Ted Cruz heckled by anti-semites

At least, that's his version of what happened. I don't know quite what to make of it myself. He was invited to speak by a group called "In Defense of Christians" but when he said something pro-Israel some people in the group began to boo. He ended up walking off the stage without finishing his speech.



Christian group president calls Ted Cruz’s reaction ‘unfortunate’

Quote:

The president of a Christian group that hosted a gala where Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) walked off the stage Wednesday after being disrupted by some in the audience said Cruz's decision was as "unfortunate" as the actions of those who heckled him. “Senator Cruz abruptly ended his remarks accusing some participants of being ‘consumed with hate.’ That was as unfortunate as the inappropriate reaction by a small number of attendees," said In Defense of Christians President Toufic Baaklini in a Thursday statement. Speaking at a Wednesday gala, in Washington, D.C., hosted by the organization, which seeks to raise awareness of the persecution of Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East, Cruz offered remarks in support of Israel, drawing a negative response from some who booed and shouted at him. Part of Cruz's remarks were captured on video by EWTN News Nightly's Jason Calvi. CBN News has since posted a longer video here. As tensions flared, Cruz opted to end his remarks, concluding, "If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you. Thank you, and God bless you." He then left the stage. Later in the evening, Cruz released a statement saying, "Anti-Semitism is a corrosive evil, and it reared its ugly head tonight." Baaklani argued that Cruz was "not ‘booed off stage,'" and suggested the senator highlighted those who vocally opposed him over the rest of the audience.

While I agree that it is rude and inappropriate to interrupt a speaker just because you disagree with something they said, his rhetorical tactic is to simply short-circuit any conversation about Israel by declaring all critics of Israel to be anti-semites and America-haters.



Interestingly, another Republican congressman at the event was critical of Cruz:

Quote:

Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) on Thursday criticized Cruz's remarks at the gala. Dent, who said he was sitting in the front row as Cruz spoke, charged Cruz was trying to score political points with tea party activists. "He was speaking to people outside of the building," Dent said. "It was a willful and deliberate confrontation, and very self-serving."

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