AJC Decries Incendiary Racial, Religious Attacks on Memphis Congressman

    NEW YORK, Aug. 7 /EMWNews/ -- The American Jewish

Committee (AJC) is deeply troubled by the injection of race and religious

bigotry in the primary campaign in Tennessee's 9th congressional district

that has sought to incite tensions between the Memphis African American and

Jewish communities.



    "Even as voters go to the polls today, we are compelled to speak out

against certain rhetoric and tactics that cross the line of civility and

acceptable campaign tactics," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris.







    Campaign ads have juxtaposed photos of Congressman Steve Cohen's

picture with a hooded Ku Klux Klansman. Anti-Semitic flyers, reportedly

written by the Rev. George Brooks of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, charging that

"Steve Cohen and the Jews hate Jesus," have been circulating in the

election district.



    "Incendiary attacks based on race and religion should be condemned by

all," said Harris. "Efforts to mislead and inflame voters should not be

part of acceptable political discourse."



    Rep. Cohen's opponent is attorney Nikki Tinker, in a repeat of the 2006

Democratic primary contest.



    AJC has in the past called on candidates for public office to refrain

from making appeals on the basis of race or religion.



    AJC is a nonprofit organization that neither supports nor opposes any

candidate for public office.