Biden Is Putting Arab Americans in an Impossible Position

Didn't Trump literally already say he was bringing back the Muslim ban and making it worse? But ok, I guess vote for him anyway. Most republican voters vote against their own interests all the time so they'll fit right in until they're deported.

If Arabs don't vote for Joe or stay home pouting on the couch on election day, the only thing they'll accomplish is to enable the tragic national nightmare of a second trump misadministration and a whole new tsunami of violent, stochastic terrorism-driven Islamophobia that has already cost innocent Muslim Americans their lives

I really, REALLY hate this line of thinking. I mean with the burning passion of a thousand suns.

Biden is in an unenviable position. Hamas started this war by launching an unprovoked attack knowing full well they couldn't handle the crackback. Israel has taken their retaliation way too far, well beyond the point of being defensible. They've bombed refugee camps and hospitals and when asked about the civillian casualties, basically said "sucks to be them". What they are doing now is committing the exact genocide that they themselves have been worried about for decades if not centuries now. Biden made a mistake by continuing to stand by Israel even after they admit to and just shrug off the atrocities they commit on the daily, but there was never a position where Biden could pick a side (or even choose to remain neutral) without alienating an entire community of people.

And in almost any other situation, I may agree with them in their desire to either vote for another candidate or just sit home. But there are literally only three options here: Hold your nose and vote for Biden, vote for Trump in protest of Biden, or sit home and not vote at all, which is a de facto vote for Trump. In the immortal words of Rush, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." And that choice benefits Trump.

No matter how pissed off you are at Biden right now, do you think it would be any better under Trump? Did the Trump administration give you any indication that Trump is going to suddenly be sympathetic to an entire race of people that he to this day continues to use racial slurs to describe?

Your choices are (a) Biden, or (b) someone exponentially worse than Biden. That's it. This is the reality of the situation. If you do not choose (a), you're choosing (b). If you don't choose at all, you'll be given (b) by default. Your only realistic option is to choose (a). Doing anything else because you disagree with the path Biden chose to take will do nothing but make the situation worse. There is no other option. Voting against Biden or choosing to stay home in protest is a textbook example of cutting off your own nose to spite your face. I stopped supporting Israel in any of this the minute they thought bombing a hospital and writing off hundreds of patients as expendable collateral damage was in some way acceptable, but no matter how much I disagree with Biden's policies, I also know that the only other option available is much, much worse.

Be careful what you wish for, guys. You might get it.

It's too bad Americans can only choose between senile old people or criminals to be president

That's the reality of the two party system. They don't matter, because what are they ultimately gonna do, vote for the other guy?

Man the amount of people in this thread that can't understand that some people don't want to vote for someone who is supporting a genocide of their own people. "But Trump is worse!" Well, yeah, but this is still pretty fucking bad, and were I American I'd hesitate to support it too. It's not like most of these people will vote for Trump, they'll just stay home or vote for a 3rd party.

“Look, we’re not silly—we know what Trump has done to our communities,” says Amer Zahr, the president of the Dearborn-based New Generation for Palestine. But when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he continues, “The policies are basically the same. Except when Trump does it, you get some pushback from the Democratic Party.”

Positively delusional.

So they're going to vote for Trump? Trump is a very strong ally to Israel. Trump certified their land grab of the golan heights. Best guess is he would certify the land grab of all of gaza

I still don't understand why the US only has a two-party system, and both of them suck ass. Can't they elect someone else who actually has actual goals that actually benefit the country and its people? Why aren't they allowed to do something like this? So much for freedom.

The two party system is the system we have because we believe in the efficacy of it. I know we make the "vote blue no matter who" arguments but thats fucking exactly what they want. The parties are perfectly positioned to secure different sections of voters and lock them in. Where I felt like I wouldnt want another choice two weeks ago, I am far more likely to consider it now.

TBF, if Time magazine is saying this then it should cause at least some general concern as we're a week + one year out from the vote. Single issue voters exist. I'm not addressing/excusing the rationale behind this and I can't believe I'm calling this pain down on myself, but where are all the "big tent Dems" at? I mean, we can rationalize pandering to the right to pick up house moms that would otherwise vote for Trump, but the concerns of the Arab Americans are a bridge to far? This seems like a blind spot that could come back to haunt us like not campaigning in the midwest in 16'.

Before I get the "blue no matter whos" choir on me as well, just remember there's a saying that proceeded that; "Democrats vote with their heart" and we need to be very mindful of everyone that relates to, as we can't afford to lose anyone. Hate doesn't need to be rational. It often finds it's best fuel to be emotion.

"both sides" ☝️🤓

Yeah this is the point at which pressure to pick a side, even if it's a contest between unacceptable options, gets in the way of being able to have the conversations necessary for a people to engage in self-governance.

Would I like it if I could vote directly on the question of whether or not to send money and military aid to a country engaged in apartheid and genocide? From my POV Israel should be pressured to choose between having US backing and continuing to commit obvious crimes against humanity, but unfortunately the false-binary rhetoric field is super-strong on this issue and obvs that means I should be shamed for being nazi-level anti-semitic or something like that /s

HOW DARE THE BROWN PEOPLE NOT VOTE FOR OUR PREFERRED GREMLIN? DON'T THEY KNOW OUR GREMLIN WILL EAT TWICE AS FEW FACES AS THE OTHER SIDES GREMLIN? IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT, A GREMLIN THAT EATS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF FACES? THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM WHEN IT COMES TO GREMLINS AND FACE EATING.

only 17% of Arab American voters saying they will vote for Biden in 2024—a staggering drop from 59% in 2020.

Alternate headline: 42% of Arab Americans decide to assist in electing the greater evil because Palestine.

Arab Americans? That's just Americans, so maybe start thinking like Americans.