Thanks for this exquisite dissection of the rotting "leadership" of the Democratic party. It often seems that Citizens United has birthed several generations of sociopathic Democratic politicians who become hostage to the Donor Class as soon as they are elected. And sadly, millions of voters continue to vote for their own immiseration in exchange for a GOP party/cult that openly celebrates corruption, racism, misogyny, and genocide. I hope it's not too late for Dems to redeem their credibility.
This may sound very ignorant, but at this moment I’m through with the white moderate and their views. I’ve been drowning in it. From my perspective there are so many variations I don’t want to hear anymore because all they sound like are excuses. They will never understand and most of it sounds like political posturing. No offense to your very understanding outlook, but this isn’t new. I didn’t read the entire article because I was so pissed . I call this the great white way. This is how they have always won. Think, forked tongue.
I am furious with these racist and MAGA pardoning / MAGA apologists in the Democratic party. These corporate Democrats climbed the ladder and now that they have their positions of power, they have abused their power and betrayed the American people. There is no excuse at all for their racist collaborations with ICE and MAGA on any level. None. And I am so tired of the blaming and shaming when American voters don't tote the corporate Democratic party line. If corporate Democrats aren't serving the People the voters will not turn out for them. I don't know what else to say. Why bother voting for any Democrat that collaborates with the GOP cruelty?? And why do they get away with blaming the American people when GOP gets elected, instead of making the changes they need to make? I am not giving any money or support to Democrats that take corporate donations and carry out MAGA policies! I will support grassroots, progressive candidates that don't take corporate money, who actually want to stand up to Trump!
I require my students in a CRT-informed forensic biology course to read Dr. King’s letter, and to write a reflection on the statement that disturbs them the most. The “white moderate” is most often quoted. This is at a U that is 95% white…..
Racists are just a barometer and proof. The ones who hate but hide behind a mask of lies are no different than the KKK in their hoods (or ICE in their face coverings). Racism is still racism.
In March 1965, I boarded a train in Washington DC headed for Montgomery, AL. Everyone on board was heading south to join the end of the Selma-Montgomery march. I was young (17), white, and privileged, and exactly the moderate white “ally” that Dr. King railed against. I didn’t recognize myself at the time, of course, not even when I read King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. It wasn’t until 50 years later--when I found the handwritten diary I kept the entire trip--that I realized the depth of my racism and arrogance at the time. I then mused that if I recorded my honest thoughts now, they would probably seem as arrogant and racist (or homophobic or whatever) 50 years from now. I take heart in progress—mine and others’—along this continuum, but I’m also inclined to think that every social justice movement and their leaders will suffer the drag of moderate “allies”. I, too, am angry and disappointed in the officials you cite and their (in)actions, especially regarding ICE and Gaza, but I also see everywhere around me people slowly morphing into the activists we need them to be. Thank you for the article, Qasim. It gave me lots to think about (and recall).
Another great, virtuous piece. You are exactly right in pointing to the relevance, alas, of Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail. Any politician who cannot agree that Israel committing a genocide, that the US is funding and for that reason should we prohibit Israel from buying any weapons should not get our votes.
My governor Gretchen Whitmer lobbied to make all reproductive rights legal for Michigan residents. But she clearly does not support reproductive rights, for to my knowledge she has never written anything about the IDF's deliberate destruction of all such rights in Gaza. So, her reprehensible attendance at the site the Saline MI data center is hardly surprising. (I have a personal interest here; the data center is about 5 miles from my house)
But there are virtuous candidates, ones that deserve and have received our support. Just yesterday Dr. Adam Hamawy, won a NJ primary for a US House representative. His moral record is stunning; he had repeatedly volunteered to help in war zones, including Gaza; he saw the IDF genocide and vehemently opposes it; he supports M4A. I will have the opportunity to vote for a fantastic Senate candidate, one who has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people struggling over medical debt and dramatically improved Detroit area public health. I am speaking, of course, about Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. He not only opposes the IDF genocide (along with a growing majority of American Jews, especially those under 40), he wrote the book on M4A. He vehemently opposes Antisemitism (just read his nuanced response to the attempted attack on a Detroit area synagogue) along with his support of Palestinian victims of genocide. At a recent meeting of Jews for Abdul, he brilliantly answered the gotcha question about Israel's right to exist as a Jewish nation. Alas, he lost the governor's race eight years ago to Gretchen Whitmer. What a difference he could of made!
There was another test of King's lament about white moderates. The annual pro-Israel parade took place in NYC last week. Despite the IDF genocide, despite the far-right wing organizers of the parade (they have long excluded even liberal Zionists, much less groups like JVP or IfNotNow from participating), nearly all major NY office-holders attended...and then pretended to be horrified when Bezalel Smotrich appeared there (equally genocidal officials were invited to participate). The mayor, Zoran Mandami, who is spending money to oppose Antisemitism, refused to participate, angering Zionist Jewish organizations, but gaining applause from JVP.
I feel like today’s most annoying people are eligible nonvoters.
I don’t expect too much of bigots, lechers, and knaves who care not so long as they get theirs.
But these people with a kind of learned helplessness saying, “both sides are the same”, or “it won’t matter” are well and truly the most annoying folks of the last ten years.
Moderates are cowards riding the fence that stand for nothing and fall for everything. If you’re tired of weak Democratic representation stop voting for cowards. The only thing they know to do is sell a lie. They sell whatever people say they want and when it’s time to produce, they’ve already collected their pay without fulfilling their promises. For this reason we need to find a better way to compensate politicians than an upfront salary and perks and benefits that those they represent don’t even receive.
Ok, but when we get to a general election, and we've unfortunately failed in the primary to get a true fighter, and we will fail sometimes, and we have a choice between a pathetic milquetoast centrist, and an out and out fascist, are you suggesting that we are better off with the true fascist?
Because some of my friends interpret it that way, and I think they are truly nuts.
Wonderful piece!! It's discouraging that those democratic governors whose election we celebrated have turned out to be so centrist. Also discouraging that after 63 years we still need to be quoting those prescient words of Dr. Kings
Absolutely!!!!!
Thanks for this exquisite dissection of the rotting "leadership" of the Democratic party. It often seems that Citizens United has birthed several generations of sociopathic Democratic politicians who become hostage to the Donor Class as soon as they are elected. And sadly, millions of voters continue to vote for their own immiseration in exchange for a GOP party/cult that openly celebrates corruption, racism, misogyny, and genocide. I hope it's not too late for Dems to redeem their credibility.
Fantastic piece, Qasim! Forwarding to everyone I can think of!
This piece is *brilliant*. Thank you.
This may sound very ignorant, but at this moment I’m through with the white moderate and their views. I’ve been drowning in it. From my perspective there are so many variations I don’t want to hear anymore because all they sound like are excuses. They will never understand and most of it sounds like political posturing. No offense to your very understanding outlook, but this isn’t new. I didn’t read the entire article because I was so pissed . I call this the great white way. This is how they have always won. Think, forked tongue.
I am furious with these racist and MAGA pardoning / MAGA apologists in the Democratic party. These corporate Democrats climbed the ladder and now that they have their positions of power, they have abused their power and betrayed the American people. There is no excuse at all for their racist collaborations with ICE and MAGA on any level. None. And I am so tired of the blaming and shaming when American voters don't tote the corporate Democratic party line. If corporate Democrats aren't serving the People the voters will not turn out for them. I don't know what else to say. Why bother voting for any Democrat that collaborates with the GOP cruelty?? And why do they get away with blaming the American people when GOP gets elected, instead of making the changes they need to make? I am not giving any money or support to Democrats that take corporate donations and carry out MAGA policies! I will support grassroots, progressive candidates that don't take corporate money, who actually want to stand up to Trump!
Thank you once more for your wonderful writing.
I require my students in a CRT-informed forensic biology course to read Dr. King’s letter, and to write a reflection on the statement that disturbs them the most. The “white moderate” is most often quoted. This is at a U that is 95% white…..
Much love to you Qasim. True preach. Keeping my white ars marchin’!
Racists are just a barometer and proof. The ones who hate but hide behind a mask of lies are no different than the KKK in their hoods (or ICE in their face coverings). Racism is still racism.
In March 1965, I boarded a train in Washington DC headed for Montgomery, AL. Everyone on board was heading south to join the end of the Selma-Montgomery march. I was young (17), white, and privileged, and exactly the moderate white “ally” that Dr. King railed against. I didn’t recognize myself at the time, of course, not even when I read King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. It wasn’t until 50 years later--when I found the handwritten diary I kept the entire trip--that I realized the depth of my racism and arrogance at the time. I then mused that if I recorded my honest thoughts now, they would probably seem as arrogant and racist (or homophobic or whatever) 50 years from now. I take heart in progress—mine and others’—along this continuum, but I’m also inclined to think that every social justice movement and their leaders will suffer the drag of moderate “allies”. I, too, am angry and disappointed in the officials you cite and their (in)actions, especially regarding ICE and Gaza, but I also see everywhere around me people slowly morphing into the activists we need them to be. Thank you for the article, Qasim. It gave me lots to think about (and recall).
Another great, virtuous piece. You are exactly right in pointing to the relevance, alas, of Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail. Any politician who cannot agree that Israel committing a genocide, that the US is funding and for that reason should we prohibit Israel from buying any weapons should not get our votes.
My governor Gretchen Whitmer lobbied to make all reproductive rights legal for Michigan residents. But she clearly does not support reproductive rights, for to my knowledge she has never written anything about the IDF's deliberate destruction of all such rights in Gaza. So, her reprehensible attendance at the site the Saline MI data center is hardly surprising. (I have a personal interest here; the data center is about 5 miles from my house)
But there are virtuous candidates, ones that deserve and have received our support. Just yesterday Dr. Adam Hamawy, won a NJ primary for a US House representative. His moral record is stunning; he had repeatedly volunteered to help in war zones, including Gaza; he saw the IDF genocide and vehemently opposes it; he supports M4A. I will have the opportunity to vote for a fantastic Senate candidate, one who has improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people struggling over medical debt and dramatically improved Detroit area public health. I am speaking, of course, about Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. He not only opposes the IDF genocide (along with a growing majority of American Jews, especially those under 40), he wrote the book on M4A. He vehemently opposes Antisemitism (just read his nuanced response to the attempted attack on a Detroit area synagogue) along with his support of Palestinian victims of genocide. At a recent meeting of Jews for Abdul, he brilliantly answered the gotcha question about Israel's right to exist as a Jewish nation. Alas, he lost the governor's race eight years ago to Gretchen Whitmer. What a difference he could of made!
There was another test of King's lament about white moderates. The annual pro-Israel parade took place in NYC last week. Despite the IDF genocide, despite the far-right wing organizers of the parade (they have long excluded even liberal Zionists, much less groups like JVP or IfNotNow from participating), nearly all major NY office-holders attended...and then pretended to be horrified when Bezalel Smotrich appeared there (equally genocidal officials were invited to participate). The mayor, Zoran Mandami, who is spending money to oppose Antisemitism, refused to participate, angering Zionist Jewish organizations, but gaining applause from JVP.
I feel like today’s most annoying people are eligible nonvoters.
I don’t expect too much of bigots, lechers, and knaves who care not so long as they get theirs.
But these people with a kind of learned helplessness saying, “both sides are the same”, or “it won’t matter” are well and truly the most annoying folks of the last ten years.
Moderates are cowards riding the fence that stand for nothing and fall for everything. If you’re tired of weak Democratic representation stop voting for cowards. The only thing they know to do is sell a lie. They sell whatever people say they want and when it’s time to produce, they’ve already collected their pay without fulfilling their promises. For this reason we need to find a better way to compensate politicians than an upfront salary and perks and benefits that those they represent don’t even receive.
Ok, but when we get to a general election, and we've unfortunately failed in the primary to get a true fighter, and we will fail sometimes, and we have a choice between a pathetic milquetoast centrist, and an out and out fascist, are you suggesting that we are better off with the true fascist?
Because some of my friends interpret it that way, and I think they are truly nuts.
Anyone who chooses to ignore my clear case for the primary is choosing to be ignorant to how we move forward.
Wonderful piece!! It's discouraging that those democratic governors whose election we celebrated have turned out to be so centrist. Also discouraging that after 63 years we still need to be quoting those prescient words of Dr. Kings