LD36 Constituent Wants Answers from Schaer on Goldsman, IHRA and Their Promotion of Islamaphobia

Dear Assembly Representative Gary Schaer,

I am a Muslim, a Palestinian, a daughter of a Nakba survivor, a US citizen and a voter in the voting district LD 36 represented by you, Assemblyman Gary Schaer.  I am writing to respond to the reports about your top advisor Chief of Staff Goldsman and his extreme and threatening language toward Muslims and how that relates to you as the PRIMARY NJ Assembly sponsor of an attempt to outlaw the world view and opinions of the preponderance of NJ’s Muslim population – the IHRA bills that attempt to force loyalty to Israel in NJ.

It is reported that Goldsman has left your employment,  though it is unclear under what circumstances.  However it is hardly believable that you were not already fully aware of the views that Goldsman had broadcast on social media – for years and including recently.

I am not signing my name given the repressive and hostile environment in NJ being created by you, Goldsman and all the Democrats and Republicans in the legislature trying to outlaw our existence and control our thoughts with totalitarian IHRA constructs. Words have consequences especially from people in power like yourself. The continuing of such rhetoric is putting our lives and our families in danger. Remember Wadi El Fayoumi, 6 year old Palestinian American stabbed 26 times in his own bed by his landlord due to people in your position promoting Islamophobic behaviour dehumanising and demonizing Muslims.

The constant abuse of power by our supposed representatives promotes Islamophobia and empowers pro Israel supporters to commit crimes against Muslims, like the Muslim pro-Palestine supporter whose head was bashed with a flashlight in West Orange where the disgraced Islamaphobe Goldsman is refusing to quit the West Orange Human Relations Committee.

I implore you to withdraw your sponsorship of the IHRA bill until a full scale investigation into the role that your chief of staff Goldsman has played in pushing this bill aimed at criminalizing opposition to political support by representatives such as yourself for Israel – given the now exposed Islamaphobic agenda behind the bill.  A full scale investigation is needed and in the time being the IHRA measures must be tabled and withdrawn from both the NJ Assembly and the NJ Senate.  

I would also ask that you search your own soul and conscience and that if you were aware of these views held by Goldsman and still leveraged his Islamaphobic presence as your chief of staff, in planning your strategy to pass the IHRA bills  – as is likely the case – you should seriously consider if you are truly qualified to represent all of your constituents.  It is questionable if you are so capable of representing Palestinian American citizens who have every right to vote and having an independent opinion and deciding our own world view without being mandated to be loyal to Israel, silent to our true beliefs and nervous should we attire with respect to our cultural roots under an “IHRA NJ”.  Please do the soul search and please assess and if you find you are not truly capable, as in my view, you should step aside.

This constant dehumanization of our Muslim community endangers our families and infringes on our rights as human beings and American citizen taxpayers. What this administration is attempting to do not only goes against our Constitution, but puts American lives in real danger. Nobody should live in fear just for being who they are. SHAME on Schaer, Goldsman and both parties in legislature for abusing their power and attempting to destroy our Inalienable rights. It is up to you to stand up for what is right and make NJ safe for All citizens. 

We need answers and we will get them if not from those who hold these wretchedly horrid views and hold positions of power in NJ’s Democratic Party and in your office Assemblyman Schaer.  The truthful answers will be written in history as we continue to struggle to defend our beloved protected free speech rights.  It is doubtful that the truth will flow from powerful politicians who hide their hatred of Muslim  people behind false accusations of antisemitism based upon the fraudulent conflation construct of Israel and Judaism per IHRA.  IHRA – as the initials suggest – is a horror for our community and we plan to oppose it in every way including at the polls this June and in November.

Of course Assemblyman Schaer, you would be welcome to attend and you can listen to our struggle and our pain and perhaps if you knew us you would not try to criminalize our thoughts, our actions and our struggle.

THE AUTHOR OF THIS LETTER HAS ASKED FOR ANONYMITY BUT ASKS READERS WHO AGREE AND SUPPORT THE POSITION STATED AND MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN A PROTEST OR CANDIDACY SUPPORTING FREE SPEECH AND OPPOSING IHRA TO FILL OUT THIS INFORMATION: INFORMATION IS FOR ORGANIZING – NOT PUBLICATION!