"Democracy is not a Spectator Sport"
Congressman Rick Larsen's UW Visit Highlights U.S.-Israel Relations

by Jennifer Pope
Right Turn
2/25/03

Exchanging the blizzards of D.C. for the rain of Seattle, Rep. Rick Larsen from Washington's 2nd Congressional District engaged a mixed crowd of campus Republicans and Democrats on Feb. 18th to air his views on college student activism and the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Larsen's visit was sponsored by Huskies for Israel, whose stated mission is "educating the UW campus community about the State of Israel, its culture, history, and relationship with the United States."
Huskies for Israel president Ron Kamara kicked off the evening with a short description of the organization, then introduced Larsen, highlighting the congressman's pro-Israel activities in the Congress.

A family history review followed as Larsen detailed his roots in Washington, which go back four generations. He spoke of the three congressional committees on which he serves - Transportation and Infrastructure, Armed Services, and Agriculture - along with their importance to people in Washington State.

Larsen reached back in history again to explain why the U.S. and Israel have such a strong relationship. He spoke of Truman's dedication to supporting the underdog, which led to that president's formal recognition of Israel as a state. Larsen also outlined the shared values and interests that have maintained this alliance - democracy, free and fair elections, and security in the Middle East.

The representative praised Bush's call for a change of leadership in the Palestinian Authority. Larsen also applauded Yasser Arafat's creation of a Prime Minister position, calling it "a small step forward for the peace process." He promoted the American Israel Public Affairs Committee as a valuable resource on these issues for politicians.

Larsen concluded by saying that "Democracy is not a spectator sport." He urged the audience to stay involved in politics and engage in responsible debates about the issues. He then opened the floor to questions, urging the audience to remember that "I'm a member of Congress, I'm not an expert."

During the Q&A session, Larsen expressed his concern over the financial troubles of a war in Iraq, the lack of emphasis placed on diplomacy in the war on terrorism, and the relatively lax domestic security in the U.S. He condemned Syria's support of terrorists while simultaneously aiding in the war on terrorism.

Larsen outlined what he believes to be the basic elements in a peace plan - Israel's right to exist, land for peace, no more settlements, return of Palestinian refugees, removal of Palestinian leaders with links to terrorism - but noted that the details are where things get difficult. He recommended Congressional oversight hearings to monitor the peace process and keep Congress informed.

Asked what the United States can do about anti-Israeli messages in the Palestinian media, he replied that the U.S.'s best hope is to get our message out by using the U.S. foreign aid budget to encourage education, especially of women.

Larsen expressed his support for moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, saying it would be a huge statement but also politically risky. He told the audience that a few in Congress are openly anti-Israel. He also expressed his displeasure with Representative McDermott's criticisms of the U.S. from Iraq.