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Friend,
Anti-Muslim hatred is getting worse.
This week, a new video surfaced of Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) speaking at a Republican fundraiser, telling a fictional story in which she used Islamophobic tropes to disparage me and my colleague Rep. Ilhan Omar.1
This hateful, dangerous rhetoric puts all Muslims at risk, including our children. And the Republican Party does not care; in fact, the GOP continues to support Boebert and others who spread anti-Muslim bigotry.
I decided to run for Congress partly in reaction to the growing hate and Islamophobia in our country around Trump’s presidency. I remember my son overheard me talking about recent attacks on Islam and on Muslims, and he said, “Don’t worry, Mom, if anyone asks if I’m Muslim, I’ll lie.”
That broke my heart. No mother wants to hear her son promise to lie about who he is.
I am in Congress today to fight hate with love and to create the change all families deserve. I’m honored to show my colleagues and all Americans that Muslims belong not only in the United States, but also in the halls of Congress.
Join me in fighting hate with love by splitting a donation between my campaign and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s campaign to push back on right-wing hate and to keep fighting for a government that works for all of us.
My sisters in service in Congress and I are proud to serve as role models to people of marginalized backgrounds. It is powerful and important to be able to see people who look like you crafting the policies that will lead our country forward. We love when little girls come up to us and ask, “Can we be part of the Squad?” or share that they’re inspired to run for office, too.
But there’s a backlash to our work to build an inclusive future. On my very first day of orientation to Congress, I got my first serious death threat—before I was even sworn in. And a lot more hate-fueled harassment followed, as part of being one of the first Muslim women in Congress.
People driven by fear want to hold onto the unjust status quo, and they’re trying to tear us down, endangering the lives of all Muslims.
The poisonous myth of white supremacy claims that certain people belong in this country or belong in power more than others. But we all belong here. And no one should have to live in fear because of who they are.
Rep. Ilhan Omar and I didn’t run for office just to become the first Muslim women in Congress. We are in Congress to get work done for the people we represent, and we won’t let right-wing hate stop us. Are you with us?
Help me and Rep. Ilhan Omar fight hate with love by splitting a contribution to our campaigns today. Send us back to Congress to keep fighting for you and to serve as a daily reminder that we belong.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your secure donation will go through immediately, split evenly between Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar:
Thank you for all of your support and for always having my back.
With strength and gratitude,
Rashida
1 https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/30/politics/lauren-boebert-ilhan-omar-video-comments/index.html
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