Not Voting for Harris-Walz

 

Not Voting for Harris-Walz in a Swing State

J&K indicated to me that if I, a Privileged white man, lived in a Swing State such as Pennsylvania, it would be WRONG to not vote for Harris-Walz.   The rationale given was primarily that:

1.)          In Swing States each individual vote for Harris-Walz could be the deciding vote that could result in the Harris-Walz winning – the Presidency,

2.)          In Swing States each individual choosing to not vote for Harris-Walz could be the deciding “not” vote which will result in the election of Trump-Vance,

3.)          The election of Trump-Vance will be disaster which will result in the possibilities for a Ceasefire in Gaza being less likely, as well as multiple other causes such as Racism, Reproductive Rights, and similar being with certainty to have significantly worse results, and therefore:

4.)          Those of us who can vote in Swing States who are knowledgeable, responsible and caring seeking a just world should

a.   vote for Harris-Walz,

b.   recognize that if Harris-Walz win the 2024 election that, while they may be far from “good nominees”, that at least if they are elected we can reasonably seek to change the policies, such as seeking a Ceasefire in Gaza, and then subsequently seeking a Just Peace Agreement in The Middle East, and that

c.    I, as a Privileged white male, should support the election of Harris-Walz even if it may be unimportant for me to vote for them because I live in California, which is not a Swing State.

I Respectfully Disagree!

I Disagree both on:

1.)          Tactical Grounds and on

2.)          Ethical Grounds

In Explaining my Disagreement I will primarily focus upon  issues to a Ceasefire, Lebanon, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian People and those who are Muslims.

In beginning with the Tactical Grounds I will first note that:

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/gaza-ceasefire/ - dated: December 5, 2023 indicates that “Over 70% of Democrats support a Ceasefire”,

https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2024/5/8/support-for-a-permanent-ceasefire-in-gaza-increases-across-party-lines -Seven in 10 likely voters — including majorities of Democrats (83%), Independents (65%), and Republicans (56%) — support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza. This represents a 3-point increase in support for the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire since Data for Progress last polled this question in February, and a 9-point increase in support from November.

https://www.jpost.com/us-elections/article-800603 - (Jerusalem Post, May 9, 2024) -  Most Democrats believe Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza - poll

With the war in Gaza surpassing half a year and a ceasefire deal yet to be achieved, a recent survey shows that Democratic voters strongly believe that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza.

https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/04/most-black-americans-want-a-more-active-us-role-in-ending-the-war-in-gaza-and-protecting-palestinian-lives?lang=en  (Note: April 25, 2024)

Summary

  • A majority of Black Americans (68 percent) would have liked to see the United States call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, with a plurality (46 percent) strongly supporting the idea.
  • Three in five Black Americans (59 percent) believed U.S. military aid to Israel should be conditioned to ensure that Israel uses American weapons for legitimate self-defense and in a way that is consistent with human rights standards.
  • Importantly, a majority of Black Americans (66 percent) reported that their feelings toward Biden had not changed since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. However, those under thirty years old and Black independents were more likely to report feeling worse about Biden since October 7.
  • While two in five (42 percent) Black respondents reported not feeling connected to the plight of either Israelis or Palestinians, the number of Black Americans reporting feeling connected to Palestinians grew a great deal (45 percent, up from 32 percent in our October 2023 survey).

Most Black Americans Believed the United States Should Call for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza

As Black faith and congressional leaders call for a ceasefire, there is also widespread support for a ceasefire among the larger Black community, judging from our polling. A majority (68 percent) of Black Americans in our survey favored a U.S. call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza

The “Swing States”:  appear to be:

https://www.politico.com/2024-election/results/swing-states/

State:  Electoral Votes
Arizona - 11

Georgia – 16

Michigan – 15

Nevada – 6

North Carolina – 16

Pennsylvania – 16

Wisconsin – 10

Focusing specifically upon Michigan:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xejx07exro

September 20, 2024

Michigan Arab-Americans 'can't stomach' Harris stance on Gaza

Soujoud Hamade is a lawyer in the Detroit suburb and president of the Michigan Chapter of the Arab American Bar Association.

She canvassed for the Democratic Party in past elections, and feels her work helped get President Biden elected in 2020. He won Michigan with a margin of just 2.78%.

This time around, Ms Hamade is voting for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

She is not alone. An August poll from the Council on American-Islamic Relations indicates that in Michigan, 40% of Muslim voters back Stein, 18% preferred Republican Donald Trump - and only 12% supported Harris - suggesting a significant shift from past strong support for Democrats.

Ms Hamade said the "traditionally" Democratic Arab-American voters in Michigan “cannot stomach the thought of voting for someone who's directly contributing to the death and destruction of our home country and of our relatives overseas”.

Harris welcoming the endorsement of former Republican Vice-President Dick Cheney was particularly troubling for the Michigan lawyer.

She said Cheney’s involvement in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 makes him an unwanted bedfellow for her community.

“It's baffling to me as an American, to now see the direction that the party is going, it's disheartening," she said.

"These aren't the values that we as Democrats stood for. We were not the party of war."

Not getting to the ethics issue yet, tactically, what states is Harris going to lose by standing up to Biden, and saying “NO” – not – “Israel has 30 days to …”  or “Israel must ….” – when none of these threats have been enforced.

Michigan is likely to go for Trump – as of now!  It isn’t that Trump will get a lot more votes because of this issue.  It is that a lot of people in Michigan won’t vote for Harris, that otherwise would.  

Remaining on tactical issues, if Harris breaks with Biden emphatically, how is she going to lose face with the leadership of other countries in the World?

Very few countries vote with the United States in the United Nations on relevant votes.   The U.S. is the country which consistently vetoes resolutions in the Security Council.

Tactically, this is a clear way that Harris could separate herself from Donald Trump!    He has emphatically denied Palestinian rights.   Harris could stand up for the Palestinian People in a meaningful way, saying:  “No more …”.  

She could speak up talking about how the United States will (finally) go along with the International Legal Decisions such as what was brought up by South Africa in recent months.

Tactically Harris could talk about how the military weapons provided to Israel which are killing hundreds and thousands of Gazans and residents of Lebanon support the stockholders of defense contractors and that most U.S. citizens are not profiting by the profits of these Huge Corporations.   She could give specific examples of how “the little people” matter.

--

Ethical issues also matter a lot!

Bombing highrise apartment buildings in Beirut – to seek to kill an individual Hezbollah member is comparable to shooting with an AK-47 in a crowded bar seeking to kill an individual rapist.

Gaza received 500 truckloads of food and other necessary supplies daily prior to October 7th.    Given the starvation issues that exist, simple mathematics shows that when one subtracts shipments and often stop them entirely over an entire year, that one needs to provide well more than 500 truckloads immediately every day to prevent further deaths.

Bombing hospitals is similarly problematic.

Where are the Gazan People supposed to go?

The ethical issues are ignored by the United States!

Gaza had a little over 2 million people before the assault that began after October 7th last year.   The U.S. has close to 350 million people.   Gaza has well over 150 times less people than the United States has.

Death totals of 40,000 or a more likely 200,000 multiplied by 150 = 6,000,000 to 30 Million People.

The Holocaust involved the death of Six Million Jews!  


1,354,664+  = total U.S. combat and non-combat casualties form wars from 1775 – 2019.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

On ethical grounds there are layers and layers of things that consume me related to what has transpired.    I could talk for hours and hours about systemic inequality, racism, settler colonialism and not even touch the depths of what assaults me hour-by-hour, and day-by-day.   (And – consider the Palestinian man I just heard interviewed by Peter Beinart of Jewish Current and City University of NYC – Journalism Department – who spoke of at last count perhaps in April knowing of 35 of his relatives who had died, not wanting to know more).   Read of Dalia Mohisen - https://medium.com/@daliamohisenn – 22 years old.   I’ve sent money for her family to her four times – and just saw another posting after 8 days of know word, knowing finally that she’s not been killed or incapacitated.

Tears – thinking through my heart – as well as my head matters to me.    You – the reader – can not honestly say:  “I didn’t know” this time!    You can hear the propaganda denying things.  You can deny all you must do to stay – on the sidelines or in opposition.

I’m 73 years old!   I’ve lived through the assassinations of: John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr, Malcolm X, 911 and much more! 

October 7, 2023 – has turned my emotional world – totally upside down – dwarfing all my prior life experiences of “major events”.   We – collectively – won’t be able to go back.

I refuse – to minimize – the voices of Allies – of mine, chance acquaintances, those I hear speak and many more!   I hear only a few BIPOC voices in Denial.   I hear a lot of white people in Denial!  I hear a lot of privileged white men – in denial.

I recommend looking at a variety of things.   Examples of this are: Democracy Now, The Electronic Intifada, Jewish Voice for Peace, Rashid Khalidi, Noura Erakat, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Peter Beinart, Chris Hedges, Julian Assante, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Avi Shlaim, Joel Beinin, neighbors-classmates-workmates who may be from the Middle East in their pasts, Jonathan Kuttab, Christian Zionists, AIPAC, David Ben-Gurion, those at your local Hillel, Hamas – with curiosity – with trepidation – with hope – with anger and don’t minimize or silence your discomfort.

Who does CNN and MSNBC Interview?   Why do they minimize and often not even listen to dissenters – like Rashid Khalidi.  He grew up with a majority of his friends being Jewish.  He has Jewish students, colleagues and much more.  His English has no accent – because he was born here!

We need to really listen to those – who oppose us!!

--

Yes, I am scared of Donald Trump being elected President!   Definitely!

I am also scared of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as our future leaders.  

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/kamala-harris-a-data-backed-track-record-of-support-israel-can-rely-on/

As vice president, Harris has been a key figure in an administration that has provided Israel with unprecedented support. In recent weeks alone, the U.S. has deployed four aircraft carriers to the region, along with the USS Georgia, a nuclear-powered submarine, and 12 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jets—the most advanced aircraft of their kind. This formidable display of military might is a clear message to Iran and its proxies, particularly Hezbollah: Do not dare attack Israel.   (August 19, 2024)

https://theweek.com/politics/kamala-harris-israel-gaza-policy

Kamala Harris is walking a delicate line as she campaigns for the presidency: She is committed to Israel's right to defend itself after last year's Oct. 7 attack by Hamas — but also wants Israel to curb the violence it has inflicted on Gaza's civilians in the year since.

"Let me be clear, I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself," she said in an October speech, according to NPR. But, she added, the "scale of suffering" in Gaza is "heartbreaking." Along with President Joe Biden, Harris has pushed for Israel to negotiate a cease-fire with Hamas that brings the remaining hostages home. But she has also been more vocal than Biden about the challenges and devastation Gazans have faced. The fighting must end, she said, so Palestinians can obtain "dignity, security, freedom and self determination."

The United States wields INCREDIBLE power related to Israel and the Genocide!   When potentially losing Michigan – and thereby the 2024 Election- still “necessitates” – equivocating and trying to play a “middle ground” – which doesn’t in reality exists, I fail to see how – we – are going to be able to change policy after the election???

I do not see Kamala Harris’s – “humanity” – in her silence – and tacit support of Joe Biden.    Trump is “honest” about his love of the destruction of the Palestinian People.   Harris – says that she cares.   I don’t see her caring!   Perhaps – she “can’t” care- because she can’t and won’t change the – desire for Empire – that persists in the United States.

We remain stuck in the myth that we are “Exceptional”!   How are we Exceptional?   How have we treated Native People?   How have we treated Black People?

--

How do we treat Black People today?   Why should I believe that “U.S. Warns Israel It may restrict Military Aid if Gaza situation doesn’t improve” – MSNBC 12:32 pm E Time – 10/16/24 – means anything substantive?   How many Gazan people will starve – in the meantime????

NO MORE GENOCIDE NOW!   The harm will persist from what’s already been done.

When will the reparations – begin being paid?  

When will Kamala Harris apologize?  

I CAN NOT BELIEVE – THAT – IF KAMALA HARRIS – WINS THE ELECTION – THAT SHE WILL WORK – SERIOUSLY WORK – TOWARDS JUSTICE FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE!!!!

A Ceasefire is One – Small Step!   It will take much, much more!

You who read this – may “get it”!   Donald Trump won’t get it – agreed!

What is going on – requires – multiple truths – be spoken and heard!!!!!

1.   Trump being elected will be a disaster,

2.   A Disaster – of Genocide – has already – consumed the Palestinian People – in Gaza, The West Bank, “Israel” and throughout the rest of the world!

3.   I do not disagree with you – J and K – supporting Kamala Harris!!!

4.   I ask that you respect – me – and my perspective which says:   NEVER AGAIN – STARTS TODAY – AND STARTED OCTOBER 7, 2023, AND STARTED IN 1947-8, AND STARTED IN 1917 – AND STARTED BEFORE THEN.” 

In saying what I say, I don’t claim to “know the truth”!   I do however honestly say that while I am the grand-nephew of Israel’s first Nobel Laureate – SY Agnon and the great-grandson of George Marx (who I was named after) – who owned a bank and was a wealthy man in Germany – his ownership – was from 1895-1912, my –

EMOTIONAL ANCESTRY IS WITH –

 

H A J O   M E Y E R

In last interview, Auschwitz survivor urged Palestinians “not to give up their fight”

Adri Nieuwhof Activism and BDS Beat 25 August 2014



Hajo Meyer at his home in Heiloo, Netherlands on 29 July 2014.

 Adri Nieuwhof

I mourn the loss of Hajo Meyer, a friend who fearlessly raised his voice to combat Zionism and to express his support for the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom and equality. Hajo passed away in his sleep on 23 August, just days after his ninetieth birthday.

Hajo was born in 1924 and had to flee alone from Nazi Germany at the age of 14 because the Nazis would not allow him to attend school anymore. His parents sent him to the Netherlands in January 1939.

A year later, the Netherlands was occupied by Germany. In 1943, Hajo went into hiding but was captured by the Gestapo in March 1944 and deported to the Auschwitz death camp where the Nazis tattooed number “179679” on his arm.

After the war, Meyer returned to the Netherlands where he had a long career as a physicist. He also took up making violins in his retirement.

In a previous interview with The Electronic Intifada, Hajo said: “For as long as I can, I will continue to utter my criticism of inhuman Zionist behavior.”

On 29 July, I traveled to Meyer’s home in Heiloo in the Netherlands, to discuss the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, where the tired Hajo gave The Electronic Intifada his last interview.

I asked Hajo how he felt. “I can’t answer you positively, due to old age which prevents me from any activity in supporting the Palestinians,” he replied. “To be that old comes with such great loss of capacities, it is quite a task,” he said.

He reflected on how lucky he was to survive Auschwitz with some comrades.

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/last-interview-auschwitz-survivor-urged-palestinians-not-give-their-fight

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajo_Meyer

 

Hajo Meyer (born Hans-Joachim Gustav Meyer; 12 August 1924 – 23 August 2014) …

In his later years Meyer became politically active, including as director of A Different Jewish Voice. He was a member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network,[11] founded in 2008 and the Dutch political party GroenLinks.[12]  (NOTE:  his activism began – related to what transpired in Lebanon in the 1970’s and particularly the early 1980’s) …

Meyer wrote a book titled Het einde van het Jodendom (The End of Judaism) in 2003,[a]. In 2007 an English language edition of the book was published.[13]

In his book Meyer draws a comparison between the way Jews were treated in the nineteen thirties by the Germans in Germany and later in The Netherlands and what Israel is doing to the Palestinians, in Israel itself as well as in the occupied territories. All with the objective of making them leave the country. It was not until this strategy turned out not to work that Hitler began to consider other solutions.[14] Elements of this treatment were:

·        Dehumanizing Jews by referring to them as animals, parasites or a plague. The then Israeli Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon is quoted as speaking of the Palestinians as "cancer".[15] Prime Minister Ariel Sharon later corroborated this statement as "true and correct".[16] Former Minister of Education, Shulamit Aloni, confirmed the demonization of the Arabs in Israeli schoolbooks.[17]

·        Exaggerating the threat. Hitler was obsessed by the notion that Jews were planning to sweep Germany from the map.[18] Likewise Israelis insist that the Palestinians not only want to drive Israel into the sea, but actually have the capability to do so.[19]

·        Intimidation and harassment by the armed forces. Meyer finds it particularly painful that his "own people" are now involved in similar behaviour towards the Palestinians.[20]

·        Inflicting economic hardship by banning Jews from certain professions and boycotting Jewish stores. Analogous economic pressure has been put on Palestinians.[20]

·        Not intervening and looking the other way when they were being harassed by non-jewish citizens. Meyer recalls a Purim celebration for children that was broken up by the SA. Complaints to the police had no effect. Israelis have been reported as attacking Palestinian farmers during their harvesting and targeting Palestinian schools with impunity.[20]

·        Applying collective punishment. For instance: If a Jew did something that displeased the regime, his or her relatives could be punished for it. Likewise if a member of Hamas blows himself up, his family home may be destroyed.[21]

The book accuses the successive governments of Israel of using the Holocaust to downplay the suffering and injustices they inflict on the Palestinians.[22]

Contrary to what Israel's government would have everyone believe, criticism of Israel is not the same as anti-Semitism, Meyer writes.[23] In fact: "...at present the only reason to expect a revival of dangerous anti-Semitism is Israel's increasingly reprehensible policies".[23] Meyer encourages non-Jews to shed their guilt about the Holocaust and feel free to criticize Jews who are clearly committing crimes.[23] Jewish people and organizations must openly distance themselves from the current Israeli policies.[23]

Among other things, Meyer concludes that the State of Israel and Zionism have failed because they have not lived up to the promise of a safe haven for the persecuted Jews of the world.[24]

 

Meyer spoke of surviving Auschwitz through luck and through his close emotional connection to a fellow young man there – they supported each other.

 

I first heard of Hajo Meyer – in our JVP-Bay Area Anti-Zionist Ancestor’s Cohort – where I researched him to present within The Cohort!   Read his words above, please!

 

Hajo Meyer died in 2014 – at the age of 90!   Why are so many of his words – of over 10 years ago – remain vividly true today?

I connected also in my research with his niece – who is an American who is close to my age.

 

I conclude this writing crying – crying – crying!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

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