Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib, a progressive warrior of the 21st century, also known as the “mother working for justice for all,” ceases to hit the brakes on human rights issues. Tlaib was the first Muslim woman to serve in Michigan’s legislature, working as an attorney for the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, and eventually climbing up to becoming the first Palestinian-American congresswoman for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. As Tlaib battles issues ranging from racist emergency managers and abusive state agencies to crimes against humanity, she continues to roll up her sleeves each and every time, and get back in the ring. Without further ado, here are our five favorite moments when this virago and guardian of justice put her foot down, and gave everyone a piece of her mind.
On war crimes being committed against the Palestinians
As President Biden’s controversial statement reached the rest of the world regarding his support for “Israel’s right to defend itself,” Tlaib approached him during his visit to Michigan and shared her two cents with him on the matter. “Palestinian human rights are not a bargaining chip and must be protected, not negotiated,” Tlaib said. In addition, Tlaib also stated last Monday that Americans continue to stand their ground and are saying ‘Enough, President Biden,’ adding “you will not do this on our watch. You have to speak out against this violence in a very aggressive way that holds Netanyahu and his leadership accountable.”
On Black Lives Matter
In regards to the Black Lives Matter movement, there was no shortage of perseverance by the congresswoman. “We must listen to folks on the ground expressing pain and anger. Black folks in our country continue to be harmed and killed by those within institutions rooted in and built upon racism and white supremacist systems,” Tlaib said. She then put forth a series of actions that she intends to work towards, including the elimination of qualified immunity for police officers, and to “establish a database and process for decertification of police officers who commit criminal activity,” just to name a few.
On corporate greed
In regards to CEOs and the massive worker pay gap, Tlaib stated that “as millions of families struggle to keep food on the table during a global pandemic and economic crisis, it is more important than ever that we close the CEO-worker pay gap and ensure that companies pay their workers the wages they deserve.” It is no surprise that Tlaib teamed up with none other than Bernie Sanders in dismantling this issue from its roots, ensuring that CEOs pay their fair share. She added that if it wasn’t for the workers’ efforts, reputable companies’ sales would not have soared exponentially and prospered.
On air pollution and climate change
As an organizer for the ‘We Have a Right to Breathe’ campaign, Rashida Tlaib spares no time when our planet is at stake. From fossil fuels to poisonous chemicals in our water, no stone is left unturned on this topic. “For too long our environment has been viewed as a resource to exploit, to squeeze as much money out of regardless of the consequences. We have to shift the paradigm in how government manages our natural world—not for profit, but for people and wildlife.” As we speak, Tlaib continues to fight for the Green New Deal, which aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, promotes security for people of the United States with clean air and water; climate and community resiliency; healthy food; access to nature; and a sustainable environment, as well as several other objectives.
On Donald Trump
Where do we even begin on this one? Rashida Tlaib has stood up to Donald Trump more times than we’ve had hot dinners. Although she had not supported him from the beginning, given his racist, sexist, and xenophobic modes of action to name a few, here is but a taste of her stance against the former President of the United States. “The impeached President built a cult of personality around idolizing a tyrant and con-artist, and tapped into the currents of white supremacy in this country to foment unhinged hate, resulting in the siege of the United State Capitol.” Tlaib’s statement on the attack against the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, goes on to dissect the motives, the consequences, the mentality, and the need for justice and equity within the United States. After the attack, Tlaib went on to vote for Donald Trump’s impeachment for the second time in order to “hold him accountable for his incitement of the deadly attack on the United States Capitol and our democracy last week.”