committee. 'I would encourage my colleagues to stop politicizing this, on both sides. Our safety and wellbeing are at stake, and antisemitism should be a nonpartisan, noncontroversial issue,' he wrote. Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were leaving an event on May 21 at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, when a gunman opened fire, killing them, authorities said. 'It is so deeply painful and it shook all of us because one, two really wonderful people were executed. And two, this is what we have been telling people will happen if folks don't change the way they're talking about this,' Landsman told CNN.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Down to zero': Veteran suicide crisis targeted in VA bill by bipartisan House coalition
EXCLUSIVE: A bipartisan group of lawmakers is joining forces to introduce a bill aimed at strengthening veteran suicide prevention programs. "Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, and we have to do more to prevent it," Rep. Greg Landsman, the Ohio Republican leading the effort, told Fox News Digital. "If we focus the VA resources on the most effective programs, we can make a significant impact in reducing these heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable rates of veteran suicide. Our veterans deserve the best care possible." The comments come as Landsman readies to introduce the "What Works at Preventing Veteran Suicide Act," a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to establish new pilot and grant programs aimed at eliminating veteran suicide. The new legislation would aim to make the VA secretary responsible for "setting clear and measurable objectives for funding and programs" that would evaluate "how effective those funding programs are" in helping to prevent veteran suicide, according to a release about the bill provided to Fox News Digital. Doge Uncovers Massive Va Contract For 'Salary Survey Data And Analysis' — Says It Canceled It, Saving Millions "Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore," Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, a former U.S. Navy SEAL joining the effort, told Fox News Digital. "As someone who's worn the uniform and served alongside some of the best this country has to offer, I'm committed to driving that number down to zero. Reintroducing this bill is about accountability and results. We need to know which programs are actually saving lives so we can invest in what works and get our veterans the support they deserve." Read On The Fox News App "I have lost many friends and teammates to suicide, and until we are using every available resource to prevent it, we are simply not doing enough," Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., another military veteran lawmaker, added in comments to Fox News Digital. "This bill ensures the VA is focused on proven, effective programs to combat veteran suicide. One veteran lost is one too many – we owe it to them to get this right." Veterans still account for a disproportionate share of the national suicide rate, according to the VA's most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report, released in December 2024. Analyzing dates from 2001 to 2022, with 2022 being the most recent year with available data, the report found that 6,407 of the 47,891 (13.3%) nationwide suicides were committed by veterans. Tim Walz Heckled By Veterans For Stolen Valor Claims, China Connections That number comes despite U.S. military veterans representing only 6% of the U.S. adult population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In all, there were roughly 17.6 veteran suicides per day in 2022, the VA found. The release notes that the legislation is currently endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Save a Warrior. "Save A Warrior is proud to be a supporting organization of this important bill, and we stand ready to assist in its advancement," Jack Retzer, Save a Warrior founder and president, told Fox News Digital. "We thank you for your continued leadership on this issue and for your commitment to those who have served our nation so honorably." The legislation has also picked up bipartisan support, with Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, joining in on the effort. "We have got to use all of the tested and effective tactics available to take on the suicide crisis facing America's veterans," Deluzio told Fox News Digital. "I am grateful to partner with Congressman Landsman to introduce this legislation that would create more guidelines for suicide prevention pilots and outreach through the VA. I will never stop fighting to protect and serve my fellow veterans."Original article source: 'Down to zero': Veteran suicide crisis targeted in VA bill by bipartisan House coalition
Fox News
17-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
'Down to zero': Veteran suicide crisis targeted in VA bill by bipartisan House coalition
EXCLUSIVE: A bipartisan group of lawmakers is joining forces to introduce a bill aimed at strengthening veteran suicide prevention programs. "Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, and we have to do more to prevent it," Rep. Greg Landsman, the Ohio Republican leading the effort, told Fox News Digital. "If we focus the VA resources on the most effective programs, we can make a significant impact in reducing these heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable rates of veteran suicide. Our veterans deserve the best care possible." The comments come as Landsman readies to introduce the "What Works at Preventing Veteran Suicide Act," a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to establish new pilot and grant programs aimed at eliminating veteran suicide. The new legislation would aim to make the VA secretary responsible for "setting clear and measurable objectives for funding and programs" that would evaluate "how effective those funding programs are" in helping to prevent veteran suicide, according to a release about the bill provided to Fox News Digital. "Veteran suicide is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore," Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, a former U.S. Navy SEAL joining the effort, told Fox News Digital. "As someone who's worn the uniform and served alongside some of the best this country has to offer, I'm committed to driving that number down to zero. Reintroducing this bill is about accountability and results. We need to know which programs are actually saving lives so we can invest in what works and get our veterans the support they deserve." "I have lost many friends and teammates to suicide, and until we are using every available resource to prevent it, we are simply not doing enough," Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., another military veteran lawmaker, added in comments to Fox News Digital. "This bill ensures the VA is focused on proven, effective programs to combat veteran suicide. One veteran lost is one too many – we owe it to them to get this right." Veterans still account for a disproportionate share of the national suicide rate, according to the VA's most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report, released in December 2024. Analyzing dates from 2001 to 2022, with 2022 being the most recent year with available data, the report found that 6,407 of the 47,891 (13.3%) nationwide suicides were committed by veterans. That number comes despite U.S. military veterans representing only 6% of the U.S. adult population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In all, there were roughly 17.6 veteran suicides per day in 2022, the VA found. The release notes that the legislation is currently endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Save a Warrior. "Save A Warrior is proud to be a supporting organization of this important bill, and we stand ready to assist in its advancement," Jack Retzer, Save a Warrior founder and president, told Fox News Digital. "We thank you for your continued leadership on this issue and for your commitment to those who have served our nation so honorably." The legislation has also picked up bipartisan support, with Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, joining in on the effort. "We have got to use all of the tested and effective tactics available to take on the suicide crisis facing America's veterans," Deluzio told Fox News Digital. "I am grateful to partner with Congressman Landsman to introduce this legislation that would create more guidelines for suicide prevention pilots and outreach through the VA. I will never stop fighting to protect and serve my fellow veterans."
