Thank you for the article. Rode the bus from NYC to DC for the rally yesterday - it was inspiring and cathartic to be amongst such a peaceful, diverse crowd with the bare minimum and obvious demand for a cease fire. Previously when I have attended events related to the Palestinian cause I felt many saw the issue as fringe and dangerous to be involved in, yesterday I felt the tide is turning. Speaking with and marching amidst so many Palestinian American youth and families along with a broad cross section of the American populace as a whole restored a shred of belief...
Note, I would conservatively estimate the crowd at 200k - organizers said 300k, and this is just in DC as there were protests in cities throughout the world.
For context, here's a timelapse of March beginning to leave stage plaza - of course the speeches ran long and most of the buses out of DC (incl mine) were departing by the time march started.
Thank you ! Your words add reassurance to my current state of mind. I am saddened by the inability of our elected representatives to listen to the people and angered by the lack of reporting by the corporate media. Our voices are being heard and we are marching toward peace and demanding that of D.C. politicians.
So we have the politicians supporting genocide and removal of the remaining Palestine territories so they can get their hands on oil and natural gas & Israel gets the rest of the territory.
Consequences for the rest of us? Gives Trump the White House, escalated military tension between Israel and Arab nations, and further inaction on climate change (the elites will have cheap oil to profit from).
Thank you for this very thoughtful, nuanced, approach to this horrible dilemma. In the current political climate, nuance is in very short supply, and we badly need more of it. Thank you for raising your very compassionate and wise voice!
I agree with everything in your article. So does Marianne Williamson who nobody seems to know is running for president to primary Joe Biden. I do not understand why my favorite independent media, including you have ignored her along with mainstream media. I understand why mainstream media tries to erase her but independent media? She is speaking their tune.
She’s been talking about a Department of Peace ever since she ran for president four years ago, she has an economic Bill of Rights that will make life better for the people and so much more. Please check her out www.marianne2024.com
I understand Biden's position supporting Israel, but I don't support it: we can no longer watch as Israel continues their apartheid-like destruction of the Palestinian people. Biden is a careful and thoughtful man, and he understands better than most the history of the region and significance of having an ally there. While I disagree 100% with his current stance on supporting Israel with no strings, I would still rather die than vote for Trump or any other Republican. I'm all-in on Biden.
I sort of agree with you, but also don't know if I can bring myself to vote for someone who knowingly supports genocide, regardless of their justifications for doing so. It's a quandary, to be sure. <sigh>
Great article. There is no justification for supporting genocide, but it's hardly new for America. We must ask who are the real monsters here? Neither of these parties are good anymore. One is merely incredibly bad and beholden to corporate interest, the other ignorant and downright https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/israel-hamas-palestinians-and-the
Similar in the UK. Tories are (as-ever) pro-genocide. Labour mostly the same. I guess that leaves greens and independents. Since we have penalties for poor people who stand and don't get enough votes, it often stops fresh voices from standing. Still, I'd never vote for a party of arseholes and selfish fuckwits. Whether in the US or UK I'd vote for something like Greens as a stopgap; but also actually DEBATE politics, explain why the two party system is not democracy, get people angry about how and why we're disnfranchised, and how we can reform it. Flip-flopping between two parties forever while the rich get richer has never worked and never will.
If you don’t vote for Biden, Trump will win and continue these policies with Israel that you dislike. What will you have gained? Not only will Palestinians die in Gaza but people of color will continue to be targeted here by Trump and his Minion. He’s already talking about blocking Palestinians from entering the US. I am a left leaning Democrat and support all sorts of liberal causes. But I am also a Jew with family in Israel and cousins called up to defend their country against Hamas. It seems to me that a simple solution to all of this bloodshed is if Hamas would return the hostages. There are enough interested and self interested parties among the Western and Arab worlds that want a two State solution where the Palestinians would have self determination and Israel would have security. Until the hostages are released there will be no peace.
Maybe look at how everyone can get together and take over the white house to boot the idiots at the top out forever since they all obviously don't listen to their constituents except for Bernie
Good points. Thank you. And if you're in the USA and can't bring yourself to vote for Biden, why not vote for Cornel West? He's been on the right side of this and a lot of other issues.
Thank you for this insightful and sane-making piece. I've been involved in organizing and protesting locally and if nothing else it's both felt good to be meaningfully involved and helped restore my faith in the goodness of humanity. I have always voted the Democratic party line; from here on out will be voting my conscience. Community and other humans matter. ❤️
Thank you for the article. Rode the bus from NYC to DC for the rally yesterday - it was inspiring and cathartic to be amongst such a peaceful, diverse crowd with the bare minimum and obvious demand for a cease fire. Previously when I have attended events related to the Palestinian cause I felt many saw the issue as fringe and dangerous to be involved in, yesterday I felt the tide is turning. Speaking with and marching amidst so many Palestinian American youth and families along with a broad cross section of the American populace as a whole restored a shred of belief...
Note, I would conservatively estimate the crowd at 200k - organizers said 300k, and this is just in DC as there were protests in cities throughout the world.
For context, here's a timelapse of March beginning to leave stage plaza - of course the speeches ran long and most of the buses out of DC (incl mine) were departing by the time march started.
https://twitter.com/answercoalition/status/1720934730395181131/mediaViewer
Well done for attending! :-)
Good article, agreed on all counts 👍🏼
Thank you ! Your words add reassurance to my current state of mind. I am saddened by the inability of our elected representatives to listen to the people and angered by the lack of reporting by the corporate media. Our voices are being heard and we are marching toward peace and demanding that of D.C. politicians.
So we have the politicians supporting genocide and removal of the remaining Palestine territories so they can get their hands on oil and natural gas & Israel gets the rest of the territory.
Consequences for the rest of us? Gives Trump the White House, escalated military tension between Israel and Arab nations, and further inaction on climate change (the elites will have cheap oil to profit from).
Thank you for this very thoughtful, nuanced, approach to this horrible dilemma. In the current political climate, nuance is in very short supply, and we badly need more of it. Thank you for raising your very compassionate and wise voice!
I agree with everything in your article. So does Marianne Williamson who nobody seems to know is running for president to primary Joe Biden. I do not understand why my favorite independent media, including you have ignored her along with mainstream media. I understand why mainstream media tries to erase her but independent media? She is speaking their tune.
She’s been talking about a Department of Peace ever since she ran for president four years ago, she has an economic Bill of Rights that will make life better for the people and so much more. Please check her out www.marianne2024.com
I understand Biden's position supporting Israel, but I don't support it: we can no longer watch as Israel continues their apartheid-like destruction of the Palestinian people. Biden is a careful and thoughtful man, and he understands better than most the history of the region and significance of having an ally there. While I disagree 100% with his current stance on supporting Israel with no strings, I would still rather die than vote for Trump or any other Republican. I'm all-in on Biden.
I sort of agree with you, but also don't know if I can bring myself to vote for someone who knowingly supports genocide, regardless of their justifications for doing so. It's a quandary, to be sure. <sigh>
Great article. There is no justification for supporting genocide, but it's hardly new for America. We must ask who are the real monsters here? Neither of these parties are good anymore. One is merely incredibly bad and beholden to corporate interest, the other ignorant and downright https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/israel-hamas-palestinians-and-the
Thank you for your astute and incredibly hopeful strategic insights. I really wish the people who need to read your essays.
Similar in the UK. Tories are (as-ever) pro-genocide. Labour mostly the same. I guess that leaves greens and independents. Since we have penalties for poor people who stand and don't get enough votes, it often stops fresh voices from standing. Still, I'd never vote for a party of arseholes and selfish fuckwits. Whether in the US or UK I'd vote for something like Greens as a stopgap; but also actually DEBATE politics, explain why the two party system is not democracy, get people angry about how and why we're disnfranchised, and how we can reform it. Flip-flopping between two parties forever while the rich get richer has never worked and never will.
If you don’t vote for Biden, Trump will win and continue these policies with Israel that you dislike. What will you have gained? Not only will Palestinians die in Gaza but people of color will continue to be targeted here by Trump and his Minion. He’s already talking about blocking Palestinians from entering the US. I am a left leaning Democrat and support all sorts of liberal causes. But I am also a Jew with family in Israel and cousins called up to defend their country against Hamas. It seems to me that a simple solution to all of this bloodshed is if Hamas would return the hostages. There are enough interested and self interested parties among the Western and Arab worlds that want a two State solution where the Palestinians would have self determination and Israel would have security. Until the hostages are released there will be no peace.
Maybe look at how everyone can get together and take over the white house to boot the idiots at the top out forever since they all obviously don't listen to their constituents except for Bernie
Good points. Thank you. And if you're in the USA and can't bring yourself to vote for Biden, why not vote for Cornel West? He's been on the right side of this and a lot of other issues.
Despairing over the end of the ceasefire, but this piece - especially the excellent final paragraph - gave me hope.
Thank you for this insightful and sane-making piece. I've been involved in organizing and protesting locally and if nothing else it's both felt good to be meaningfully involved and helped restore my faith in the goodness of humanity. I have always voted the Democratic party line; from here on out will be voting my conscience. Community and other humans matter. ❤️
Question for you: do you think your Substack posts make it more or less likely that Trump will be re-elected?