by David Greenberg

The graphic above appears on the website of Defend & Advance, a national organization “advocating for Muslim voices.” States the website (my bold):

Our Priorities:

• To back incumbent allies who have walked shoulder-to-shoulder with us in this struggle.
• To identify and support candidates in key competitive seats who share our vision for human rights and justice – those who have not just spoken out, but have acted on behalf of those who have been marginalized and oppressed.

We have long fought for compassionate advocates for Muslims to be heard in mainstream discourse, and the time has come for us to protect and support these voices more than ever.

Question: What is lieutenant governor-candidate Ghazala Hashmi’s “vision for human rights and justice”? Does she believe that Muslims have been “marginalized and oppressed” in Virginia?

Question: To what extent does “star-candidate” Hashmi share the critique of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, of capitalism, American society and the Israel-Palestine conflict?

No one knows because she has steadfastly refused to debate her opponent John Reid.

David Greenberg lives in the Richmond area.