U.S. Representative Rob Wittman spent a couple of hours at the Sandler Family Campus having lunch and speaking with and answering questions from members of Tidewater’s Jewish community on Friday, May 3.
Congressman Wittman immediately addressed the current state of antisemitism, saying, “What we’re seeing today is a tidal wave.” Considering what history teaches, he said, he feels “we are in a more alarming position than we were in 1938, when we saw the rise of the axis of evil: Nazism, Fascism, Imperialism.
“I would argue,” he said, “that the threat is even greater today” with terrorism being encouraged by nations such as Iran and Russia. The threat level in the United States, he noted, is now higher than it has ever been.
About the protests on college campuses, Wittman said, “This is not a spontaneous, organic effort on college campuses. Young people are being co-opted,” noting a nearly complete ignorance on behalf of the students about the Jewish people, why and how Israel was founded, etc. when asked why they are protesting.
Wittman also spoke about the CDC’s report of 112,000 deaths from fentanyl this past year. This additional threat “is coming from China. . . and often from across the southern border,” he noted.
“We are in a place more precarious than prior to 1938,” he repeated. “I see this as a very simple contrast. A struggle between good and evil. Forces of evil are coalescing. We have to work harder to coalesce the forces of good. This is time for good to stand and be vocal.”
Wittman spoke about the need for leadership to call out the forces that are clearly antisemitic and anti-Israel at every turn.
“We have to make sure we are supportive of Israel. It means more than just words. It means consequences,” he said.
“We have been complacent. Life is going well. The economy is going well, then suddenly, it’s . . .how is this going on? We have to defend the causes of good, which will take hard work.”
Wittman has served as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 1st congressional district since 2007.
