In the 1998 film Bulworth, California Representative Jay Billington Bulworth takes out a life insurance policy on himself with the intention of suicide by assassination set up by him because he hates his life and the path it has taken. Knowing that his doom is imminent however, Bulworth realizes that nothing else matters to him and so he does not care what he says any more, so while at political rallies, instead of lying or trying to deceive his voter districts, he simply tells them exactly what is on his mind and how things really work.This begins after while attempting to give a speech at a black church, he simply puts down his speech and tells them a number of things, including that he does not care about his constituents unless they have money, and because they have no money he doesn’t care, and that “if you don’t put down that malt liquor and chicken wings and get behind somebody other than a running back who stabs his wife you’ll never get rid of a guy like me.”
The ironic twist of the film is that Bulworth, who had given up on life, as a result of telling the truth finds a will to live, and now has to attempt to escape his own plot set up against him. Instead of falling in popularity, Bulworth skyrockets to fame, and be simply starts telling truths and uncomfortable ideas, albeit often in the form of rap music.
A similar story but without the introspection or self-relfection seems to have happen in New York, for the American Jewish Congressman and open Zionist who has appeared in public before with the infamous Pamela Geller, was caught on hot mic saying that he only cares about the riots because it is an election year, and if it was not he would not care about them.
Rep. Eliot Engel sparked criticism Tuesday after he repeatedly asked to speak at a Bronx news conference on protests over the killing of George Floyd, then said near a live microphone, “If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.”
Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is serving his 16th term in the House as a Democrat from New York. He is facing a competitive June 23 primary, and his leading challenger, middle school principal Jamaal Bowman, cited the statement as a sign that it’s time for Engel to leave Congress.
“This is so incredibly painful to watch from @RepEliotEngel,” Bowman tweeted. “It hurts. We need to be taking care of our communities right now – whether it’s election season or not. It’s clear that we need new leadership in #NY16.”
Engel clarified his remarks Tuesday afternoon, saying in a statement that he had wanted to convey that he cares “deeply about what’s happening in this country.”
“In the context of running for reelection, I thought it was important for people to know where I stand, that’s why I asked to speak,” Engel said. He added: “I love the Bronx, grew up in the Bronx and lived here all my life. I would not have tried to impose on the borough president if I didn’t think it was important.”
Engel made the comment recorded by a microphone at a news conference led by Bronx Borough President Rubén Diaz and other officials in response to the nationwide protests over the killing of Floyd. The 46-year-old black man died in Minneapolis police custody last week.
According to footage posted online by a reporter for local television station NY1, Engel twice asked Diaz for a turn to speak at the event. Diaz appeared to rebuff Engel, telling him that there were too many others who would then want a turn at the microphone.
“Then I’ve gotta then go down the list, and there’s just too many folks here,” Diaz said.
Engel twice responded by saying, “If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.”
“Don’t do that to me,” Diaz said in reply.
Bowman has the backing of the Justice Democrats, a political committee that has backed liberal insurgents such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. On Monday, Bowman also received a boost when one of the other Democrats running against Engel, special education teacher Andom Ghebreghiorgis, withdrew from the race and endorsed Bowman’s campaign.
Republicans also criticized Engel over his remarks Tuesday; no GOP candidates are running in the race.
“While Democrat Rep. Eliot L. Engel may have been whispering, his disgusting message was loud and clear,” Steve Guest, director of rapid response for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement. “As looting and rioting ravages New York City, Rep. Engel is only thinking of his political future.” (source)
One can only imagine the reaction if a politician, especially one who is not Jewish made similar remarks about Israel in a related context.
But Israel or not, the principle is the same. Engel is dishonest, he does not care at all about the people that he is supposed to represent, and he only sees the riots as a means to his own personal concentration of wealth and power.
There is no amount of “clarification” or “explaining” that can be done to recontextualize this, and anybody who believes Engel’s response deserves to have him re-elected and to live under whatever neglect he will bring because if one does not believe his own uncensored words, what else is one to trust?