After reviewing the recorded meeting of the July 18th Leon Williams Human Relations Commission, Supervisor Anderson issued the following statement:
“Commissioner Raufi’s ignorant comments were hurtful and in no way reflect my personal views, but they do highlight the urgent need to focus on education, bridge building, and to advocate for tolerance.
It is deeply offensive to quote the religious texts from other’s faiths to support any political or intolerant narrative. After speaking with Commissioner Raufi, I believe his comments came from a place of ignorance but without malice, and encouraged his further conversation to learn from this moment and build a bridge of understanding and tolerance with the Jewish community. Commissioner Raufi served alongside our military members, putting his life on the line for freedom in Afghanistan, and is now learning the American opportunity of a more perfect union through building bridges as I have done, provided by the freedom he helped defend. After meeting with Commissioner Raufi, I have received his resignation letter, as he doesn’t feel that the HRC is a safe venue for him to have these thoughtful conversations.”
In 2021, the Human Relations Commission called for the formal censure of Supervisor Anderson for making “Islamophobic comments” when he pointed out the Council on American-Islamic Relation’s documented connections to terrorism. More information can be found here.
In 2007, then-Assemblyman Anderson authored a landmark piece of legislation in his first year in the State Assembly. Assembly Bill 221 required the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the California State Teachers' Retirement System to divest from companies that violated federal law by doing business in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This legislation called for the divestment of over $24 billion of our public pensions from the Islamic Republic of Iran - the top exporter of terrorism throughout the world.
The bill sparked a national movement which led 28 other states and the United States Congress to introduce similar laws. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced to the world that he would sign AB 221 on the floor of the United Nations during his speech to the General Assembly. For his leadership on this issue, Anderson was recognized with the Watchman on the Wall award from Christians United for Israel, and the Jewish Public Affairs Committee’s special Recognition of Leadership.
