Draft:Rashida Tlaib
| Rashida Tlaib | |
|---|---|
| File:Rashida Tlaib.JPG | |
| Name | Rashida Tlaib |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place |
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| Brith Date | July 24 |
| Religion | Islam |
| Website | Rashida Tlaib's Personal Website |
Rashida Tlaib is an American Palestinian-born politician and lawyer who serves as the representative for the state of Michigan in the United States Congress from the Democratic Party. She is the first Muslim woman to become a member of the American Congress and is considered one of the prominent figures of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party[1].
Biography
Rashida Tlaib was born on July 24, 1976 AD, into a working-class Palestinian immigrant family in the city of Detroit, Michigan. She is the eldest among fourteen sisters and brothers. Her father is originally from the village of Beit Hanina in the outskirts of Jerusalem and her mother is from the village of Beit Ur al-Fauqa near Ramallah in the West Bank. Her family was from the working-class immigrant class; her father worked on the assembly line at the Ford company. Rashida graduated from high school in 1994 AD, studied at Wayne State University, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1998 AD. Then, in 2004 AD, she received her Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Cooley Law School. Rashida Tlaib married in 1997 AD and has two children. Her family still lives in the West Bank, and after her victory in the Congressional elections, the people of her mother's village (Beit Ur al-Fauqa) held a large celebration. In various interviews, she has repeatedly emphasized her Palestinian and Islamic roots with pride and introduced herself as the "voice of Muslim women and immigrants in American politics".
Political Activities
Tlaib began her political activity at the local level in the state of Michigan and was elected to the State Legislature in 2008 AD. In the 2018 midterm elections, she won the Democratic Party primary competition in Michigan's 13th district with 33.6% of the vote and was elected as a representative to the US House of Representatives. Since the Republican Party did not nominate a candidate in this district, her victory was certain, and on November 6, 2018, she officially became the first Muslim woman in American history to enter Congress.
Political Views
Rashida Tlaib is from the left wing of the Democratic Party and a member of the group known as "The Squad" (consisting of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Tlaib herself). She has strongly criticized the policies of Donald Trump, especially regarding immigrants and Muslims, describing them as "discriminatory and racist". Tlaib promised in her first speech in Congress to combat unfair policies and racial inequalities in the United States. In the field of foreign policy, Tlaib is a critic of the policies of Israel and a supporter of the BDS movement (Boycott Israel). She has repeatedly called in Congress for cutting US military aid to Israel in case of continued violation of Human Rights in Palestine. These positions led AIPAC and Zionist lobbying groups to launch campaigns against her in the next elections[2].
Reactions
Rashida Tlaib's victory in 2018 AD was met with widespread reception in the Islamic World and among Arab communities and Muslim immigrants. Palestinian and Arab media called her the "symbol of the success of Muslim women in American politics". In contrast, American conservative media criticized her anti-Zionist positions and her explicit statements criticizing Israel. Her family in the village of Beit Ur al-Fauqa also held a large ceremony of joy and celebration after the election results were announced and referred to her as the "pride of Palestine and the Arab world".
Honors and Status
- The first Muslim and Palestinian-born woman in the history of the United States to enter Congress;
- One of the prominent figures of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party;
- One of the prominent activists in the field of immigrant rights, social justice, and racial equality.
See Also
Footnotes
References
- Rashida Tlaib; The First Muslim Woman in the US Congress, Faradeed Website, Date of publication: 22 Mordad 1397 SH, Date of access: 18 Aban 144 SH.
- Rashida Tlaib's Positions and AIPAC's Opposition, Asr Iran Analytical News Website, Date of publication: 27 Khordad 1404 SH, Date of access: 18 Aban 144 SH.
- Rashida Tlaib's Official Website, Date of publication: N/A, Date of access: 18 Aban 144 SH.