Democrats’ shameless “except”ionalism may be their downfall

Last updated on: August 9, 2024 at 8:18 pm by Kathryn Shihadah

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Democrats’ shameless “except”ionalism may be their downfall 2024-08-09T20:18:24-04:00 Kathryn Shihadah

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It’s not just Republicans who need a clue. Democrats have renounced their own priorities, and it’s high time we recognize that and make some changes.

Democrats on the whole have created a “Palestine exception” to their own cherished principles.

The preamble to the 2024 platform states, “Protest is among the highest forms of patriotism.” A great sentiment that prioritizes free speech…except when protesters are calling for a ceasefire or an end to military aid to Israel.

“Character is on the ballot in this election,” says the preamble. “The character of our President, yes, but more than that: the character of our democracy, our society, and our leadership in the world” – except, for the sake of Israel, the Biden administration – and the whole party – has become isolated and a global laughingstock for its relentless support on the world stage for genocide, relentless refusal to acknowledge the facts or adhere to any red lines, and its willingness to be openly hypocritical by pretending Israel is an honest broker, and silent when Palestinians are targeted.

The Democratic preamble also claims, “Democrats will fight to repair the soul of this nation. To unite and to heal our country [for a] stronger, brighter, and more equitable future” – except when it comes to Palestine, where instead of uniting, we slander or silence the people who call out our complicity in genocide. It’s hard to imagine that stifling free speech could create a better future.

“Democrats will curb the corrupting influence of money in politics…The American people deserve assurances that their elected officials and federal appointees work for them, not for special interests” – except when it comes to AIPAC, the Israel lobby, which seems to be running the election from the top of the ticket to the bottom. AIPAC just bought two congressional primaries with an estimated $43 million in campaign donations ($17 million to topple Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., in June, and $26 million to defeat Cori Bush, D-MO) – ousting two legislators who spoke up for Palestinian rights and replacing them with Israel supporters. A startling number of Biden administration appointees have resigned in disgust over the president’s Gaza policy.

“Democrats will stand up to the forces of authoritarianism, not aid and abet their rise” – except in the case of the government of Israel: Democrats as well as Republicans welcomed authoritarian and accused war criminal Netanyahu to speak before Congress last month, and honored him with dozens of standing ovations. “…and we will speak and act with clarity and purpose on behalf of human rights wherever they are under threat” – except when it comes to the human rights of Palestinians (including Palestinian children). The Biden administration sent massive quantities of weapons to Israel, knowing full well they would be used against a civilian population that is half under the age of eighteen.

“Democrats believe that we can only build a more just and equitable future if we honestly reckon with our history and its legacy in the present” – except when it comes to America’s complicity in the birth of Israel (read this) and its ongoing crimes (even when the top courts on the planet name those crimes).

In sum, the Democratic party has some wonderful aspirations – which don’t do a lick of good in the real world because of the Palestine exception. In this dystopia, Palestinians and their allies apparently have no right to self expression, liberty, equality, representation, the narration of their own history, or even food and shelter. They are scarcely human.

That’s why, unless the DNC leadership starts listening to and working with the pro-Palestine constituency, the party is doomed to implode from its own evil and self-contradiction.

As I recently wrote, I have for the time being washed my hands of Christians who refuse to engage with the issue of Palestine, and for now (at least until the end of this horrific war) I will be writing about the significance of what is going on “over there” from a global and historic perspective.

I’m here for anyone who cares to have an intelligent conversation about reality, instead of living in a silo of confirmation bias.

I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter. I write about the Palestine-Israel issue regularly, and other issues relevant to progressives or those considering becoming progressive. If you would like to comment on this post, please pop over to my Facebook page. All of my posts are there and open to constructive comment. I welcome your thoughts.

Contact the people in Washington DC who (allegedly) work for you and tell them, “ENOUGH. CEASEFIRE NOW. NO MORE WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. STOP THE GENOCIDE. NOW – OR YOU’RE FIRED.”

Reach your Representative here, and your Senator here. Email President Biden here, and Vice President Kamala Harris here.

Further reading on the Palestine-Israel issue:

Posts about my family in Gaza (in chronological order):

FEATURED IMAGE: Dmitriy Serafin, via Unsplash

General Christian

About Kathryn Shihadah

I was raised as a conservative Christian, and was perfectly content to stay that way – until the day my stable, predictable world was rocked. A curtain was pulled back on conservative Christianity, and instead of ignoring the ugliness I saw, I confronted it. I began to ask questions I never thought I’d ask, and found answers I’d never expected. Old things began to fall away, and – behold! – the new me has come. What a gift to be a new, still-evolving creation. I found out that it’s better to look at the world through Progressive Lenses, with Grace-Colored Glasses. You can read more about the author here.

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