Colorado activist accused over controversial tweets
Colorado Democrat congressional candidate Elisabeth Epps has been accused of posting a series of antisemitic tweets.
One tweet referenced a State of the Union address by then-President Barack Obama in which he told the story of an American couple named Rebecca and Benjamin who, in his story, were facing economic difficulties.
Ms Epps wrote, “Rebecca and Benjamin. Hmmm,” likely alluding to their common Jewish names, before saying that this reference was an instance of President Obama “reminding you that Israel is constituent number one.”
Th organisation Stop Antisemitism said that other comments made by Ms Epps in social media posts reflected the idea of “Jewish power and control” seen in White supremacist rhetoric. In another tweet she allegedly wrote: “I want to be a Jewish lawyer billionaire pro-sports team owner when I grow up.”
In an advert placed in a Colorado Jewish newspaper by opponents of Ms Epps, it was claimed that in social media posts she had used the phrase “From the river to the sea”. The chant of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state — and its replacement with a State of Palestine — and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, uniquely, the right to self-determination, which is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism.
In a statement on her website, Ms Epps claimed that “as a Black and queer woman” she stands with all oppressed people, “always have and always will.”
Her statement included tweets highlighting her support for Jewish communities. Following the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, she wrote that, while she didn’t yet know “how to support the Jewish community,” she would “find out. That is our work, not yours. We love you.”
According to the FBI, over 60 percent of hate crimes against a religious minority are motivated by antisemitism. Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on antisemitic incidents throughout the United States.
