Wow, check out VA State Senator/2025 Lt. Gov. nominee Ghazala Hashmi’s responses to questions by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (in its 2025 Virginia General Election Jewish Voters’ Guide) about anti-Semitism. I mean, I never thought Hashmi had an anti-Semitic bone in her body (that would be completely antithetical to her humanistic and progressive values, of course), but these responses are even stronger than I expected. For instance, Hashmi says the following (all of which I strongly agree with):
- “While antisemitism has always been a stain on our country, there is no denying that antisemitic incidents have exponentially increased since the horrors of October 7, 2023.”
- “We have seen a troubling surge in hateful, antisemitic rhetoric from both extremes of the ideological spectrum.“
- “We must take strong and unequivocal stands against any language or behavior that promotes or legitimizes violence against Jews. That includes slogans such as ‘globalize the intifada’ as well as the actions of public figures who grant legitimacy to avowed antisemites like Nick Fuentes.” (BTW, given that John Reid has dishonestly attempted to tie Ghazala Hashmi to Zohran Mamdani and argue that she’s somehow anti-Israel or anti-Semitic – which obviously SHE IS NOT! – note that Zohran Mamdani back in July said he would “not use the phrase ‘globalize the intifada'” and would “discourage others from doing so.”)
- ” It is also critical to recognize that criticism of Israel’s government often crosses the line into antisemitism. As with any foreign government, Americans, including American Jews, hold a wide range of views on Israeli policies. We as elected leaders have a responsibility to be crystal clear on a simple truth: American Jews do not bear responsibility for the actions of the Israeli government—or any other foreign government. Criticism of a foreign government’s politics does not justify hatred toward a people, nor should it be used as an excuse to target the Jewish community with harmful rhetoric or violence.”
- “As a young girl, I remember being deeply affected by reading The Diary of Anne Frank and learning about the horrors of the Holocaust. The lessons I took from her words, especially about the consequences of staying silent in the face of injustice, have stayed with me throughout my life. Today’s students are increasingly exposed to online content and influencers who spread conspiracy theories targeting minority groups. Some of the most dangerous of these are age-old antisemitic lies, repackaged for a modern audience. It is essential that students understand the origins and evolution of these antisemitic conspiracies, and that we teach the broader history of antisemitism and the devastation it has caused. We must help our children recognize that America’s greatest strength lies in its diversity, and that the Jewish-American community has long been an integral part of our nation’s rich cultural fabric.”
- “As a former university professor, I deeply respect the rights of students to free speech and open inquiry. But we must be clear that free speech does not give license to spread hate or justify violence. On too many campuses, criticism of Israel has crossed the line into open antisemitism, with Jewish students targeted simply because of their identity. We need to take a firm stand against the rise of antisemitism, whether it be on a
college campus or at any institution across our country.”
To paraphrase what Jewish Virginia Democrat said, in praising Hashmi’s response, other elected officials – many/most of whom have been afraid to speak up as the world’s oldest hatred rears its ugly head in America – should take notes from Sen. Hashmi on what real leadership looks like.
P.S. By the way, it’s 100% legitimate – and justified in many (most?) cases – to criticize Israel’s hard-right government for its policies, actions, war crimes, etc. But it’s very, VERY revealing if someone *only* criticizes Israel, and/or has never called out the utterly evil terrorist group Hamas – dedicated to wiping Israel off the face of the earth, viciously anti-women’s-rights/anti-LGBTQ-rights/anti-democracy etc., perpetrators of the worst massacre of Jews since the Nazi Holocaust in World War II. And yes, there are Virginia politicians who fit that description – many of us see it and will never forget it!
