Statement from Psychologist on Councilwoman Yaeger’s Islamophobic Remarks and the Double Standards Surrounding Religious Hate

Spokane, WA, November 24, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Recent reporting on Spokane Valley Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger’s declaration that she is a “proud Islamophobe” has raised significant concerns for decency in the Inland Pacific Northwest community and the standards of public discourse, especially from elected officials. “As an Iranian-American Muslim, psychologist, mother, and granddaughter of a U.S. war veteran, I feel personally compelled to speak for those who may not have a voice,” Dr. Azadeh Weber responded.

Councilwoman Yaeger shamelessly attempted to justify her Islamophobic pride comment by claiming that Islam is “misogynist” and harmful to women. The irony of her statement is that normalizing “Islamophobic pride,” puts Muslim women and children at a greater risk of violence and mistreatment from non-Muslims. Essentially, Islamophobia dehumanizes and marginalizes Muslims, which make up 26% of the world population and 1% of America. When a person in power openly and arrogantly states she is proud to hate a quarter of the world’s population she disturbs the peace and threatens public safety for billions of people.

Dialogue and shared goals are pro-social channels for personal and community growth that are open to Councilwoman Yaeger should she choose to engage with them. The Muslim community is not a monolith. “As a Muslim woman, whose father is an Iranian Muslim and whose mother is an American Christian, I am available to consult with Councilwoman Yaeger on how to treat all of her constituents fairly,” said Dr. Weber. If her concerns are genuinely for the wellbeing of women, she is welcome to apologize to the Muslim women and children who her inflammatory rhetoric most endangers.

There is a broader pattern of a double standard when it comes to religious discrimination in America. Anti-semintism is met with strong condemnation in America, yet anti-Muslim sentiment is minimized and normalized. In 2023, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was removed from the House of Foreign Affairs Committee over past comments that Republicans interpreted as antisemetic. The House resolution that removed her from this post referenced Congresswoman Omar’s comment “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,” on the influence of pro-Israeli donors and lobby groups on American foreign policy.

If Councilwoman Yaeger were to have openly declared herself a “proud anti-Semite,” the response across political lines and community institutions would be to swiftly remove her from her position. However, she feels safe to publicly declare herself a “proud Islamophobe,” because the community response is muted. Religious freedom in America is a universal human right not a privilege for select groups. An asymmetry in the protection of religious freedom reflects a larger societal bias that some groups deserve more human rights than other groups. The danger of preferential treatment for some groups and not others is a disrupture to living by principles.

A lot of attention and scrutiny is directed towards Muslim Americans, although most Americans know relatively little if anything about Islam directly from a Muslim. Excessive reliance on the hateful rhetoric of biased intermediaries to form public opinions is anti-intellectual and unsound, even if these voices may be the loudest and most repetitive.

The timing of Councilwoman Yaeger’s remarks as shared with the public on November 21, 2025 is especially troubling. In the same week, U.S. Senate candidate Jake Lane unleashed vitriol comments towards Muslims in a Dearborn city council meeting and attempted to burn the Quran. These events are not isolated, they are symptoms of a national climate that is forgetting the common sense to coexist with diverse groups of people peacefully. Americans are responsible for holding public officials accountable for their use of language so recent missteps may be a positive turning point for a healthier and safer society. Together Americans can inspire ever increasing levels of order and harmony in individuals and communities.

If Americans are committed to religious freedom and civic equality, then hatred toward any religious group must be held to the same standard as all other religious groups, regardless of if the targeted group is Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, or anyone else. Muslim Americans deserve the same safety, dignity, and belonging necessary to optimize potential, as do all Americans. By recalibrating to a wholesome application of zero tolerance for religious hate, America stays classy.