Rep. Dan Caulkins
(R-Decatur)

Decatur, Illinois – In response to the unprovoked attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas, State Rep. Dan Caulkins issued the following statement.

“As the death toll from the surprise attack on Israel continues to climb, the world remains shocked at the brutality of those attacks on unarmed civilians.  We watch in horror as reports indicate that children have been beheaded in their cribs and an old woman burned alive in her wheelchair. The aggressors deserve no mercy and I support Israel’s right to pursue and destroy Hamas militants and any individuals or countries that directly supported the attack. On this occasion of unmitigated brutal aggression against innocent people, we should be united. 

While the reaction by most people in the U.S. has been supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, shockingly, some of my Democrat colleagues in the legislature issued a statement tacitly blaming Israel for provoking the attack. Their inability to call out evil and instead stand with the terrorists is a threat to peace everywhere.  

Also in Illinois, disgustingly Black Lives Matter’s Chicago organization posted an online image supporting the Hamas slaughter and standing with Palestine. Democrats and companies who have shown support to BLM should disavow this organization publicly.  Illinois-based McDonalds and Allstate have contributed to BLM and should answer for their support or face a consumer backlash. Other major companies that have contributed to BLM include Quaker Oats, Gatorade, Grubhub, IBM, Microsoft, Target, Doordash, Bank of America, Paypal, Uber, Comcast, and Etsy. 

As a Veteran, I stand in support of all necessary actions by Israel to root out the evil unleashed on their people until it exists no more.