By John Q. Hosedrinker I was there. For what it’s worth, it was six people. She literally took time to meet with this group before the rally and reaffirmed her call for an immediate ceasefire. Despite that they still disrupted it. She was patient with them interrupting the rally until they wouldn’t stop. They aren’t really endearing anyone to feel Kamala was in the wrong here. It seems some of the uncommitted campaign was grateful for the willingness for open dialogue and others just want shit to burn. People were talking about this on X and basically saying that Kamala lost Michigan and how dare she! She literally responded to them before she said this. Trump would literally hand Palestine to Israel on a silver platter. Same goes for Ukraine. These people are so fucking stubborn and holier than though. If they sit out because of this, they’re idiots.
It’s almost like they don’t remember what a foreign policy disaster the alternative is and how the former president moved the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. saw an activist at my college (columbia) post that they want Trump to win so that they can organize liberals easier against a conservative leader for their “revolution.” I’m all for supporting Gaza, but some of these protesters are losing the message in their push for moral superiority.
I admit I’m not the most educated on the issue, but let’s be realistic about what not voting for Harris likely means for the people of Gaza. To all the people in here saying they’re going to vote for Jill Stein: have you learned nothing from the 2016 election?? Trump met with Bibi last week. What do you think he’ll do to Palestine if he wins office? Damn, these protesters are morons. If Trump wins, Palestine won’t exist. He’ll encourage all out war and encourage Israel to commit even more atrocities. Heck, he’ll probably send American troops there to help take Palestine.
Can you imagine having the absolute PRIVILEGE necessary to be a single-issue Gaza voter in this election? With abortion, voting, and LGBTQ rights on the line and Harris being the only thing standing in Project 2025’s way, and they’re gonna campaign against her? I cannot fathom the blinders these people have on. Harris was patient the first time she was interrupted, and said it’s important for all voices to be heard. Then they interrupted again, so I think they deserved the assertive reaction – and it went down very well with the massive crowd. You can’t disrupt an entire rally to feel special, while she’s explaining Project 2025, reproductive rights etc – ruins it for everyone else, and comprises her ability to beat Trump. Then yes, they’ll be left with a leader that cares 0% about Gaza.
Remember, these are the Jill Stein voters of 2024 – it’s an issue that Russia (and Iran) will jump on to cause further division online, since they hadn’t succeeded like 2016 so far. Do not allow these protestors to divide people when there’s been unity and positivity. She’s already distanced herself from Netanyahu, shown a bit more empathy than Biden and wants a ceasefire. She’s VP right now and follows Biden’s lead on policy. It’s very difficult for her to bring this topic up, without consequences. She should return to Michigan and voice her own thoughts to specific groups, but apparently she reached a hand out to protestors before the rally – little sympathy for them.
Not voting for Harris because she hasn’t denounced support for Israel is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Trump has promised MORE support and less restrictions on Israel. So what’s your end game here, guys? Pressure the dems for reining in and putting more pressure on Israel, sure, but not showing up to vote or voting for Trump is idiotic. What a bunch of idiots. There’s a time and place for your single-issue concerns, but a rally where we are gaining momentum to save America ain’t it. As someone said, put your own oxygen mask first. Can’t help Gaza is America burns. Even if she wanted to enact a complete embargo on Isreal, she can’t say that now before the election. They most understand that right? Screaming about Gaza at her now only helps Trump. They most know this. I don’t get it. If you’re concerned about Gaza, why would you not vote Democrat? There’s only 2 options, and one of them is a guy who said Netanyahu should “finish it.”
Democrats might not be as against Israel as you, but they’re not advocating for Israel to obliterate Gaza like Trump. This is pretty much my point of view on the Gaza thing. If you wanna vote third party or withhold a vote because the dem ticket isn’t pro Palestine enough, you should reassess your political priorities. What do you think a Trump regime is gonna do for Palestine that will be better than the Dems? And what do you think you’re gonna be able to do when democracy fails in the US? We’ve got bigger fish to fry in our own country currently. Sometimes it really feels these “pro Palestine protesters”do it for the clout and don’t really care about the issue. I can’t wrap my head around why they would want heckle the person who has said they shouldn’t ignore the truth of what’s going on in Gaza. Why not go protest the person who said they should just finish the job and flatten them? **This is the correct response.** I’ve seen many so-called Leftists who I know in my own personal IG accounts who within the past day immediately pivoted to attack Walz the second he announced his VP run, and it all aligned with the whole Gaza/Walkaway social media blitz. This is an OBVIOUS foreign influence social media operation. You guys are not fooling anyone, other than the most lost Leftists who are useful puppets of Right Wing propaganda every single time they need you to fall in line. Last time it was Jill Stein, this time it’s Kennedy and Cornell West, or whoever Russia is paying. It’s all “Divide the Left” propaganda being deployed by Russia and other hostile Anti-Democracy nations exploiting our social media vulnerabilities. People who think Trump will be better for Gaza than Kamala Harris really need to get help. And if you DON’T think Trump will be better for Gaza but you intend to sit out the election to punish Democrats, then that’s just cutting off your nose to spite your face. What is the hope here? She’s already criticized Israel, she’s called for a ceasefire, she’s been very open that she will continue to speak up and hold them accountable. So screaming at her rally does… what exactly? If you’re yelling just to yell, then say that. But what do you actually want?
Articulating that to her instead of just coming up with clever rhymes to chant and heckle at rallies would be a much better use of your time. She already said she’d be open to sitting down and having a discussion about it, and THEN you still chant during the rally? That’s what infuriates me. There’s no actual drive to accomplish anything, just to disrupt. Ain’t it weird how these protestors never seem to show up at a Trump rally? Interesting It is horrible that we’re stuck in a system that defaults to just 2 viable parties over and over again. We need to beat Donald in a landslide, with all the dirty dealings that’s already underway. Vote even if you’re in a solid blue or solid red state. Donald will be far worse for Palestinians. I am pro Palestine but was so annoyed with these protestors. She met with members of the uncommitted movement right before the rally. Them heckling her on the same day makes the whole meeting look like a waste of time. Good luck getting additional meetings with any president after that.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNg3j1CT/ her statement from this link was 2 weeks ago. She condemned Netanyahu for “the deaths of far too many innocent civilians” she referenced the dying children, the people fleeing their homes, she said “we cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent,” “there is a deal on the table for a ceasefire” and in that deal “Israel would withdraw from Gaza entirely” That the Palestinian people have the right to freedom dignity and self determination. She was wrong in the way that she shut the protestors down. It was stupid. It makes her look unsympathetic to their cause. But Harris already conceded the point. It appears that she is frustrated with them (and this is conjecture on my part) and probably believes that they aren’t acting in good faith. Otherwise why would they protest her, someone who is in support of what they are asking for? (At least from her perspective)
I understand that she could be doing more to try and stop the violence here let alone abroad, and she should have handled this better from a political science point of view. But I think this is more bad optics than anything else. And it could very well be an intentional effort by Republicans to try and sew division between Democrats and Progressives. Not saying that it IS, just that it COULD be. Where have their asses been on republican rallies? They seem to target only democrats while republicans openly support the war and Palestine’s destruction. AIPAC spent a lot of money in California to defeat a democrat and replace them with a republican yes man. Benjamin Netanyahu would rather have Trump win than Harris. *But that’s none of my business*
I’ve seen some friends get mad at this response. But what is she supposed to do? Stop the whole speech and rally to make it a dialog with these heckling protestors? That shows a massive disrespect to those that came for her speech. And these people shouting at her mid-speech wouldn’t exactly accept anything less because they feel entitled to her time clearly I am very much in favor of a free Palestine and the end of their occupation. But I also understand the dangers of single issue voting. This isn’t the way. More worried about a war on the opposite side of the world than the rights of their own brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. Besides American is not helping any Palestinians if Trump wins and projects 2025 kicks off We are taking care of our internal politics first. Outside influences need to take a back seat until after the election.
How big was the group? These news outlets want to paint Palestinian protesters as all like this, and it’s BS. It’s a small number. I’m pro Palestine, I’ve demonstrated, and I’m voting for Kamala. Man I’m so over the moral superiority complex of these individuals. Abstaining from voting is an individual choice, but it comes with consequences. They will have to explain to their woman friends, their LGBT friends and family that their rights are being rolled back because they decided to stay home to satisfy their ‘conscience’. Selfish. Why don’t these protestors go to trump rallies? It’s the evangelicals that want to raze all of Gaza and the West Bank to make way for the rapture. These protesters are absolute MORONS. Imagine that, the people who were threatening to cause trouble if they weren’t listened to by picking Shapiro still aren’t happy. Funny Exactly. Choose Harris or Trump. Which candidate would help the Palestinian people more? Aren’t her and Walz both far more pro Palestine than Biden? What exactly are these idiots protesting? Great idea boycotting Harris. This will let Trump win, and they think he will support their cause? These people are beyond stupid. This is honestly a perfect example of why voting based solely on one issue is a horrible idea. I’m sure it feels great ***right now*** to say “Well, fuck you, we’re voting for someone else” and heckle Harris, but *hoooooly shittt* is that extremely short-sighted considering the alternative. Ever get tired of carrying the weight of these single issue voters? Project 2025 will harm my immediate family, my parents, my in-laws. Not to mention the many other ways it harms a majority of America. But sure…heckle the person that will prevent all of that as if she can wave a wand a make rainbows and unicorns appear in Palestine, not that there is a sitting president that she is the VP for and that president is in charge of negotiation (between two parties that each selfishly want the war to continue) nor can she subvert / agree to any details that could jeopardize that. You can fight for the correct cause (ceasefire) and still go about it in a way that really makes you a total AH in everyone’s eyes. slow clap…. Wow… She said the quiet part out loud and rebuked these asshats. If Trump wins, there will no longer be any Palestinians in Gaza for sure. I honestly don’t know what the protesters’ play is here. A Harris win means that peace is still on the table, while a Trump win means he slides the keys for the arsenal over to Bibi with a wink and a nudge saying, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” I don’t understand what their goal is. Kamala’s right, that kind of interruptive protest only helps Trump. Does anyone honestly think Trump is better for Palestine? With the binary election system we have here In the US, I’m glad she said what I’ve said in my head. Imagine directing your protests at a party who is actually sympathetic to your cause rather than protesting the leader of a party who holds private meetings at a golf club with the prime minister of Israel and gives zero fucks about the future of Palestine. Fucking dipshits. Does anyone else notice that the folks willing to forego this election or vote third party, are mostly based in CA & NY? It’s like they know that their state will go blue anyways. They also haven’t felt the intensity of living amongst and working with hard core maga supporters like those in states like FL .. (myself). That’s the part I find a bit disingenuous and difficult to reconcile… To be fair to the protestors, Biden, I imagine, is completely inaccessible now. Kamala is the current VP. Palestinians are going to suffer over the next 3+ months still. And she hasn’t exactly made it clear what she intends to do about it. But as a matter of political strategy, Trump is a worst-case scenario for Palestinians. So we need Kamala to win 1st. Also, she is in the awkward position of needing to campaign on her platform while supporting what Biden is doing. And trying to keep the people who want to stop genocide in the fold while not getting millions and millions more AIPAC money spent against her. So I don’t expect she will clear up her position much. If the protests mattered and they forced this ticket to commit to withholding Israel aid until humanitarian aid was allowed in Gaza or something to that effect, that would be great. But I don’t think that is a possibility right now. Protest hard when she takes office if she isn’t doing the right things. Edit: Also, it’s not at all a sure thing, but I take the VP pick of Walz over Shapiro to be a small hint that she might be better than Biden on things like this. I’m tired of trying to appease to the unappeasable. Of course she wants a ceasefire, the overwhelming majority of the party does. But it’s also a difficult political position that continues to get tougher when you see Hamas flags in the protest groups and people burning the American flag and vandalism… No president is gong to cuddle up to that. Do this at a Trump event. Harris/Walz is more sympathetic to your cause than Trump is. If you let Trump win he won’t do a damn thing to help Gaza.