Monday night’s American Israel Public Affairs Committee banquet, held at the Washington Convention Center, attracted a staggering 10,000 attendees. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and House Speaker John Boehner headlined the event, the presence of former Pistons and Knicks star Allan Houston surprised and delighted those in the hall. He took the stage with sports author and AIPAC National Board Member Betsy Berns Korn to kick off the evening’s festivities.
Houston, who serves as the assistant general manager of the Knicks, joked a little about some of his basketball experiences but was effusive in his praise for the Jewish state. He described his trips to Israel, including an AIPAC-led mission last year featuring several NBA personalities, as a game-changing experience: “We saw the modern-day miracle known as the State of Israel.”
Earlier this year, the Consulate General of Israel in New York, along with the Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Community Relations Council, presented Houston, a devout Christian, with its annual Martin Luther King Award for his work in “promoting diversity and tolerance.”
Poor Allan Houston. Nobody told him that as a black man he is automatically a Democrat and that the Democrat line on Israel is the pro-Arab, anti-Israel line. Maybe Barry can give him a call and fill him in. If not, hopefully Maxine Waters or Oprah or some other intellectual powerhouse can help him with his apparent self-hatred problem.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWow Alan you almost make me want to like the Knicks. Ok I am now over it, but that is great we need more people stand up and be vocal in their support of Israel.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder where all of the libs of Jewish decent are in Hollywood? I would hope they start to speak up.
He had the sweetest jump shot around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThanks Mr. Epstein.
tcmelroy...good one!!!
What fun
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseApparently Allan Houston is more Jewish than a lot of liberal Jews who are willing to continue to fund Obama who appears committed to throwing Israel to the wolves.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse...I was going to comment but it appears that you have said it all...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMmmmm. Some of the lines here are funny. Especially this one: "Nobody told him that as a black man he is automatically a Democrat and that the Democrat line on Israel is the pro-Arab, anti-Israel line."
). But Houston was, and is, a class act. He apologized when the story hit, and now there's this honor. Always liked his game, but think he's a much better person.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBe that as it may this is also important because Houston got into trouble during his playing days for saying some anti-Semitic stuff in an interview (External Link
Good for him!
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