Remarks at March 17 JVP Rally

Senator Chuck Schumer was set to speak about his new book in Baltimore on March 17 but cancelled his tour stops citing threats of violence against him—which have been yet unsubstantiated. JVP wrote: “We take this as a victory in the fight against his conflation of anti-Zionism with antisemitism that is being used to target student activists, such as Mahmoud Khalil, and our right to free speech.”

The group gathered for a victory town hall and rally, and I shared these remarks (in absentia…daycare germs!)

Baltimore, you are so beautiful. To all of our community here today observing the holy month of Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak. Thank you for spending the last hour of your fast today with us. May Allah accept your fasting, and may this be a month of safety and justice in Palestine and around the world.

We are out here tonight to make it clear that we understand, like Lilla Watson taught, our liberation is bound up in one another's liberation. 

We are here tonight because our safety is bound up in one another's safety. 

Our joy is bound up in one another's joy. 

We are out here tonight because we love Jewish people, but we refuse to let ourselves or our Jewish friends' safety be used as a rhetorical weapon to squash dissent against the war machine. We are out here tonight because we have seen the violence of antisemitism, and refuse to be distracted by false claims that equate any and every critique of Zionism as hatred of Jewish people. We are out here tonight because we know safety for Jews, for Palestinians, for Black people, for queers, for trans people, for undocumented people, for activists, for disabled people, for children, for people who can get pregnant, and for all of us living on this earth is tied together. We are out here tonight because Jews refuse to be a wedge issue. I'll say it again: Jews refuse to be a wedge issue. We refuse to be used as a temporary shield for a fascist government's regime. We refuse to accept conditional safety at the expense of others.

This last week, Jews around the world celebrated the holiday of Purim. A celebration of surviving the wicked decrees of a foolish king and his murderous second in command--a little too on the nose, no? In the story of Purim, Queen Vashti refuses the king's demands for her to subject herself to violence and humiliation, and is banished from the palace. Queen Esther is brought in to replace her as the king's new wife. But a palace where such violence could be done to Vashti could happen to Esther too. 

And when the plot of the king's second in command to kill all the Jews in the kingdom is revealed, Esther must advocate for her people at all costs. And Esther asks the Jewish people to make a solidarity fast with her--to support her as she prepares to risk her life for her people. And because of miracles--that is, her bravery, the solidarity shown to her, and the miracles of strategic organizers behind the scenes (human and Divine), she saves her people.

We are out here tonight because we are in a time of corrupt kings and wicked seconds in command. We are out here tonight because a legal resident permanent resident, married to an American citizen, graduate student, and student protestor was abducted by plain clothes ICE officials for exercising his right to free speech.

Everyone say Mahmoud Khalil.

Join me in offering up a prayer for his protection, for the wellbeing of his wife Noor, his unborn child. May they all be sheltered under the wings of the Shechina.

Join me in lifting up Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a professor at Brown University, visa holding kidney transplant specialist, deported to Lebanon over the weekend.

Everyone say Rasha Alawieh.

We are out here tonight because until this morning, Senator Chuck Schumer planned to speak, sharing about his personal experiences of antisemitism from which he extrapolates fear mongering policy. This is a part of a larger project, furthered by the ADL, that dements and distorts hatred of Jewish people to use as a shield for Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian violence, and quashing any critique of Israel. And it is the ADL now that is defending that wicked second in command's threats to the Jewish people. 

In school we were taught this poem by German theologian and Lutheran pastor Pastor Martin Neimoler, First They Came, which he wrote in 1946. Often referenced, but in this moment, how very beat for beat it is.

First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me

To Senator Chuck Schumer, and all our electeds who are put in office by us: when will you act against the violation of basic protections of our citizens and residents? Who's civil liberties must be violated for you to speak out?

And to my Jewish community in Baltimore, I ask: whos safety are you comfortable surrendering at expense for your own?

To all of us, I wish us courage. I wish us protection. I wish us connection. Come for one, face us all. Free Mahmoud, free them all.

COME FOR ONE: FACE US ALL

FREE MAHMOUD. FREE THEM ALL.