Muslim leaders in swing states pledge to ‘abandon’ Biden over his refusal to call for ceasefire [Dec 03 2023 | Edward Helmore | The Guardian]
Muslim leaders in swing states pledge to ‘abandon’ Biden over his refusal to call for ceasefire [Dec 03 2023 | Edward Helmore | The Guardian]
Warnings that president stance on the war risks losing support of community in states critical to his chances for re-election
“We are not powerless as American Muslims. We are powerful. We don’t only have the money, but we have the actual votes. And we will use that vote to save this nation from itself,” Hussein said. “Families and children are being wiped out with our tax dollars,” he added. “What we are witnessing today is the tragedy upon tragedy.”
From behind a lectern that read “Abandon Biden, ceasefire now”, leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania issued similar warnings that the president could not afford to lose the support of the Arab-American community in states critical to his chances for re-election.
A recent poll showed Biden’s support among Arab Americans has plunged from a comfortable majority in 2020 to 17%.
About 3.45 million Americans identify as Muslim, or 1.1% of the country’s population, and the demographic tends to lean Democratic, according to Pew Research Center. Like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania are also home to significant Arab-American populations and critical to Biden’s re-election mathematics.
“The anger in our community is beyond belief,” Hussein, who is Muslim, told the Associated Press. “One of the things that made us even more angry is the fact that most of us actually voted for President Biden. I even had one incident where a religious leader asked me: ‘How do I get my 2020 ballot so I can destroy it?’”
Against a backdrop of pro-Palestinian protest in the US, Muslim leaders gathered in Dearborn said Biden or the likely Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, were not their only choices next year, and they could choose to sit out the election.
So they'll help to elect Trump, who's even more pro-Israel? Great idea! /s
74Trump is pro Israel? Please. He is just anti-Muslim to higher degree than antisemite.
21They named one of the illegal West Bank settlements after Trump. He’s probably a Zionist because he’s antisemitic. It wouldn’t be the first time a politician supported Israel because they wanted their country’s Jewish population to move there.
14He is pro Israel as an evangelical construct, which is what the likud party is.
6The opposite of pro Israel is not antisemitic.
1
On the one hand, their pro-Palestinian politics are morally valid and increasingly popular as the world watches horrifying human rights violations in Gaza- I agree with them, it's important to put pressure on the Democrats to get on the right side of this issue.
On the other hand, I honestly think we are one GOP sweep victory away from an end to democracy in the USA- and my take on that is that the establishment-Dems probably think a 4-year stint of being punished by Republicans will teach those uppity leftists and minorities to toe the line better and in the interim they're pretty sure they'll be fiiine.
The reason I lose sleep over this sort of thing is I believe that once political power becomes decoupled from the consent of the governed, the rights and protections that arise in the constitution will become instead favors granted by an unaccountable power, contingent on whether or not they find you supplicant enough. Also we shouldn't count on being able to vote our way out of a situation where the rules prevent voting from making a difference- should it come to that, it's dark days friends
38I would argue it is actually the opposite.
The establishment understands how massively fucked we are and are trying to do whatever it takes to survive.
The progressive branch are openly attacking the President and inadvertently strengthening third parties (aka "spoilers"). This has largely been the case since 2016 (once there was a progressive/"progressive" candidate who actually stood a snowball's chance).
I have a hard time telling muslims they are wrong for being angry at Biden. Hell, I am angry at Biden. But it isn't like it will accomplish anything. Not voting for Biden is effectively voting for trump. And trump is openly hateful of Muslims.
Maybe its just the East Asian mentality. But we long ago learned that you more or less have to support the lesser evil, even if they are actively shitting on you and attacking you. Because the alternative will do so much worse.
11Maybe its just the East Asian mentality. But we long ago learned that you more or less have to support the lesser evil, even if they are actively shitting on you and attacking you. Because the alternative will do so much worse.
Is this an East Asian mentality? It would explain a bit about about my beliefs (although I suppose technically I was raised with a South Asian ethos)
1
Being a bit too pessimistic is not good for the human brain.
What ever happens we humans are good at adapting.
Some of us on the far left see the blues/reds as the same, corrupt and paid for. RFK Jr. is also pro-war, so he is in the same bracket, to a degree.
End of democracy talk has been said for decades, nothing new. Looking at what both parties, we know we live in an oligarchy already.
I would still suggest to watch and learn from people out of your bubble so as to have a more general view of what people think.
-21
What a bunch of utter morons. "Let's abandon the guy who isn't doing as much for us as we would like and instead vote for a guy who will actively oppress us!"
34Honestly this is one of the few times I get it. You don't want to vote for the guy that supplying the arms that are killing your people, even if he's the better pick.
Like if it was Jews and they had the choice between someone pro holocaust and someone VERY pro holocaust, then I can very much sympathise why they wouldn't want to vote for either.
1They don't have to vote for Trump. They could just deny Biden the votes you think he's entitled to by staying home.
"Not Trump" is a message that does not work across all voters. If that's all we're running on, let's hope we don't need those votes.
-16if denying trump a vote is +1, then voting for biden is +2 against trump. if you care at all about not wanting trump, you should do the thing that most tips the scales
1
Incorrect, they can vote for 3rd parties. Americans people need to know a 3rd party exists instead of money grabbing politicians who spend billions on ads.
-26Third parties exist at the local and, arguably, state level. And there are strong reasons to get a third party in office. I have a lot of issues with him, but Sanders was a third party (who would run as a Democrat to ensure he had no competition...) and undeniably influenced the current rise of progressive Democrats in government.
But once you get to the presidential election? A third party vote just means you are voting against your own interests. Because if you are left leaning and vote for a Green party candidate? That is a net vote for the republican. Same if you are a right wing fascist and vote for a libertarian.
At the end of the day: vote your heart in local and state elections. Same with Primaries. But when it comes time for the presidential election? Swallow your pride, lay back, think of England (and how much they fucked themselves over), and vote for your own self interests even if you hate the wannabe cop with an outright cop VP.
11When will people learn that Third Parties don’t work in this country with the electoral college, plus all it’ll do in guarantee Trumps victory.
2
Right, like Muslims were voting for Biden in the first place. Something I learned early and hardcore, was the worst of them are the ones who already got theirs. These Muslims who are going to "abandon" Biden, were already voting to have other Muslims restricted from entering the states, I guarantee you.
I know Cubans who want to close borders, I know Mexicans who can't stand other immigrants and even fly god damn rebel flags on their trucks, it's fucking wild.
One of my friends is Indian -- they immigrated to the USA, and his parents are in a pretty elevated caste, and they are Trump supporters through and through. They sit there chanting "Build The Wall" like idiots...
29I can’t really wrap my head around that kind of thinking. It’d be fascinating sociologically if it wasn’t so sad and evil and ongoing.
8I've been using the term "ladder kickers" for a few months regarding people like this
7I will say that I know quite a few Asian "white supremacists". My mother is basically one. They got theirs and seem to forget that we are the whipping boys every time anything bad happens (if it weren't for my Grandmother being brutally attacked, and likely murdered if my Uncle had not demonstrated the stereotype and gone Bruce Lee to beat the ever loving shit out of some mother fuckers, I would laugh). The weekly call back home has been increasingly frustrating and hilarious as I watch someone who spent the past twenty years mainlining fox news trying to come to terms with being their bogeyman.
That said: I am not convinced it is particularly worse than any other demographic. Well to do(-ish) boomers tend to shift republican because that is what they were indoctrinated into and they think they will benefit. Millenials, who haven't been corrupted by 4chan and south park, tend to vote liberal, if not leftist, because we know shit matters. Doesn't matter if you are white, yellow, brown, red, or black or anything in between those ridiculously racist skin color shorthands.
6
These Muslims who are going to “abandon” Biden, were already voting to have other Muslims restricted from entering the states, I guarantee you.
Source?
2pretty elevated caste, and they are Trump supporters through and through
Birds of a feather...
0You should participate in the steeple chase in the olympics. Because you're pretty good at jumping...to conclusions.
0
Cutting off your nose to spite your face.
28Have fun with a Trump presidency again. The Muslim ban might end up permanent. Sometimes you have to pick the guy not actively trying to destroy the US even if it's not exactly the person you want. Put up a better candidate.
23Given that Trump is super fucking racist and will try to gut any checks on his power, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Muslim ban becomes a Muslim concentration camp thing.
The dude has stated that he is going to use the state to go after his political foes. And called leftists “vermin”. Seriously unhinged bullshit.
18
This all or nothing mentality never works out well for Palestine, nor will it for its American supporters.
8The unfortunate reality is that there are only two choices, and one of those is clearly better even if unacceptable. When it comes to minimizing how many people are killed, there's a very clear answer on who to pick.
2
They dont realize they’d be on the other side of it- it’s always “yeah but he’s not about me” with this idiots.
5They said "they not only have the money"
I.e. They're rich fucks and not worth reporting on.3Most people don't like genocide, especially when it's happening to their families.
1
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Muslim community leaders gathered on Saturday in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US, to protest against Joe Biden’s refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating that the president’s stance could affect his support in crucial swing states next year.
Jaylani Hussein, director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said that Biden’s unwillingness to call for a ceasefire had damaged his relationship with the American-Muslim community beyond repair.
From behind a lectern that read “Abandon Biden, ceasefire now”, leaders from Michigan, Minnesota, Arizona, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania issued similar warnings that the president could not afford to lose the support of the Arab-American community in states critical to his chances for re-election.
In Arizona, where Biden won by about 10,500 votes, there are more than 25,000 Muslim voters according to the US Immigration Policy Center at the University of California San Diego, said Phoenix pharmacist Hazim Nasaredden.
While the Biden administration has resisted pressure to call for a permanent halt in fighting, and continues significant weapons transfers to Israel, senior officials are going further in expressing their discomfort with the high level of civilian casualties.
Against a backdrop of pro-Palestinian protest in the US, Muslim leaders gathered in Dearborn said Biden or the likely Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, were not their only choices next year, and they could choose to sit out the election.
The original article contains 996 words, the summary contains 239 words. Saved 76%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
4So, here's a reality check for anyone who is apparently naive as fuck, what you or anyone else, including the president, thinks about the situation over there literally does not matter. Your opinions are worth less than shit and will only incite people against you so the best thing to do would be to discuss behind closed doors to try and stop the hostilities, taking a public stance on something where you ABSOLUTELY have no business being involved in, is how you get terrorist cells activated in your fucking country.
Netanyahu and Hamas deserve each other, the civilians in either country don't want this, and worthless trash crying about it from countries completely uninvolved in the conflict make you look incredibly fucking stupid.
"If we all sign this petition/tweet this complaint hamas will stop raping and dismembering isrealis and the isdf will stop their genocide" Easily the stupidest fucking takes I've ever seen.
1I disagree with your thinking process.
US history has many great activists that spoke out and helped change things for the better.
Being scared will not help, being principled and fighting back against the duopoly is a gopd fight.
0
And the Republicans are ROTFLMAO'ing all the way to their "Red Caesar" ( go search that ) dictatorship.
They will have an extremely poor liklihood of healthy, let-alone happy, lives, after the Christofascist White Supremacist wins his GEOTUS crowning.
shruggeth
A Darwin Award they are earning, then.
( and I'm saying that as a person who has stated openly that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is the SAME as what Russia has been doing to Ukrainians.
Remember Mariupol?
Was it Kherson or Kharkiv that they used their evil "heavy flame-thrower" on, back near the beginning? )
_ /\ _
1hard to understand how they think this helps
do they really think any Republican is gonna be better ?
-1Nope, but this way Democrats might actually try to do something to get those votes.
1I am not going to pretend I like how Biden has been handling Israel (or a lot of other topics)
But if "We are not fascists who openly want to put children in cages and create a real life Gilead" is not "earning" votes then.. I don't know what you even want.
4@NoneOfUrBusiness @jimmydoreisalefty
The American people, according to the polling I have seen are pretty solidly behind Biden
Now this may seem strange here on mastodon, but that is reality
2
I think letting people know what groups/people are up to is good, so like what happend in 2016 will not be a surprise.
Both parties are corrupt, they won't just change just because you keep voting for them.
We must openly show them that they need to win our vote, and even then it is not a given that they will receive it.
-7