D.C. rally

Leaders gather to discuss Israel

The Stand With Israel Rally took place in the Upper Senate Park in Washington, D.C., Sunday, Oct. 5 with more than 70 Liberty University students in attendance. Christian conservative speakers and Liberty University’s Senior Class President Chelsea Andrews took the stage to voice their support for the nation of Israel.

Students followed Andrews along New Jersey Avenue with their posters held high and eyes looking toward the U.S. Capitol. With supporters around her, Andrews shared her thoughts on her opportunity to speak to the students and Israel supporters.

“Israel means a safe home for the Jewish people — a people that have been attacked and persecuted for thousands of years,” Andrews said. “It means safety for families, freedom of religion in the Middle East and the most humanitarian country in the world. Israel means security for America.”

Students and supporters took their seats and gathered around the stage, waving their Israeli flags while they waited for Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America, to welcome the speakers for the rally. Nance pledged her support for the Jewish people by quoting Edmund Burke, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

The crowd’s voice grew louder, chanting, “We will stand. We will stand.”

Other speakers also took their turn to share their gratitude for the rally. Victor Styrksy, eastern regional coordinator of Christians United for Israel, expressed his excitement for the rally, explaining that Lib- erty students are the hope for the future.

“The battle for the minds and the hearts of the college students at American univer- sities is as fierce as the territorial boundar- ies between Gaza and Israel,” Styrksy said. “What you are doing at Liberty represents the front-line warriors. … You are fighting for the second great battlefield, and that is the minds and hearts of the next gen- eration. Seeing this gives me hope. I adore each and every one of you.”

Shelby Keith, president of the Stand With Israel Club of Liberty University, gave her insight on the rally.

“It is so powerful to be here with over 70 students who came out here to sup- port Israel to hear about the international issues,” Keith said. “It’s really excellent to have students standing up for a cause, and I’m really encouraged by it. It’s such an amazing turnout.”

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee also took the stage, sharing his heartfelt message to those in Israel.

“God doesn’t break his promise, and neither should the United States,” Huckabee said.

He shared the first experience he ever had when visiting Israel, explaining the feelings he had for the country had nothing to do with politics, but instead was com- pletely spiritual.

“I fell in love with that country as a 17-year-old teenager,” Huckabee said.

Josh and Anna Duggar, along with con- gressional leaders, also came to speak, highlighting the importance of standing with Israel in times of persecution and at- tack, whether physically or verbally.

The Senate Park began to fill up as the crowd came just in time for the Benham brothers, who received lots of laughs from the audience for their jokes about being twins. They shared their own experiences and support for Israel.

“We are honored and humbled that we are actually standing here with you and Is- rael,” David Benham said.

Benham explained the reasons behind the cancelation of their television show due to their Christian values.

“One of the things that got us fired was that we are pro-life,” Benham said. “An- other thing that got us fired is that we are for marriage between a man and woman, but what did not get us fired, which no one knew about, was that we are pro-Israel.”

As an alumnus of Liberty, Benham also shared his joy to see so many students show up for the rally.

“It pleases me so much to sit there and look at all of the influencers in places of authority in our nation that are Liberty grads, and then to see the overwhelming outpour of the students,” Benham said. “At the Values Voters Summit, I said, ‘Me and my brother are two of the most dangerous men in America. We watch Duck Dynasty. We eat at Chick-fil-A, we shop at Hobby Lobby, and we graduated from Liberty University.’”

The Benham brothers will be appearing in Convocation Wednesday, Oct. 8.

CREEKMORE is a news reporter.