In today’s [May 30] Mehdi Unfiltered, both guests discussing Biden’s political future referred to the Democratic Party as a “big tent.” No, it isn’t. The tent is smaller and far more exclusive.
Foremost among those getting an ‘Unwelcome’ sign are members of the Party’s left. When Tom Perez became DNC Chair he promptly removed 4 of the 5 members of DNC leadership who had supported Bernie Sanders. When Donna Brazile was DNC Chair she leaked the topics to be discussed to the Clinton campaign before HRC’s debate with Sanders. When Cheri Bustos was DCCC Chair and The Squad was elected to the House, Bustos declared that the DCCC would boycott any political consultant helping any candidate who challenged an incumbent Democrat.
The list of actions by the Democratic Party to suppress its left flank is far longer and is shameful.
Biden’s not going to win. I’m a 67 year old white woman and I’m here to tell you we’re huge in numbers against Zionist Biden. AIPAC who’s funding his racist campaign against the Palestinians is the enemy we’re going all in to defeat them because our entire government is owned by Israel and that’s gotta stop! I’m a lifelong democrat but won’t vote Biden or Trump, Jill Stein is getting my vote. If the DNC would tell genocide Joe he’s gotta resign and endorse a non AIPAC candidate we’d win by a landslide! Biden hasn’t fulfilled one progressive campaign promise either and they’re running the same lines to reelect a loser. I voted uncommitted and I’m done with Biden and Trump he’ll lose and it’s all on him not us. He should run for the PM of Israel because that’s where his heart is not America
Their campaigns need to focus on specific states. If West can win in NY & Stein wins in CA (or vice versa), they can essentially define the Democratic Party’s policies for the next administration.
Husam belongs to the generation of younger Palestinians who are articulate in the English language; challenging American accented 'lie in your face' of Netanyahu. Mehdi unfair insistence to comment on the current popularity of Hamas over PA is just giving oxygen to Netanyahu's wedge policy. Ceasefire and Stop the Genocide is what matters.
I couldn’t believe my ears. Had I not been watching the faces I would have thought it was a Piers Morgan show! When did Mahdi turn into Piers? Enough of “Do you condemn Hamas”. Killing of innocent people is wrong full stop. BUT the occupied and terrorised Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves period!
Also, the Ambassador was answering very eloquently and it is up to all the people of Palestine to decide on their future leaders of a unified government. I was so enraged by this line of questioning that I had to turn off.
I agree. While I understand that he is trying to preempt/address the kinds of questions that live on the Right, it's time to get more "Centrist" and re-center the discussion on the same kinds of "basics" that do live very well on the Right. The Right are all saying "Israel has the right to defend itself" while no one - except us everyday people - are saying "Palestinians have the right to defend themselves." We need more leading voices to just say that much. No more defensive false equivalences, just go all out EQUIVALENCE. End of story. Don't wanna call it "genocide"? So what. Mass murder is still very, very bad. Biden - you're not Genocide Joe, you're Mass Murderer Joe. It's still deplorable. Israel is a democracy? Ok, so what actual Basic Rights does it offer and protect for the Palestinians? What are they? Name them, list them, then hold them accountable to when they are denying them. But don't just fanfare over a bunch of rhetoric that has become oh-so very HOLLOW that everyday people can see is bullshit. The sheer numbers and scale of devastation is visible. It's not hidden. Nobody normal and decent can say this is "just Israel defending itself." We don't want Trump. But the Dems are showing that they are not grown ups, either. Mehdi, time to turn things around. So many people just want to be able to embrace Palestinians as the regular humans that they are. Let's shift the tone that can shift the discourse, and then we can shift more hearts and minds.
I haven't finished listening to the whole thing yet, but feel compelled to try to get my thoughts out... Can anyone be surprised that the people existing in a current he%ll of death and utter destruction would look at a poll and check x for an organization like ha%m-as because it's likely the most active org they've seen for most of their lives? And become so disheartened that maybe they were like "what even matters anymore; this he%ll is neverending"
I do agree that the ambassador is correct in trying to get across that the root of all the atrocities is how the western countries gave over and set up the occupation and ok'd horror against the people for like 100 years.
I sort of wish he could have at least at one point said something like "of course the destruction on Oct 7th was horrible and the PLA would never want to condone that" But on the other hand; why do Palestinian interviewees have to constantly condemn hammas with every bloody thing they talk about?
Erin, I don't know if you are just asking a rhetorical question, here, or an earnest one. The answer is simple - it is a ploy for power. There are people very well trained in "the arts of communication" who have figured this out. Tomes written on such tricks. It works because people are ignorant and racist/tribal. Look at sports fan "loyalties" for proof. The tricks around language/rhetoric are powerful. That is why. What I don't understand is why those of us in the Human Rights/Equal Rights camp are so poorly trained in these arts that we do not have more voices/leaders who can establish the framework in a non-defensive manner. I get that the powerful have even more tools - like kicking you off the platform. But today, we have more accessible technology than ever. You cannot fool everybody all of the time, everywhere. All of our media folks -including Mehdi or Owen Jones, they could learn a few things from, for example, the public speakers of JVP and NotinOurName. Those folks have been amazingly articulate about the issues. Instead of just "interviewing" them, people like Mehdi should be SCALING their form and content of messaging. That is not happening, which is frustrating. No worries. The rest of us can learn. Take everyone mocking this "But what about Khamas" line and turn it around everywhere you go. What about the $312-Billion worth of weapons that the Israelis have that clearly are USELESS against Hamas, but could have fixed a lot of problems in America. What about Palestinian Rights? Can you name them? Do you know what happens that gives them guarantees? Do you know how they live? Do you know anything about them? What's your identity? What if we took all people like you, put them into the state of Rhode Island and said you could never leave. And then the rest of us got to control your access to H2O and all utilities? Would you be ok with that? You see, the list goes on. We can all go on the attack like this, but I never see anyone do it. It's always defensive posturing. Exactly what we now understand happens to Black Americans. They always have to prove that they are the ones who are not violent, when in fact, it was all the ancestors of those Anglo Whites in the South and New England who committed the deplorable enslavement. Just like Jane Eyre. We learned how their privileged lives were held up by slavery, brutal colonialism, etc. But no one puts together that The Royal Family are these modern day celebrities as a result of all that generational wealth built on violence. It is all a mental trick. So stop asking why. This is the answer. This is the nature of power. What many people intend is that they do not believe in Equality or Human Rights. So then what? That's a different matter. First, we call it out. Get them to admit it. Then we figure out what next. The "why" is power. Now do what you need to do in your own sphere of influence.
Mr Mehdi who can put Piers Morgan in his pocket anytime should not parrot his (Piers) lazy line of questioning. Talking about symptoms and evading the actual cause is just being mischievous. All power to Husam and his eloquence.
I respectfully disagree. If we truly want Americans to support the Palestinian cause, Palestinian leaders must not run away from the issue of the October 7 attack. The attack was not the only issue Husam avoided. He also refused to discuss the popularity of Hamas. While that is understandable, it is regrettable. And if Palestinian leaders won’t even condemn the 10/7 attack, it makes the jobs of those defending Israel in Congress and the media that much easier.
Biden is just as much of an existential threat to our national security as Trump is. Biden and the Dems continue to betray Black voters. This government doesn't work for the people, it works for Empire. The corruption runs deep. I am done.
Oct 7th?!? Turned into the piers morgan show all the sudden rephrasing hos BS condemnation question. Disappointed in that question and pressuring mehdi.
MEHDI, after 8 months of complicity in the Palestinian massacres, perhaps it’s time for all of us to demand that Biden resign or be impeached. As a democratic voter since the early 1970’s, it pains me to support GOP calls for impeachment of Biden, but I do so for different reasons: genocide. Seldom if ever discussed, is how the massacres are contributing to the death of the Earth; ecocide—aggravating the climate crisis.
VP Kamala Harris is more than qualified to assume the presidency. As a woman of color and a formidable prosecutor, she would likely reenergize a demoralized Democratic base disparaged and betrayed by the president.
Obviously, if it’s a choice between Trump & Biden, we must vote democratic to save our democracy. Let’s do so recognizing that Biden’s support for fascist Netanyahu, who supports Trump, is helping our wannabe dictator.
Let’s mitigate our complicity by writing short & polite letters to Biden: WhiteHouse.gov.
I will not vote for a war criminal… and to me Harris is no better. She too is supporting the genocide of Palestinians and utter destruction of Gaza. At some point one has to decide to not vote for the “lesser evil” and start the anvil swinging back to a place of humanitarian dignity and vision. And to me Biden is as evil and fascist as Netanyahu and DT, etc.
Alice, I’ll defend your a right to support and advocate for Trump and his GOP. I oppose the spread of disinformation, Gaslighting and obfuscation.
While Harris advocacy for Israel is problematic and her marriage to an admitted Zionist concerning, she does not create policy; the VP follows and supports the Pres. I continue to support holding the Pres accountable; demanding he resign or be impeached. That would send a clear message that decades of US support for Israel must ended while we also must advocate for protection of the human right for all everywhere and anywhere.
“And to me Biden is [not] as evil and fascist as Netanyahu and DT, etc.” This statement is brazenly disingenuous, Gaslights and appears meant disinform and obfuscate; encourages voting for 3rd parties to help Trump’s GOP. To be kind, it might represent political ignorance.
The fact that you and I can have this conversation proves that Biden/Harris are fascist lite while Trump and the GOP pose an existential threat to our democracy, health/safety and to life on Earth.
While we have the 2-party system, voting for 3rd parties aids and abets the treasonous GOP cult, a “party” that seeks to impose a dictatorship—Trump has been more candid than many subscribers on this platform.
I respectfully encourage you to subscribe to an anti democratic Substack where you would be supporting those more aligned with your efforts to undermine our imperfect democracy.
Mehdi substantially shares my views; that we must vote for the Dem Party and nonviolently crush the GOP; while we remain a 2-party electoral system.
I would encourage you to respond, but I’m unlikely to reciprocate. We can agree to disagree; unlikely possible if the GOP wins in Nov. 2024.
Mehdi Hassan, despite providing us with provocative and insightful coverage, in my humble opinion, continues to focus on status quo/western ideation…by confronting the ambassador and seeking to disavow Hamas publicly and insert the Israeli propaganda of division among the Palestinian people. That is an internal matter. Hamas is a governing authority with a military branch fighting a genocidal occupation in their soil. Many of the accusations made by the west and Biden , zionist propaganda of mass rapes and beheaded babies have been disproven. When is Hassan going to follow his own statements that much of the horrible crimes attributed to Hamas on Oct 7 did not happen(in an earlier Hassan segment). Many of us do not call Hamas a terrorist group…they have the right to defend themselves. I take umbrage of his treatment of the ambassador.
Establishment Dems need to come to terms with the reality that Biden - ALONE - can do what they are claiming - save American Democracy - but by stopping his endorsement of this mad, mad war against the Palestinian people. He barely acknowledges that they are also humans. Guardian reporting two more people leaving the federal government because of a culture of hypocrisy around who gets to be human on whose clock. Biden alone can save American Democracy - he can either choose to step down before November or full-scale halt the weapons shipments, stop the violence, insist on negotiations for a two-state solution. Period. If he even just stood up and firmly said this, he would stop looking weak and frail like the very old man that he is. Whatever framework you wanna apply - toxic masculinity or just all around geopolitical smarts - just stand up and say "Enough is enough! We're ending this now." And he can win back so many votes, young and older. Or, he could step down. Even those of us who would begrudgingly go to the trough because we have more sophisticated demands, we would go. But right now, it's all so disgusting - the blatant, bald-faced dehumanizing of Palestinians and Palestinians alone - that I just cannot vote for the Dems at all. Biden - one man - he has the power. He could make a big statement and then all the civil servants will be bickering over whether what he said was an Executive Order vs legislated, and it could slow/stop the madness of arms, no need to involve Congress. He, alone, could decide he is not running in November. Kamala, Mayor Pete, Klobuchar, Bennett, etc. Somebody else would have to step up and we the voters would say "Yes, let's give this a chance." Reference American Prospect article (https://prospect.org/world/2024-03-28-how-biden-boxed-himself-in-on-gaza/). Biden's commitment to Zionism seems very personal. I think he imagines himself a hero of Holocaust victims. He is so old that he is still reliving WWII in his fucked up psyche. I think that's what is going on with a lot of folks. All those Hollywood WWII movies have done them in. But even Spielberg doesn't support the war on Gaza. Biden - one man - American Democracy in his hands. Depressing as hell.
Another great episode, Mehdi! Bothe conversations were very interesting and especially the second one.. Regarding Husam Zamlot, as much as I like and support him personally, feel for him in this extremely sad and rough personal situation and support the struggle for Palestinian liberation, he is still a represantitive of a deeply flawed, corrupt instituion that the people of Palestine have a lot of issues with. Yes, at the moment theyre the only political power that will be able to represent the people of Palestine. But there need to be elections as soon as possible and they MUST do everything they can to get Barghouti out of prison. Even if that means losing an election to him. If they are honest about the liberation of their people and the democratic process and will of the people, this has to happen and they have to accept the fact, that they may lose to him. Or any other person/party for that matter.
Husam repeated several times that he wants to hold democratic elections to let the Palestinian people decide. Unofficial polls are no substitute. Mehdi trying to bait him into a sound bite was disingenuous.
If only choices are a Joenocide enabler or a traitor to the nation, then voting is only to legitimize this corrupt system. I will NOT vote not because of laziness or lack of motivation but out of principal
Great reporting, Mehdi. I wish more of the world will watch this.
In today’s [May 30] Mehdi Unfiltered, both guests discussing Biden’s political future referred to the Democratic Party as a “big tent.” No, it isn’t. The tent is smaller and far more exclusive.
Foremost among those getting an ‘Unwelcome’ sign are members of the Party’s left. When Tom Perez became DNC Chair he promptly removed 4 of the 5 members of DNC leadership who had supported Bernie Sanders. When Donna Brazile was DNC Chair she leaked the topics to be discussed to the Clinton campaign before HRC’s debate with Sanders. When Cheri Bustos was DCCC Chair and The Squad was elected to the House, Bustos declared that the DCCC would boycott any political consultant helping any candidate who challenged an incumbent Democrat.
The list of actions by the Democratic Party to suppress its left flank is far longer and is shameful.
Biden’s not going to win. I’m a 67 year old white woman and I’m here to tell you we’re huge in numbers against Zionist Biden. AIPAC who’s funding his racist campaign against the Palestinians is the enemy we’re going all in to defeat them because our entire government is owned by Israel and that’s gotta stop! I’m a lifelong democrat but won’t vote Biden or Trump, Jill Stein is getting my vote. If the DNC would tell genocide Joe he’s gotta resign and endorse a non AIPAC candidate we’d win by a landslide! Biden hasn’t fulfilled one progressive campaign promise either and they’re running the same lines to reelect a loser. I voted uncommitted and I’m done with Biden and Trump he’ll lose and it’s all on him not us. He should run for the PM of Israel because that’s where his heart is not America
Please vote for Cornell West and/or Jill Stein.
Well, we can’t vote for both. West will get my vote.
I wish they’d run together.
Their campaigns need to focus on specific states. If West can win in NY & Stein wins in CA (or vice versa), they can essentially define the Democratic Party’s policies for the next administration.
Husam belongs to the generation of younger Palestinians who are articulate in the English language; challenging American accented 'lie in your face' of Netanyahu. Mehdi unfair insistence to comment on the current popularity of Hamas over PA is just giving oxygen to Netanyahu's wedge policy. Ceasefire and Stop the Genocide is what matters.
I couldn’t believe my ears. Had I not been watching the faces I would have thought it was a Piers Morgan show! When did Mahdi turn into Piers? Enough of “Do you condemn Hamas”. Killing of innocent people is wrong full stop. BUT the occupied and terrorised Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves period!
Also, the Ambassador was answering very eloquently and it is up to all the people of Palestine to decide on their future leaders of a unified government. I was so enraged by this line of questioning that I had to turn off.
I agree. While I understand that he is trying to preempt/address the kinds of questions that live on the Right, it's time to get more "Centrist" and re-center the discussion on the same kinds of "basics" that do live very well on the Right. The Right are all saying "Israel has the right to defend itself" while no one - except us everyday people - are saying "Palestinians have the right to defend themselves." We need more leading voices to just say that much. No more defensive false equivalences, just go all out EQUIVALENCE. End of story. Don't wanna call it "genocide"? So what. Mass murder is still very, very bad. Biden - you're not Genocide Joe, you're Mass Murderer Joe. It's still deplorable. Israel is a democracy? Ok, so what actual Basic Rights does it offer and protect for the Palestinians? What are they? Name them, list them, then hold them accountable to when they are denying them. But don't just fanfare over a bunch of rhetoric that has become oh-so very HOLLOW that everyday people can see is bullshit. The sheer numbers and scale of devastation is visible. It's not hidden. Nobody normal and decent can say this is "just Israel defending itself." We don't want Trump. But the Dems are showing that they are not grown ups, either. Mehdi, time to turn things around. So many people just want to be able to embrace Palestinians as the regular humans that they are. Let's shift the tone that can shift the discourse, and then we can shift more hearts and minds.
I haven't finished listening to the whole thing yet, but feel compelled to try to get my thoughts out... Can anyone be surprised that the people existing in a current he%ll of death and utter destruction would look at a poll and check x for an organization like ha%m-as because it's likely the most active org they've seen for most of their lives? And become so disheartened that maybe they were like "what even matters anymore; this he%ll is neverending"
I do agree that the ambassador is correct in trying to get across that the root of all the atrocities is how the western countries gave over and set up the occupation and ok'd horror against the people for like 100 years.
I sort of wish he could have at least at one point said something like "of course the destruction on Oct 7th was horrible and the PLA would never want to condone that" But on the other hand; why do Palestinian interviewees have to constantly condemn hammas with every bloody thing they talk about?
Erin, I don't know if you are just asking a rhetorical question, here, or an earnest one. The answer is simple - it is a ploy for power. There are people very well trained in "the arts of communication" who have figured this out. Tomes written on such tricks. It works because people are ignorant and racist/tribal. Look at sports fan "loyalties" for proof. The tricks around language/rhetoric are powerful. That is why. What I don't understand is why those of us in the Human Rights/Equal Rights camp are so poorly trained in these arts that we do not have more voices/leaders who can establish the framework in a non-defensive manner. I get that the powerful have even more tools - like kicking you off the platform. But today, we have more accessible technology than ever. You cannot fool everybody all of the time, everywhere. All of our media folks -including Mehdi or Owen Jones, they could learn a few things from, for example, the public speakers of JVP and NotinOurName. Those folks have been amazingly articulate about the issues. Instead of just "interviewing" them, people like Mehdi should be SCALING their form and content of messaging. That is not happening, which is frustrating. No worries. The rest of us can learn. Take everyone mocking this "But what about Khamas" line and turn it around everywhere you go. What about the $312-Billion worth of weapons that the Israelis have that clearly are USELESS against Hamas, but could have fixed a lot of problems in America. What about Palestinian Rights? Can you name them? Do you know what happens that gives them guarantees? Do you know how they live? Do you know anything about them? What's your identity? What if we took all people like you, put them into the state of Rhode Island and said you could never leave. And then the rest of us got to control your access to H2O and all utilities? Would you be ok with that? You see, the list goes on. We can all go on the attack like this, but I never see anyone do it. It's always defensive posturing. Exactly what we now understand happens to Black Americans. They always have to prove that they are the ones who are not violent, when in fact, it was all the ancestors of those Anglo Whites in the South and New England who committed the deplorable enslavement. Just like Jane Eyre. We learned how their privileged lives were held up by slavery, brutal colonialism, etc. But no one puts together that The Royal Family are these modern day celebrities as a result of all that generational wealth built on violence. It is all a mental trick. So stop asking why. This is the answer. This is the nature of power. What many people intend is that they do not believe in Equality or Human Rights. So then what? That's a different matter. First, we call it out. Get them to admit it. Then we figure out what next. The "why" is power. Now do what you need to do in your own sphere of influence.
YES!🙏🏽🇵🇸
Mr Mehdi who can put Piers Morgan in his pocket anytime should not parrot his (Piers) lazy line of questioning. Talking about symptoms and evading the actual cause is just being mischievous. All power to Husam and his eloquence.
What part of 10/7 was "Palestinians defending themselves"? When Israel commits mass-murder I don't call that "self-defense."
I respectfully disagree. If we truly want Americans to support the Palestinian cause, Palestinian leaders must not run away from the issue of the October 7 attack. The attack was not the only issue Husam avoided. He also refused to discuss the popularity of Hamas. While that is understandable, it is regrettable. And if Palestinian leaders won’t even condemn the 10/7 attack, it makes the jobs of those defending Israel in Congress and the media that much easier.
WHO are the "approved" Palestinian leaders, anyway?
Agreed. That whole line of questioning was unfair on Husam.
Lovelies, Mehdi and also Husam Thank you for your voices💗💗💗
You are both Wonderful ❤️❤️❤️
Biden is just as much of an existential threat to our national security as Trump is. Biden and the Dems continue to betray Black voters. This government doesn't work for the people, it works for Empire. The corruption runs deep. I am done.
Oct 7th?!? Turned into the piers morgan show all the sudden rephrasing hos BS condemnation question. Disappointed in that question and pressuring mehdi.
Yes. Very disappointing. If there was some method to Mehdi’s madness I’d like to hear it because I’m on the verge of unsubscribing
MEHDI, after 8 months of complicity in the Palestinian massacres, perhaps it’s time for all of us to demand that Biden resign or be impeached. As a democratic voter since the early 1970’s, it pains me to support GOP calls for impeachment of Biden, but I do so for different reasons: genocide. Seldom if ever discussed, is how the massacres are contributing to the death of the Earth; ecocide—aggravating the climate crisis.
VP Kamala Harris is more than qualified to assume the presidency. As a woman of color and a formidable prosecutor, she would likely reenergize a demoralized Democratic base disparaged and betrayed by the president.
Obviously, if it’s a choice between Trump & Biden, we must vote democratic to save our democracy. Let’s do so recognizing that Biden’s support for fascist Netanyahu, who supports Trump, is helping our wannabe dictator.
Let’s mitigate our complicity by writing short & polite letters to Biden: WhiteHouse.gov.
Call your Congressperson: (292)224-3121
I will not vote for a war criminal… and to me Harris is no better. She too is supporting the genocide of Palestinians and utter destruction of Gaza. At some point one has to decide to not vote for the “lesser evil” and start the anvil swinging back to a place of humanitarian dignity and vision. And to me Biden is as evil and fascist as Netanyahu and DT, etc.
Alice, I’ll defend your a right to support and advocate for Trump and his GOP. I oppose the spread of disinformation, Gaslighting and obfuscation.
While Harris advocacy for Israel is problematic and her marriage to an admitted Zionist concerning, she does not create policy; the VP follows and supports the Pres. I continue to support holding the Pres accountable; demanding he resign or be impeached. That would send a clear message that decades of US support for Israel must ended while we also must advocate for protection of the human right for all everywhere and anywhere.
“And to me Biden is [not] as evil and fascist as Netanyahu and DT, etc.” This statement is brazenly disingenuous, Gaslights and appears meant disinform and obfuscate; encourages voting for 3rd parties to help Trump’s GOP. To be kind, it might represent political ignorance.
The fact that you and I can have this conversation proves that Biden/Harris are fascist lite while Trump and the GOP pose an existential threat to our democracy, health/safety and to life on Earth.
While we have the 2-party system, voting for 3rd parties aids and abets the treasonous GOP cult, a “party” that seeks to impose a dictatorship—Trump has been more candid than many subscribers on this platform.
I respectfully encourage you to subscribe to an anti democratic Substack where you would be supporting those more aligned with your efforts to undermine our imperfect democracy.
Mehdi substantially shares my views; that we must vote for the Dem Party and nonviolently crush the GOP; while we remain a 2-party electoral system.
I would encourage you to respond, but I’m unlikely to reciprocate. We can agree to disagree; unlikely possible if the GOP wins in Nov. 2024.
Mehdi Hassan, despite providing us with provocative and insightful coverage, in my humble opinion, continues to focus on status quo/western ideation…by confronting the ambassador and seeking to disavow Hamas publicly and insert the Israeli propaganda of division among the Palestinian people. That is an internal matter. Hamas is a governing authority with a military branch fighting a genocidal occupation in their soil. Many of the accusations made by the west and Biden , zionist propaganda of mass rapes and beheaded babies have been disproven. When is Hassan going to follow his own statements that much of the horrible crimes attributed to Hamas on Oct 7 did not happen(in an earlier Hassan segment). Many of us do not call Hamas a terrorist group…they have the right to defend themselves. I take umbrage of his treatment of the ambassador.
Establishment Dems need to come to terms with the reality that Biden - ALONE - can do what they are claiming - save American Democracy - but by stopping his endorsement of this mad, mad war against the Palestinian people. He barely acknowledges that they are also humans. Guardian reporting two more people leaving the federal government because of a culture of hypocrisy around who gets to be human on whose clock. Biden alone can save American Democracy - he can either choose to step down before November or full-scale halt the weapons shipments, stop the violence, insist on negotiations for a two-state solution. Period. If he even just stood up and firmly said this, he would stop looking weak and frail like the very old man that he is. Whatever framework you wanna apply - toxic masculinity or just all around geopolitical smarts - just stand up and say "Enough is enough! We're ending this now." And he can win back so many votes, young and older. Or, he could step down. Even those of us who would begrudgingly go to the trough because we have more sophisticated demands, we would go. But right now, it's all so disgusting - the blatant, bald-faced dehumanizing of Palestinians and Palestinians alone - that I just cannot vote for the Dems at all. Biden - one man - he has the power. He could make a big statement and then all the civil servants will be bickering over whether what he said was an Executive Order vs legislated, and it could slow/stop the madness of arms, no need to involve Congress. He, alone, could decide he is not running in November. Kamala, Mayor Pete, Klobuchar, Bennett, etc. Somebody else would have to step up and we the voters would say "Yes, let's give this a chance." Reference American Prospect article (https://prospect.org/world/2024-03-28-how-biden-boxed-himself-in-on-gaza/). Biden's commitment to Zionism seems very personal. I think he imagines himself a hero of Holocaust victims. He is so old that he is still reliving WWII in his fucked up psyche. I think that's what is going on with a lot of folks. All those Hollywood WWII movies have done them in. But even Spielberg doesn't support the war on Gaza. Biden - one man - American Democracy in his hands. Depressing as hell.
The be heading baby story finally becomes true and this time there is a picture of it as a proof, only this time at the hand of Zionist Israel
Anyone who frames the genocide in Palestine as a single issue is not paying attention - perhaps intentionally.
Please give people a chance to respond. Not everything can be answered with a simple yes or no. Hear them out please.
Another great episode, Mehdi! Bothe conversations were very interesting and especially the second one.. Regarding Husam Zamlot, as much as I like and support him personally, feel for him in this extremely sad and rough personal situation and support the struggle for Palestinian liberation, he is still a represantitive of a deeply flawed, corrupt instituion that the people of Palestine have a lot of issues with. Yes, at the moment theyre the only political power that will be able to represent the people of Palestine. But there need to be elections as soon as possible and they MUST do everything they can to get Barghouti out of prison. Even if that means losing an election to him. If they are honest about the liberation of their people and the democratic process and will of the people, this has to happen and they have to accept the fact, that they may lose to him. Or any other person/party for that matter.
Husam repeated several times that he wants to hold democratic elections to let the Palestinian people decide. Unofficial polls are no substitute. Mehdi trying to bait him into a sound bite was disingenuous.
It's not so much that Dems will switch to Trump, but that many are disillusioned and will lack the necessary motivation to bother to vote at all.
If only choices are a Joenocide enabler or a traitor to the nation, then voting is only to legitimize this corrupt system. I will NOT vote not because of laziness or lack of motivation but out of principal