Morning I thought UAW (United Auto Workers) leadership stated it succinctly, "If we want peace, if we want real democracy, and if we want to win this election, the Democratic Party must allow a Palestinian American speaker to be heard from the DNC stage tonight."
I spent hours calling representatives and helping friends call their representatives to get at least two minutes for Rep. Ruwa Romman of Georgia to speak from the main stage on behalf of Palestinian Americans. In her vetted speech, she would have endorsed Harris-Walz and encouraged uncommitted voters to unite behind them. But none of that happened. This was an immense opportunity for goodwill squandered by the Harris-Walz camp.
Afternoon A colleague I hadn't seen all summer asked me if I was excited Kamala Harris is a presidential nominee. I must have looked blank because he clarified, "She's an Indian woman!" This no doubt comes from a well-meaning place, but I probably have more in common with her Marxist professor father than with someone who was a D.A.
And also, I wondered if it would be rude if I in turn asked him if he was excited because Trump is a presidential nominee as they're both white men.
Evening Snippets from the Democratic National Convention.
"I will ensure America always has the most lethal fighting force..." (Kamala Harris)
"U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" (crowd)
"So they put a rifle in my hand/sent me off to a foreign land/to go and kill the yellow man" (Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." plays overhead) [Why do people think this is a patriotic song to play at conventions?!]
8 comments:
I mean. I don't know. I am excited because republican policies are terrible and hers will be less terrible.
Take care.
What Sarah said. But since you've opened the topic...
I'm so sick and tired of going to the polls and voting for one person because I dislike the other person more. If you really want to get into it, the Democrats and Republicans are two sides of the same coin. If we want things to change we need a new system. Ranked-choice voting would be a step in the right direction. Term limits would be another. When Biden was still the democratic candidate, I thought seriously about voting for Jill Stein, or the Libertarian candidate (they both think the US should be armed but neutral, bring all troops home, put the focus on negotiating peace rather than war.) But now... I'll vote for Harris. Once again, the lesser of two evils. I do have to admit that I would love to see our country have a woman president- a step in the right direction.
I vote for what will bring about the greater good. Not just for me, but for everyone. I've never been a Single Issue Voter because I cannot be that selfish. My family and I did okay under the 45 presidency, but I couldn't stand what happened to communities of colour, of LGBTQ+ people, of those in poverty, of women needing childcare and birth control. I couldn't stand what happened to the character and esteem of America/Americans. I couldn't stand how hate, racism, misogyny, and Christian Nationalism became accepted and flaunted. No single issue makes all of this okay in my mind. Again, I cannot be that selfish, that unkind, and that cruel to condemn women, children, marginalized communities, and people who need a hand up to the ravages of that individual (and Project 2025) again. Never.
Fair enough. And I'm genuinely happy for you.
Thanks.
Jenny--This is really where it's at for me. I'm aligned with the Dems, but they won't *act*--like what was to stop them from codifying Roe in the last 50 years while they could?!?!
Yes, it's high time for a woman president, but also this would be feminist purely in the girlboss sense--not in the anti-capitalistic, anti-patriarchy, anti-militaristic sense.
Yes to all of this, Nance. I think of this by Tim Foley: "I criticize the Democrats more than the Republicans because they require more criticism. That Republicans are evil is obvious at a glance to anyone with a conscience; that Democrats are evil is much less obvious, and usually requires quite a bit more consciousness and commentary to understand."
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