Recently, I joined Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) colleagues from around the country for a one-day summit in New York City. The event was hosted by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) and the topic was Coalition & Bridge Building, Post-October 7. The presenters – an outstanding group of civic and community leaders, rabbis, organizers, labor leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists – all spoke of the importance of building and maintaining connections with other communities in this post-October 7 world.
Coalitions are the foundation of JCPA and JCRC work. Especially during a time when threats to our own community’s security feel heightened, we remain grounded in the belief that Jews and other marginalized communities can only thrive in a robust civil society and a healthy democracy. This philosophy reflects the ways in which our safety and security are intricately linked to those of others and compels us to work together on issues of common concern.
A story broke last month about the first vice chair of the Maricopa County Republican Committee, Shelby Busch, having made a revolting comment about Maricopa County Recorder, Stephen Richer. Video emerged of Busch discussing the importance of running candidates who are “good Christians” who “believe what we believe,” followed shortly by, “If Stephen Richer walked in this room, I would lynch him.” The room of people to whom she was speaking broke out in cheers.
The incident illustrates the ways in which threats to the democratic process are intertwined and complex, and affect us right here at home. Richer’s status as a fellow party member was not enough to provide legitimacy in Busch’s eyes, nor did it protect him from an attack on his religion (he’s Jewish), or the threat of horrific, racist violence. Her statements were designed to marginalize and intimidate an elected official, someone who is inextricably linked to the security and legitimacy of the elections process. By undermining Richer’s credibility (and identity), Busch’s comments cast doubt on the validity of the upcoming elections.
Over the last year, the JCRC for Tucson & Southern Arizona has been an active member of the cross-partisan Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, working with co-chairs Don Henninger and former Congressman, Ron Barber, exploring ways to reduce polarization in political, social, and educational spaces. The AZDRN was formed in 2020, one of a handful of such networks across the country, after Arizona experienced a rise in threats against elected officials and poll workers, increased mis- and disinformation around state politics, polarization between parties, and violence.
The JCRC for Tucson & Southern Arizona wholeheartedly supports the AZDRN’s statement in response to Shelby Busch’s comments. It reads, in part: “We have a responsibility to lead by example and promote a culture of civility and constructive dialogue. We must show that our political system is committed to resolving differences through democratic processes, not through threats and intimidation.”
We can only fight these threats through participation in the democratic process. A resilient democracy, one that can withstand polarization, intimidation, and mis- and disinformation, is our defense against any number of assaults: those against LGBTQ+ rights, attacks to reproductive healthcare access, diminished rights of immigrants and refugees, as well as the rise in antisemitism and identity-based violence.
We work in support of a resilient democracy so that all people have the ability to participate in building a common future.
Recordings of the plenary sessions from the JCPA summit are available at the following links:
Jewish Safety and Inclusive Democracy
Breaking Through False Binaries of the Israel Conversation
Messaging Antisemitism and Israel Post-October 7th
Bridge Building Lessons from the Field
To learn more about JCPA’s action networks, visit https://jewishpublicaffairs.org/action-networks/
To learn more about the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network, visit https://arizonadrn.org/
