Letter to the Editor: Chuck and Bonnie Berk

It was upsetting to see the AJT receive numerous negative posts about the ad that the Republican Jewish Coalition placed in the last issue, and for some illogical reason, these readers blamed this newspaper for allowing us to pay for and place this ad.

It may not be what these disgruntled readers wanted to hear, but we applaud the AJT for providing the opportunity to share with readers facts, not opinions about Rev. Warnock’s checkered background. The information about Rev. Warnock in the RJC ad were his actual anti-Israel and anti-Semitic statements and actions, footnoted and documented. For voters to make an informed voting decision, it is important that they are made aware of this information. And, since the mainstream media is ignoring this side of the Reverend’s past, it took courage for the AJT to print the ad, which demonstrates that Rev. Warnock is, at best, deeply conflicted over Israel.

We’d urge everyone to Google the entire 2019 letter from the Christian clergy that he signed and listen to the entire 2018 sermon because they are not only words reflective of a strong anti-Israel bias but their tone is biased to the extreme.

The letter accuses Israel of “state-sanctioned violence in the form of detention, interrogation, tear-gassed beatings, forced confessions and death.” It refers to the Gaza barrier as an “ever-present physical wall that walls in Palestinians … reminiscent of the Berlin Wall,” while never mentioning either Palestinian terrorism or how many Israeli lives the wall has saved.

The 2019 sermon accuses “the government of Israel of shooting down unarmed Palestinian sisters and brothers like birds of prey, … like they don’t matter at all.” That is a mendacious blood libel, pure and simple.

It’s easy for a candidate on the campaign trail to express support for Israel or write an op-ed in support. But, knowing Rev. Warnock’s actual past comments and actions, wouldn’t voters wonder how, if elected, he’d vote on issues related to Israel? And isn’t the job of a newspaper to inform the public?

These last two Senate seats will determine whether our republic stands or slides into socialism. We urge the AJT to remain courageous and allow people to expose the truth, even if it’s controversial. The community needs your truth-telling, so voters make an informed choice in a January.

Chuck and Bonnie Berk, Marietta