As Vice President Kamala Harris received the presidential nomination at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC), thousands of people marched near the convention demanding an end to U.S. arms shipments to Israel and the war on Gaza. The protesters, led by Palestinian and Jewish activists, represented a diverse coalition including anti-war veterans, climate justice activists, and labor organizers. Despite efforts by Democrats to keep the Palestine issue sidelined, the marchers made their voices heard, declaring Harris and President Joe Biden complicit in the genocide in Gaza. The protesters came from communities and movements that are often considered part of the Democratic coalition, warning that their votes could not be taken for granted unless the party takes concrete action to end the occupation and devastation in Palestine. Organizers estimate around 30,000 people demonstrated in Chicago over the course of the week, making Palestine impossible to ignore during the convention. The activists drew connections between the struggle for Palestinian liberation and the fight against racist violence and state repression in the U.S., challenging the Democratic Party’s complicity in both. The protests encountered a heavy police presence, with hundreds of riot police surrounding the march at all times. Despite the tension, the demonstration remained largely peaceful as the protesters demanded justice for Palestine. As Kamala Harris prepared to take the stage, the marchers continued their chants and songs, determined to keep the spotlight on the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza and the Democratic Party’s failure to address it.

    • Tiefling IRL@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      arrow-down
      6
      ·
      2 years ago

      My question to the people withholding their vote because of Gaza is: what is your plan to support the Palestinian people when Trump gets in? How will you be supporting them when Trump starts calling for nukes? What will you be doing when Trump decides to use the US military to suppress protests?

        • medgremlin@midwest.social
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          2 years ago

          Depending on which state you live in, a 3rd party vote is equivalent to a vote for Trump when everything is said and done.

          • barsquid@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            3
            ·
            2 years ago

            Yeah. Unfortunately, people who love genocide want the guy who bombed the fuck out of Yemen to take over next year. It’s tough to read those guys urging others to take the same position and pretending it is normal.

          • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            5
            arrow-down
            10
            ·
            2 years ago

            a 3rd party vote is equivalent to a vote for Trump

            A third-party vote is a vote for the candidate I believe in, not an automatic vote for Trump or anyone else.

            My voting reflects my values, and I’m not driven by fear of an outcome.

    • Eldritch@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      2 years ago

      Absolutely. I 100% agree with their goals. But it’s like they couldn’t be making worse decisions. Whoever is setting their agenda. It’s like they’re focusing on sewing chaos and discontent. And not actually getting what they say they want.

      I believe the protesters are sincere. But screaming at presidential candidates was never a good idea. Harris or trump will 100% be the winners. Trump will absolutely be worse. So any sane uncommitted protestor can’t actually be uncommitted. And those that are truly uncommitted aren’t really reachable. It’s not a position of strength to negotiate from.

      Pro Palestinian voters would have had more success supporting senate and house candidates that support their goals. We actually lost two by slim margins. What’s the logic of focusing on nationwide elections that are the most expensive and hardest to influence. As opposed to simple Statewide or District elections. Which are much cheaper, and have a much smaller voter base to influence. It’s the house after all that passes and funds the aid they wish to stop. Nothing about this is logical. Well unless the goal really is to so chaos and Division among the opponents of Republicans.

    • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      I said roughly the same thing, while pointing out that the OP has pushed anti voting agenda in the past and got my comment removed (I did use the word idiot). The mods are not allowing discourse here.

        • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          9
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          2 years ago

          Fair enough. I didn’t call the OP an idiot, but suggested that if they believe not voting will help the Palestinians they were an idiot. But I’ll refrain in the future.

          • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            10
            ·
            edit-2
            2 years ago

            You also accused OP of being a troll. Which is also not allowed.

            Just because someone doesn’t agree with you, even if they have a history of that, doesn’t make them a troll.

            It means they have different opinions than you. And that’s ok. You don’t have to get personal and accuse people of stuff though.

            • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              5
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              2 years ago

              My comment wasn’t based on our differing opinions, but rather the OP’s post/comment history. However name calling isn’t cool and as I said in a reply a few hours back, I’ll refrain from that in the future.

              • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                3
                arrow-down
                10
                ·
                2 years ago

                I respect you for giving me this update, thank you!

                I get called names on here daily, and people look up my post/comment history as well, so I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end. Many times, it really is just a person with different opinions and viewpoints instead of a troll.

                We’re all gonna make it, friend.

                • UnpopularCrow@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  3
                  arrow-down
                  1
                  ·
                  2 years ago

                  Appreciate it. I got called out for being disrespectful. I was and I will improve. That’s my goal as a human.

                  • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    arrow-down
                    10
                    ·
                    2 years ago

                    I was and I will improve. That’s my goal as a human.

                    Mine as well! And if enough of us stay on this journey, we can inspire others to do the same.

                    And we can keep this place from becoming like Reddit! (shudder)

          • Verdant Banana@lemmy.worldOP
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            12
            ·
            2 years ago

            We can see your comment/post history. It is clear that you are either a Russian/Chinese/North Korean/MAGA troll attempting election interference or an idiot who thinks not voting is the solution to all of America’s problems. The argument that not voting will somehow help the Palestinians is mind numbing at best and horrifying at worst. Trump will green light the total destruction on Gaza. I also failed to see anything here about Trump’s phone call preventing a ceasefire. He will pull funding from Ukraine, who also needs help in their struggle against genocide as well. Is it worth the paycheck to spread this bullshit? Or are you really that ignorant? by

            @UnpopularCrow

            you called me a Russian/Chinese/North Korean/MAGA troll

            you labeled me just like cops like to do without having any facts that was why you were banned

            you are the one playing out the narrative the elites want the one that divides citizens but bitching and lying about your actions when you are called out just like both parties do especially Trump

            • Eldritch@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              7
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              2 years ago

              People are wired to look for patterns in randomness and meaning in irrationality. Something considering the irrationality of your post at the very very very very bottom of all the other posts. Leaves you significantly unqualified to really complain about this.

              That said I believe that you are genuine. For all the good that means. In this day and age of generative ai. If paid opposition was ever really that widespread. It isn’t today. And while you aren’t a magat either. You’d never acknowledge just how much like them you were behaving. I genuinely believe that you’re probably a decent person as are most magats. I just wish I could believe that either group might wake up and understand how counterproductive their behavior is. Often hurting the very thing they advocate for. And start to question who that sort of behavior actually helps. Because it isn’t either one of the issues either group obsesses over.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldBanned from community
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        2 years ago

        The mods are not allowing discourse here.

        Check the modlog for what pro-genocide centrists (there will never be another kind of centrist) consider “discourse.”

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldBanned from community
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            2 years ago

            Anyone who checks the modlog can see that you didn’t just call them an idiot.

      • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        8
        ·
        edit-2
        2 years ago

        got my comment removed (I did use the word idiot). The mods are not allowing discourse here.

        They ARE allowing discourse tho. It’s just that they are NOT allowing insults.

        Do you really have to insult someone when you’re advocating your point?

        You can have your opinion, post it and not use the word “idiot” or result to namecalling.

    • scarabine@lemmynsfw.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      2 years ago

      It’s a convenient wedge issue because although no one disagrees, and Harris is the clear choice, people are very upset about it. That allows the topic to steer people away from reason and into raw emotion. That in turn allows the conversation to become a way to subvert the topic into a general negative sentiment that plants itself association with Harris.

      It’s a good manipulation tactic, and you can observe that any dissent turns into a pithy back and forth quickly. That’s going to leave it in the conversation for good. Because we’ll get upset every time it comes up.

      It’s a very cynical, awful thing to do. To take the genocide of a helpless people and only serve it when convenient as a wedge issue. But it works, so here we are, talking about them but only when people want to take pot shots at specific politicians.

    • K1nsey6@lemmy.mlBanned from community
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      2 years ago

      The better alternative is to abandon the duopoly completely

        • K1nsey6@lemmy.mlBanned from community
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          4
          ·
          2 years ago

          After listening to her Nuremberg rally level acceptance speech the other night, I can’t see how anyone in good conscious could cast a vote for that. They’re willing to embrace full fledged right wing authoritarianism, nationalism, imperialism, well funded police state, as long as its team blue doing it.

          If someone were to read a transcript of her speech and was asked if there was Trump speaking, or if it was Harris speaking, I would stand to guess that a majority of people would default to Trump.

          • unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            2 years ago

            That’s a terrible comparison because Trump is so incoherent and long-winded. But, you’re asking random Americans, who maybe think he’s charismatic. Personally I’m voting against trunk and for Harris. The consequences will be dire if that guy wins.

          • Socialist Mormon Satanist@lemmy.worldBanned
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            9
            ·
            2 years ago

            Yep, between some of her speeches and the replies I get here on Lemmy, I’m amazed at how Democrats often believe they are so much better than Republicans—even though they engage in the exact same types of behavior!

            • K1nsey6@lemmy.mlBanned from community
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              4
              arrow-down
              3
              ·
              2 years ago

              They will refuse to acknowledge it, but they are just as big a victim of US propaganda as Republicans.