I am proud of my Jewish heritage. My forebears in the Wolfe, Opper, Levy and Barnett families (including Benjamin Wolfe, my fifth great-grandfather, one of the founders of the sixth-oldest Jewish congregation in America, Congregation Beth Ahabah, in Richmond, Virginia) came to this country long ago for the freedom of expression and pursuit of civil rights denied them in England – the very freedoms that the Israel lobby now seeks to stifle, with its political action and attempted censorship of criticism of Israel’s actions against Palestinians in Gaza, their homes and properties.

Criticism of the actions of Israel and the Israel lobby is not antisemitism (prejudice against Jewish people), but rather anti-Zionism (Israel for Jewish people alone). Many people believe our tax dollars and weapons in support of Israel, and its dangerous agenda in the Middle East, is not in the best interests of this country. I ask our elected representatives: Please oppose this form of totalitarianism and fascism, and work to preserve our rights to criticize and oppose Israel in its current actions, and the Israel lobby, without fear of condemnation, accusation of hate crimes or criminal penalties.

David Plimpton
South Portland