In light of a recent article accusing me of being anti-Israel and allegations that I am antisemitic, I would like to make the following clear:
As a queer Black and Indigenous woman I stand with all oppressed people, always have and always will.
I listened closely to Rabbi Kobrin at the 2022 Labor Seder. She spoke about how Jews say “we are” not “we were” during Passover, in speaking of being not just descended from struggles, but indeed still being the people who struggle for liberation. For we of the diaspora, children of folks who were enslaved—whose families were violently separated, subjugated, subjected to state torture and execution, taken from our homelands—all of us who share this parallel heritage should stand in solidarity with other peoples who endure iterations of the same.
I support Israel’s right to exist. I support Palestine’s right to exist. I understand why each must exist, and I support a two-state solution. My grandfathers were World War II veterans. At the same age when my friends were celebrating their bat mitzvahs, the Holocaust Museum opened near our home. We went together, participated in the National Conference of Christians and Jews together, did Model United Nations together, and the young girl version of me who cared deeply about meaningful peace grew into a woman who works to achieve it.
While state legislators have limited impact on federal/foreign policy, I have strong positions supporting world peace and demilitarization globally. In the past 25 years I have criticized many countries’ governments openly and passionately, always with care to separate actions of state actors from the totality of citizenry.
No country have I ever criticized more than the one I love dearest, my own. I freely and frequently call out my government—as is not just my right, but my duty. I criticize the U.S. government for funding militarized actions around the world—not just in, but including the Middle East—without a concomitant demonstrable commitment to working for meaningful lasting peace and security. And every day I work to improve the systems I know to be unjust. I couple my principled criticism with courageous work on policy change.
I have been and will always be outspoken in my condemnation of antisemitism, even as I acknowledge that I am not its arbiter. It is clear that folks researching my candidacy searched for the words “Israel” and “Palestine.” I hope they broadened their hunt. If so, they would’ve seen me publicly rebuke Holocaust deniers and amplify the voices of Jewish activists. They would have seen for themselves my repeated condemnation of antisemitism and my support for Jewish people.
They would’ve read how a decade ago I objected to a Jewish family being asked to provide a letter from a Rabbi to get permission for their child to wear a yarmulke. They’d see me report live from a courtroom that a judge said “holidays don’t start until December 24”, and I corrected him because he was dismissively ignoring holidays observed by millions of non-Christians.
They would’ve seen me thank three Jewish legislators in 2020 for bravely speaking out against efforts to exploit antisemitism for political gain. They would’ve seen my tweets in solidarity and amplifying calls for support when Jews were killed in Squirrel Hill, Poway, and Jersey City.
They would’ve seen me say “Even tho we know we are on the right side of history, not much solace in that while our people are hurting. Idk yet how to support our folks in Pittsburgh + our larger family of Jewish neighbors, but I’ll find out. That is our work, not yours. We love you.”
They would’ve noted my words, when we were raising community funds to help our poorest neighbors: “my heart swells every time I see a donation for $18 or $36–especially given what so many Jewish neighbors and communities are facing right now.”
When I decided to run for office, I could’ve scrubbed my social media presence or deleted my Twitter like so many politicians do. I didn’t—and still haven’t—not because I stand firm in everything I've ever said, but because I am willing to own my words, to learn, and to allow room for growth. As a constituent, not just a candidate, I long for this level of transparency and accountability in my elected representatives.
I do not begrudge anyone for being cautious and interrogating my language. But I do expect that someone looking to judge my character and commitments will consider a lifetime of work and words. Speaking out against antisemitism does not mean I am immune to committing harm or saying something that others might worry is antisemitic. To the contrary, it means I have an even higher obligation to be open to feedback and good faith criticism.
I am thankful for the tutelage and grace from folks who shared their thoughts on my words. I listened, learned, and I agree: it’s important to take care to avoid language that despite earnest honest best intentions, can be misinterpreted. It is also important to be brave and outspoken in speaking out for peace, because we come from people who would have endured far less tragedy had more people spoken up. I will continue to do both.
It is a cliché tool of oppression to try and divide and pit marginalized people against each other. I will not discriminate in my allyship against oppressed peoples. At the same time, I will always work to make myself available to those who ask hard questions in good faith. And I will always stand with people of all—or no—faith traditions, religions, ethnicities, races, and from all places of origin in the important work of collective liberation.
-Elisabeth Epps
10 June 2022