25 Michigan Legislators send letter to Biden calling for a cease fire, but only 1 is from Kent County

Last Wednesday, 25 members of the Michigan State Legislature signed a letter that was sent to President Biden calling for a cease fire and an “enduring peace.”

The letter begins by saying: 

“We write to urge you to do everything in your power as the president of the United States to reach an immediate durable cease-fire. We urge the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, the adherence of all international laws and aid to ensure that every person living in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank can live with self-determination, dignity and humanity.”

You can read the entire letter at this link, along with seeing which State Legislators signed the letter that was sent to President Biden.

The letter was signed by 25 State Legislators, 22 State Representatives and 3 State Senators. However, the only member of the State Legislature from Kent County to sign onto the letter was Rep. Rachel Hood from the 81st District.

This means that the following members from the State Legislature that represent Kent County did NOT sign the letter.

State Senators
18th District – Thomas A. Albert
20th District – Aric Nesbitt
29th District – Winnie Brinks
30th District – Mark Huizenga
33rd District – Rick Outman

State Representatives
78th District – Gina Johnsen
79th District – Angela Rigas
80th District – Phil Skaggs
82nd District – Kristian Grant
83rd District – John Fitzgerald
84th District – Carol Glanville
89th District – Luke Meerman
90th District – Bryan Posthumus
91st District – Pat Outman

GRIID certainly applaud’s Rep. Hood for signing the letter, but finds it shameful that no one else from this area signed it. 

There has been ongoing and significant opposition to the unconditional US support for Israel, the failure of the Biden Administration to call for a cease fire and for the current level of US military Aid to Israel – $3.8 billion, along with the proposal to send an additional $14.3 billion to Israel. Indeed, in Michigan, there have been 3 local governments that have adopted resolutions calling for a cease fire in Gaza – Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck and Detroit. Grand Rapids has also been pressuring City officials to do the same. 

It is shameful that more State Legislators did not sign onto this letter, considering the number of Palestinians that have been killed is now over 15,000, with over 6,000 of those deaths being Palestinian children. 

Send the elected officials listed above a message, and tell them that it is shameful and cowardly that they did not sign the letter, are not speaking up in favor of a cease fire and standing in solidarity of the Palestinian people who are being brutally assaulted by the Israeli military, using US weapons.