Proposal for Side-Quest: Dems Denouncing Josh Harder

“Despite these statistics, the Biden Administration continues its reluctance to pursue a permanent ceasefire, instead insisting on additional military aid to Israel.”

-The word instead is usually used to set off things that are different or in opposition to each other. But, in this case, the Biden administration’s reluctance to pursue a permanent ceasefire and its insistence on additional military aid to Israel are both things that will continue to delay peace. So, it might read a little funny.
-SUGGESTED EDIT (*I don’t think administration needs to be capitalized.): Despite these statistics, the Biden administration insists on sending additional military aid to Israel, instead of pursuing a permanent ceasefire.

“Moreover, Josh’s ‘bilateral ceasefire’ press release inadequately addresses the urgent demands from the people of Gaza, placing the onus for ceasefire conditions on the people of Gaza, who have been displaced by Israel’s attacks and are barely trying to survive.”

-I’m not sure about this phrasing: barely trying to survive. It’s not their efforts to survive that are bare or in short supply, it’s that they’ve been deprived the means for survival.
-SUGGESTED EDIT: Moreover, Josh’s “bilateral ceasefire” press release inadequately addresses the urgent demands from the people of Gaza, placing the onus for ceasefire conditions on a population that has been violently uprooted by Israel’s attacks, and as a result, can scarcely meet their most basic needs.

“Hold the Biden administration accountable for its unilateral support of Israel, including advocating for the refunding of UNRWA.”

-If some of these candidates or their consultants or staffers are not keeping up with the news, they may misinterpret this sentence to mean that the Biden Administration has advocated for refunding UNRWA and that we think it should be held accountable for it. To avoid any possible confusion, it may be best to separate these points.
-SUGGESTED EDIT:
-Hold the Biden administration accountable for its unilateral support of Israel
-Advocate for the refunding of UNRWA

“Advocate for Rep. Tlaib’s Ceasefire Now resolution.”

-It was submitted by Cori Bush, no? Or is there a concern attaching her name to the resolution given her recent troubles?
-SUGGESTED EDIT: Advocate for Rep. Bush’s Ceasefire Now resolution.

“We ask for your decision by the specified deadline. Your response, or lack thereof, will guide our next steps and influence how we present your stance to the community.”

-If this is the route you want to go, then leave no doubt in their mind how their silence will be interpreted.
-SUGGESTED EDIT: We ask for your decision by the specified deadline. The absence of a response, or one that fails to reject Josh Harder’s endorsement, will be taken as your campaign’s alignment with his foreign policy positions on Israel/Palestine.

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Thanks for the recommended changes @anon26178869. I sent out the email today. Didn’t have time this week, but wanted to incorporate your suggestions before sending it out. I left it as Tlaib’s resolution, though, since that is what we’ve been doing previously, and she’s been leading the charge with Bush. Didn’t want to confuse people if we post the email online later.

What are her recent troubles? Her husband as paid security thing or something new?

I contacted the following people through the following routes. I can’t send DMs to Facebook pages (maybe because WCU is a page?), so I could not reach Waqar Rizvi or Nancy Young. I did not see an email on her website, but I was hoping the generic info@ would work, but it bounced.

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You can try nancyyoung4tracy@yahoo.com.

The San Joaquin Building Trades endorsed Rizvi. They have a Gmail listed for him here.

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Using yahoo for campaign email :sob:

Thanks. Sending the email to the following too:
rhodesia@voteransom.com
sonnysdhaliwal@yahoo.com
rizvi.rotary@gmail.com
warmsley@ttsrtat.com
marioforstockton@gmail.com
nancyyoung4tracy@yahoo.com

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We did not get a response from anyone (surprising). I’ll work on a graphic this afternoon using language from the letter, but if anyone has ideas for a catchy headline about “Democrats Stand With Genocide Josh” or something, leave your ideas below.

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Democrats value endorsement over denouncing genocide for political gain. Kinda long so maybe something more cleaned up lol

Caption:
We reached out to all candidates endorsed by Josh Harder, urging them to disavow his support. Josh, who has walked in lockstep with Israel from his first days in Congress, now boasts the support of AIPAC, a far-right super PAC that routinely attacks progressive Democrats. His recent collaboration with conservatives to condemn South Africa’s genocide accusation against Israel at the International Court of Justice before any judgment was made only underscores our resolve against his stances.

Our request for these candidates to renounce Harder’s support was not a call for them to have a stance on Palestine or an immediate ceasefire. Their offices do not wield direct influence over federal policies. But to accept an endorsement from a legislator who backs the tragedy in Gaza is beyond the pale. Such an endorsement not only advances their political careers but also serves to cleanse Harder’s public image through their campaigns and their base of support.

Regrettably, not a single candidate responded to us.

Their silence, however, articulates their positions with stark clarity. It lays bare their true allegiances, which evidently do not align with the suffering Palestinian populace in Gaza, nor with the working-class families of San Joaquin who have been demanding peace and a ceasefire. Their loyalty lies with their political party and their personal ambitions. By choosing political convenience over the ethical duty to denounce figures like Josh Harder, they have clearly demonstrated where their priorities lie.

In the spirit of solidarity and justice, we must recognize this silence for what it is—a declaration of their values and a betrayal of the Palestinian people who have suffered for decades under Israel’s racist and genocidal regime.

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This has mostly been discussed in WhatsApp and Zoom, but we are planning for a rally alongside 209ForPalestine and ProgressiveUnity on 2024-03-02T22:30:00Z.

The text that will accompany the announcement is here and was worked on by a group of us last night: 2024-02-25 Free Palestine Rally - Google Docs

Jerry McNerney released a statement today saying that he supports a ceasefire:

We’re working on a response here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FZTBMYcz1ukmtDS7cbBaTD5jeDXQhvo44tcfifO57WA/edit

You can join here: Launch Meeting - Zoom

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Response looks good. I feel we need to keep emphasizing that our demands can change the views of our elected officials. This also sends a strong message to our local candidates