We speak with Dr. Ahmed Ghanim, a prominent Muslim leader and former Democratic candidate for Congress, after the Kamala Harris campaign apologized for kicking him out of a Detroit election event Monday to which he was invited. Harris’s staunch support for Israel as it continues its brutal war on Gaza has infuriated many Muslim and Arab voters in Michigan, and while Ghanim says it’s a very important issue to him, he was not there to protest. He was also not given a reason for his removal, even after the campaign called him to apologize. “Apology without accountability is not an apology,” he says, adding that the incident has left him questioning whether Democrats still believe in diversity and inclusion or if “Muslims and Arabs don’t have room anymore in this party.”
Not the person you’re responding to, but from my memory/understanding:
Michigan is one of the epicenters of current Muslim immigration to the US, so there is a larger population of them then say in other areas of the US.
There have been multiple well publicized anti-Genocide protests/campaigns in Michigan, or at least that part of the Midwest (I’m going off memory).
Anti-genocide Democrat voters were the ones to start the Protest Votes against Biden during the primaries due to his stance on and unwavering support of the genocide being committed by Israel. They continue to say they will sit out this election and not vote Dem, or have/continue to push fellow Muslim Democrats that oppose America’s support in killing their loved ones in Gaza/the Middle East to vote third party.
These last two paragraphs are my personal opinion as someone begrudgingly voting for Harris, but the Democrat Party as a whole has an entitlement problem. Clinton felt entitled to the presidency in 2016, and therefore didn’t campaign in Michigan or take Trump seriously as an opposition candidate. The DNC refused to give Bernie an honest shake because it was “her time” or whatever (plus him not being establishment, “maintain the status quo” Democrat).
And now, it feels as if they feel they’re entitled to the presidency simply because their opponent is a fascist. Biden/Harris/Walz/the Democrats don’t need to listen to their constituents because the other option is fascism. But, and I’m not Muslim, from my perspective, if I’m only allowed 2 choices, and neither will agree to do even the slightest thing to prevent my loved ones from being killed… What is my motivation to make a choice if my loved ones die either way, and why would I care what my fellow party members want when they’re clearly disregarding my wants/needs?
The Muslim population of MI is less than 3%. I think they imagine they have more bargaining power than actually exists. Keep in mind that 3% does not mean all of them can even vote, so that number is much lower. Granted, in 2016 and 2020 the margins of victory were miniscule, but early voting numbers in every swing state are beyond expectations in 2024.
I don’t think they have the kind of numbers to back up their talk.
Bush was given Florida by SCOTUS over 532 votes, and I would imagine when fighting against fascism, you would be doing everything your power to garner votes, not polarize them. Especially when their demand is “can you stop supporting a genocide?”
I’m not saying I disagree with you, was just giving my interpretation of context to the other comment. I will say though, Democrats are famous for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory. We’ll have to see what the results bring in a couple weeks.
I think backing down to a position of what happened in previous elections is a red herring. I keep seeing this mentioned in relation to this topic. The problem with that is all records for early voting are being broken, and previous elections people have been more lax on making the effort. Not so this year.
“Bargaining power” in voting is determined by actual intent and impact. The math says they don’t have much of any, especially if this is the single issue they are trying to “bargain” over.
Even if 100% of the less than 2% of their entire group votes against Harris, you’d have to be betting that the other groups aren’t coming out in force FOR Harris, which seems to absolutely be the case right now. Facts are that maybe only 50% of that group will vote against her, which is about where the Dems are at anyway with the larger voting blocks in MI.
It doesn’t matter who wins. What matters is the number of voters not on the duopoly. That will signal how many voters there are to earn for politicians to not support Israel.
Politicians would be crazy to stop supporting Israel if it is always a winning move.
Well then that’s a losing battle if that’s your understanding of it.
There are double the number of US Jewish than Muslim, and if you’re asserting this is all about a flex for alliances and whatnot based solely on religions versus anything, the numbers aren’t there for Muslims trying said flex.
The people I know who are most stridently against the genocide are Jews. Don’t play into antisemetic tropes that Jewish people are automatically supportive of Israel no matter what sins it commits.
Not the person you’re responding to, but from my memory/understanding:
Michigan is one of the epicenters of current Muslim immigration to the US, so there is a larger population of them then say in other areas of the US.
There have been multiple well publicized anti-Genocide protests/campaigns in Michigan, or at least that part of the Midwest (I’m going off memory).
Anti-genocide Democrat voters were the ones to start the Protest Votes against Biden during the primaries due to his stance on and unwavering support of the genocide being committed by Israel. They continue to say they will sit out this election and not vote Dem, or have/continue to push fellow Muslim Democrats that oppose America’s support in killing their loved ones in Gaza/the Middle East to vote third party.
These last two paragraphs are my personal opinion as someone begrudgingly voting for Harris, but the Democrat Party as a whole has an entitlement problem. Clinton felt entitled to the presidency in 2016, and therefore didn’t campaign in Michigan or take Trump seriously as an opposition candidate. The DNC refused to give Bernie an honest shake because it was “her time” or whatever (plus him not being establishment, “maintain the status quo” Democrat).
And now, it feels as if they feel they’re entitled to the presidency simply because their opponent is a fascist. Biden/Harris/Walz/the Democrats don’t need to listen to their constituents because the other option is fascism. But, and I’m not Muslim, from my perspective, if I’m only allowed 2 choices, and neither will agree to do even the slightest thing to prevent my loved ones from being killed… What is my motivation to make a choice if my loved ones die either way, and why would I care what my fellow party members want when they’re clearly disregarding my wants/needs?
Again, just my two cents.
The Muslim population of MI is less than 3%. I think they imagine they have more bargaining power than actually exists. Keep in mind that 3% does not mean all of them can even vote, so that number is much lower. Granted, in 2016 and 2020 the margins of victory were miniscule, but early voting numbers in every swing state are beyond expectations in 2024.
I don’t think they have the kind of numbers to back up their talk.
Bush was given Florida by SCOTUS over 532 votes, and I would imagine when fighting against fascism, you would be doing everything your power to garner votes, not polarize them. Especially when their demand is “can you stop supporting a genocide?”
I’m not saying I disagree with you, was just giving my interpretation of context to the other comment. I will say though, Democrats are famous for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory. We’ll have to see what the results bring in a couple weeks.
I think backing down to a position of what happened in previous elections is a red herring. I keep seeing this mentioned in relation to this topic. The problem with that is all records for early voting are being broken, and previous elections people have been more lax on making the effort. Not so this year.
Specifically in MI, you can see the turnout numbers here.
I expect as in other states that early voting is largely being driven by Democrats, but we will see.
I’ll give you that, and I hope you’re right and I’m wrong. People in this country are desperate for positive change.
They have bargaining power because they are the only people willing to vote for this issue.
If only these people will change their vote for it they get to decide.
“Bargaining power” in voting is determined by actual intent and impact. The math says they don’t have much of any, especially if this is the single issue they are trying to “bargain” over.
Even if 100% of the less than 2% of their entire group votes against Harris, you’d have to be betting that the other groups aren’t coming out in force FOR Harris, which seems to absolutely be the case right now. Facts are that maybe only 50% of that group will vote against her, which is about where the Dems are at anyway with the larger voting blocks in MI.
It doesn’t matter who wins. What matters is the number of voters not on the duopoly. That will signal how many voters there are to earn for politicians to not support Israel.
Politicians would be crazy to stop supporting Israel if it is always a winning move.
Well then that’s a losing battle if that’s your understanding of it.
There are double the number of US Jewish than Muslim, and if you’re asserting this is all about a flex for alliances and whatnot based solely on religions versus anything, the numbers aren’t there for Muslims trying said flex.
The people I know who are most stridently against the genocide are Jews. Don’t play into antisemetic tropes that Jewish people are automatically supportive of Israel no matter what sins it commits.
It wasn’t my assertion. I was responding to someone else who seems to think that’s the way things work though.
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