Freedom, Faith, and the Fight for Fairness

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Our X discussion: https://x.com/TaninRotzach/status/1901052839490642035?t=UYghhzDNZ0KMhSdX2jXbbg&s=19

I recently had a conversation with Sidney Powell that got me thinking about belief, liberty, and where we draw the line. As an ethnically Jewish person, I’m no stranger to the hostility some Muslims harbor toward Jews—and others—based on religious or cultural differences. I get it; the tension is real. But I also know there are Islamic communities out there that are peaceful, that don’t carry any grudge against Jews or anyone else. Painting them all as threats feels lazy and wrong.

Here’s where I land: people should be free to believe what they want, no matter how out-there it seems, as long as they don’t hurt anyone. Violence is the red line. I could see an argument for keeping folks out of public office if their core principles clash with the bedrock values of our society—fair enough. But telling someone they can’t wear a burka or dictating how they dress? That’s a step too far. It’s not just about fabric; it’s about trampling on something they hold sacred. Assuming every Muslim is a ticking time bomb, ready to attack Jews, Christians, or impose Sharia law in America, just because they follow their faith sincerely—that’s not justice. It’s fear dressed up as policy.

This isn’t abstract for me. I’ve been digging into Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 lately, and it’s been a revelation. Two years ago, I lost my job because I wouldn’t comply with my employer’s COVID policies. They didn’t even try to accommodate my religious beliefs, which I hold just as deeply as anyone else holds theirs. Now I’m suing them. It’s been a slog—finding a lawyer who’ll take the case is like pulling teeth. Most either don’t get Title VII or are too cozy with the big corporations signing their checks. I’m still fighting, though, because it matters.

That experience shapes how I see this. I’d hate for anyone to face discrimination over something as personal as their clothing, just because they believe it honors God or keeps them connected to their spiritual core. Whether it’s a burka, a kippah, or anything else, that choice isn’t ours to judge—unless it’s wielded as a weapon. And even then, it’s the action, not the belief, that counts.

Sidney, I appreciate your perspective, but I think we’ve got to lean toward liberty here. Let people live their faith. Hold them accountable for what they do, not what we’re afraid they might. Anything less feels like a betrayal of what we’re supposed to stand for.