Bilal Z. Raychouni
Democrat | Virginia
Candidate Profile
Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Bilal Z. Raychouni
Party
Democrat
Election Year
2023
Election
General and Fairfax County and Loudoun County School Boards
Race
House of Delegates, Dist. 72
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
University of Virginia College at Wise, Wise, VA, Teacher License, 2023
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, Digital Marketing Certificate, 2022
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, MA, 2016
Emerson College, Boston, MA, BA, 2013
American International School of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, HS Diploma, 2009
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
NAACP, Member, Powhatan County Democratic Committee
Member, Chesterfield Young Democrats, Member
Blue United PAC, Member
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
LIBERAL (3)
Blue United PAC
Planned Parenthood Advocates Virginia
American Federation of Teachers
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
LIBERAL
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
ActBlue (2023)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Local, County, and District Democratic Organizations (2023)
Michael P. "Mike" Asip (2023)
Win Virginia (2023)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
Abortion should be allowed at the discretion of the medical professional performing the service and the individual receiving said service, without arbitrary limitations set forth by politicians. Medical decisions should be left between patients and physicians. Who am I to regulate the treatment another person should or should not be allowed to have? Abortion is a decision made between a medical provider and the individual seeking the service. Government officials should not stand between a patient and their access to healthcare, and there can be no compromise on this point.
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Disagree
See the first response. If any other nonprofit can appeal for government funding, Planned Parenthood should be allowed to do the same.
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Agree
Once again, medical decisions should be allowed at the discretion of the medical professional performing the service and the individual receiving said service, without arbitrary limitations set forth by politicians. Medical decisions should be left between patients and physicians.
ECONOMY
What changes, if any, should be made to the tax code?
The tax code demands transparency and vigorous enforcement regarding giant corporations and wealthier individuals. The general population should not have to pay the price of corporate greed.
What government spending would you reduce in order to balance the budget?
Government spending must be redirected into education and infrastructure, and infrastructure itself should be reexamined to ensure that appropriate services are being adequately funded, as opposed to dumping taxpayer dollars into wild passion projects that have not been reviewed and voted on by the general population.
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Agree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Neutral
If individuals or businesses feel uncomfortable providing services due to their moral and/or religious beliefs, they have the right to believe such. However, to blatantly advertise their refusal of service as being due to religious beliefs can come off as insensitive to the other party. There are better, more nuanced ways to handle these conversations so they do not escalate into confrontations.
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
States of emergency: severe weather, global pandemic, civil unrest, etc.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D)Tax-payer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be de-funded.
B
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
We already require vaccinations and should continue to mandate them across school and government populations for the health and well-being of the general public.
NATIONAL SECURITY
What should the United States do to help eradicate the threat of Islamic terrorism?
As a Muslim American, I find the phrase "Islamic Terrorism" to be a misnomer: these extremists are no more representative of the Muslim population than any other extremist group is representative of their particular dominating demographic. This question is deeply insensitive. I will answer the question, but not before this organization recognizes the harmfulness of this language. Assuming this question refers specifically to the Taliban of Afghanistan and their various spin-off organizations around the world, I would argue that the United States, in its position as an ally to as many democratically-organized nations as possible, should work closely with local government and law enforcement bodies to assist in their efforts to preserve their nation from the threat of extremism.
I support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, allow full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees.
Choose not to answer
This is a federal issue, and I am running on state and local issues.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Disagree
The idea that we have a security problem at the southern border is a fantasy that should not be entertained. We have wasted enough time, resources, and sensationalist headlines on the U.S.-Mexico Border.
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
Anyone willing to put in the time and effort to contribute to our vibrant community and add extra color and flavor to our Great American Stew. I'm not a fan of the phrase "melting pot," as it implies homogeneity. The United States is not a formless ooze, a fondue of a dozen cheeses now indistinguishable from one another. We are instead a stew: every vegetable, every protein, every herb and spice recognizable and understandable as its own unique contribution AND as working beautifully with the other ingredients to form the hearty dish that warms the soul as it soaks in the clear broth of the American Dream.
EDUCATION
I support school choice, including voucher programs, tax credits, charter schools, private schools, and home schools.
Neutral
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Disagree
I support adding gender identity as a specially protected class in non-discrimination laws.
Agree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Strongly Disagree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Muslim. Make of this what you will. I believe that the truest expression of faith in a higher power is found not in one's direct communion with God but in one's daily communion with His Earth. How we treat the world we are blessed to live in, the people we are blessed to know, and the life we are blessed to live are greater in God's eyes than prayer; in other words, our open and honest actions performed like whispers in the night are louder in the ear of God than the words we call directly to Him in the light of day. The highest form of praise anyone can give to the Almighty, then, is Charity, here defined as acting in such a way as to help those in need without expectation of reward. I reject the notion that we should be good simply to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, as this attitude betrays the purpose of Charity. To act in a manner where we expect to be rewarded in the Hereafter is selfish and crude. After all, as it says in Matthew 6: "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Additionally, as it says in Al-Quran, Surah Al-Baqara: "Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah is like that of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, and in every ear, there are a hundred grains. Thus Allah multiplies the action of whomsoever He wills. Allah is Munificent, All-Knowing. Those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah and do not follow up their spending by stressing their benevolence and causing hurt will find their reward secure with their Lord. They have no cause for fear and grief." We should be charitable and kind simply because it is good to be charitable and kind to others. If we have faith in our actions, what reward we deserve will come, and we need not waste time worrying about that tomorrow when there is good and important work to be done today.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Agree
What laws would you propose to change present voting practices?
More early polling locations, more polling locations in general, easier access to voting methods such as absentee ballots, and the full electrification and digital transmission of voting. We're in the 21st Century, and we need to hurry up and embrace technology in locations where it is feasible to do so.
EQUALITY
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Agree
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
Racism continues to inform the attitudes of community members and community leaders, causing aggression and feelings of discomfort and insecurity to the point of violence. We are not as far removed from the Civil Rights Movement as leadership would have us believe, and we still have quite a ways to go to establish and ensure equity across races and the freedom from insecurity due to presumptions based on race.
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Agree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost.
B
I support the use of hydraulic fracking to extract oil and natural gas resources.
Disagree
ABOUT YOU
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
To serve the best interests of the people by effectively representing their constituents through displays of thoughtfulness, compassion, and leadership, to ensure that all within the borders of the governed nation are secure in their rights to live as their most authentic selves without bringing undue harm to those who may differ from them.
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Very Liberal
Please provide publicly available information, including interviews and media reports, validating your answer to the previous question (other than your website).
Did not answer
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized in either civil or criminal court for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
What else would you like voters to know about you, including your legislative priorities?
Did not answer
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
Police officers should be personally immune from prosecution for conduct consistent with departmental policy (qualified immunity) while on duty.
Disagree
Case-by-case
I support redirecting funds from police departments to mental health and community programs.
Agree
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Licensure and registration, background checks, proof of adequate training, and financial incentives to promote safe storage.
Victims of gun violence should be able to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers.
Neutral
