Silence Speaks Louder than Words
I stand by our constitution and our first amendment. I hold dearly our right to freely practice religion, our right to free speech, and our right to peaceably assemble. On the weekend of August 12th, a group of Nazis gathered in Charlottesville to protest against all of those things that we, as Americans, hold dear. We know what Nazis stand for. They stand for silencing dissension. They stand for broken glass and burning businesses and houses of worship. They stand for the subjugation, enslavement, and murder of innocent people, Black people and people of color, Jews, non-Christians, and non-Protestant Christians, Members of the LGBTQ community, immigrants, people with disabilities, political dissidents, women, and anyone else who does not adhere to their vision of the ideal human. We know what they stand for and we have fought against them and their cruel ideology. We cannot waiver in this moment in our condemnation of those who stood on the side of Nazism in Charlottesville, and those who have since worked to legitimize the perpetrators of the deadly events of last weekend.
I am Jewish. My grandfather was a Holocaust survivor. I grew up listening to stories of his enslavement and survival. There is nothing new about the beliefs of those who assembled in Charlottesville. They fly the same flag, they heil the same salute, they chant, “Jews will not replace us,” and, “Blood and Soil.” They are the same Nazis that enslaved my grandfather and killed his family. They, and the Klansmen who stood by them, share the same twisted values. They carry the same torches that burned down synagogues, churches, and businesses in Nazi Germany and right here in the US. And two weeks ago, they killed Heather Heyer and caused the death of two of our brave State Police Officers. Their actions were unacceptable. Ambivalence toward these Nazis and their actions is unacceptable.
In the aftermath of the Nazi riot, the President of the United States has several times stated that there is blame on both sides. He doubled down on the notion that there were “fine people” marching alongside the Nazis in Charlottesville. His words, whether by design or not, have fueled the rhetoric of those who argue that Heather Heyer was somehow complicit in her own murder. Let me be clear: some fine people might have shown up for a protest about statues. But the moment the words, “Blood and Soil,” escaped the lips of the Nazis, any fine people left. The moment the words, “Jews Will Not Replace Us,” echoed through the streets of Charlottesville, the fine people were gone. The moment a Nazi plowed his car through a crowd of people, killing Heather Heyer and injuring more than a dozen more, the moment 2 Virginia State Police Officers lost their lives on a mission that shouldn’t have had to happen, there could no longer be fine people on the side of the Nazis. Fine people cannot stand by as such words are said. Fine people cannot stand by as such actions are taken, as lives are taken. Good leaders understand that.
I am heartened by the responses pouring into our state. Leaders of both parties from across the country have weighed in on the tragedy that took place. They have stood together in condemnation of Nazis, but furthermore, they have recognized the inadequacy, inaccuracy, and heartlessness of our President’s response, and his failure to acknowledge the sheer gravity of what took place. I decided to run because I have an abundant faith in American unity, in the ability of American leaders and citizens to come together and to move forward together under a shared vision and a shared set of values. The unity I have seen renews my faith that we can come together.
In the spirit of that faith, I sent my opponent and my delegate, Chris Stolle, the following message in the days following the attack in Charlottesville:
“Chris,
As your constituent, I am asking you to please issue a statement denouncing the Klan, Nazis, and the violence and murder they perpetrated last weekend in Charlottesville. As your opponent, regardless of our differences, I think our constituents deserve two choices who won’t hesitate to denounce Nazis. Please take a moment and say something as so many of your colleagues already have. Your constituents deserve to hear from you and I hope this is an area where we, as candidates, can stand united.
Sincerely, David”
I have no interest in characterizing Chris Stolle as a supporter of these ideologies. To do so would go against my personal values and the basic values of my campaign. And I discourage anyone from drawing that conclusion on their own. But my values also prohibit me from keeping silent. Leadership isn’t just how we carry ourselves day to day, but how we react under extraordinary circumstances. In times like these, leadership means leaving no doubt. If Stolle has said anything regarding the Nazis or the Klan, the hate they represent, the terrorism they perpetrated right here in Virginia, the death of three people, or the President’s response in the aftermath, it is nowhere to be found. And regarding the message I personally sent, I have received no response from Stolle.
I issued a statement the day after the tragic attack, and have made several statements since, before crowds at public events and peace rallies, and online through several mediums. My stance is clear, and it isn’t hard to find. I have no room in my heart for hatred toward any fellow human being based on skin color, religion, country of origin, gender, sexuality, difference of ability, political inclination, or otherwise. I try to make my respect for people of all stripes abundantly clear as I campaign because we so desperately need more understanding in this world. But when Nazis march in our Commonwealth and call for hatred and violence with chants of, “Blood and Soil,” and, “Jews Will Not Replace Us,” silence is not an option. As a constituent, a Jew, and the grandson of a Holocaust survivor who understands the implications of these beliefs and the consequences of ambivalence toward them, I am asking Delegate Stolle to be a leader and say something. And if he has already, to leave no doubt. I maintain my belief that the people of the 83rd deserve two candidates who stand united on this issue, and I maintain my hope and faith that we will. But I urge the people of my district and the citizens of my community to understand that, when the stakes are this high, silence speaks louder than words.
