John,
Have you heard about the Michigan U.S. Senate and congressional candidates who’ve been offered between $10 and $20 million to run against me? All because I’ve been outspoken for a permanent ceasefire.
Right now, we’re seeing a rise in hate crimes against Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians. Last week, three Palestinian students were shot in Vermont—one, Hisham Awartani, may never walk again.[1] In a statement, Hisham said: “This hideous crime did not happen in a vacuum.”
Hisham is right. We must speak out against this hate and dehumanization of our communities, which we hear on cable news networks and in the halls of Congress. I will continue to push my colleagues in Congress to see Palestinians as human beings who deserve rights, freedom, and dignity just as much as Israelis do.
As the only Palestinian American in Congress, my voice is needed now more than ever. Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and Palestinian Americans must be heard and recognized in our government.
The vast majority of Americans support a permanent ceasefire, but that’s not reflected in Congress. In a move that would undermine the democratic will of the American people, the right-wing group AIPAC plans to spend over $100 million to try to unseat me and several other progressive members of Congress who are leading the push for a ceasefire.
Thank you.
In solidarity,
Rashida