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dalton99a

(81,709 posts) Mon Apr 29, 2024, 10:12 AM Apr 29

College Protests Over Gaza Deepen Democratic Rifts (NYT)

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/28/us/politics/college-protests-israel-democrats.html

College Protests Over Gaza Deepen Democratic Rifts
Scenes of chaos unfolding on campuses across the country are stoking internal divisions and carry political risk as a major election year unfolds.
By Katie Glueck
April 28, 2024

Nearly seven months after the Israel-Hamas war began, the demonstrations convulsing college campuses nationwide are exposing fresh tensions within the Democratic Party over how to balance free speech protections and support for Gazans with concerns that some Jewish Americans are raising about antisemitism.

From New York and Los Angeles to Atlanta and Austin, a surge in student activism has manifested in protest encampments and other demonstrations, drawing significant police crackdowns and sometimes appearing to attract outside agitators. The protests also have emerged as the latest flashpoint in the internal Democratic debate over the war.

As scenes of campus turmoil play out across the country in the final days of the school year, the moment also carries political risk for a party that has harnessed promises of stability and normalcy to win critical recent elections, and faces a challenging battle for control of the government in the fall.

“The real question is, can the Democrats again portray themselves as the steady hand at the helm?” said Dan Sena, a veteran Democratic strategist. “Things that create national chaos like this make that harder to do.”

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I'd say most Americans, young and old, can't identify Palestine on a map and don't give a shit

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College Protests Over Gaza Deepen Democratic Rifts (NYT) (Original Post) dalton99a Apr 29 OP

I would argue a good number of those protesters do not identify with the Democratic Party, in a similar way JohnSJ Apr 29 #1

+1 dalton99a Apr 29 #2

It's all good LiberaBlueDem Apr 29 #3

I agree with you. n/t shrike3 Apr 29 #4

I'd say you're 100 percent correct. BannonsLiver Apr 29 #5

JohnSJ

(92,554 posts)

1. I would argue a good number of those protesters do not identify with the Democratic Party, in a similar way

Reply to dalton99a (Original post)

Mon Apr 29, 2024, 10:39 AM

Apr 29

in 2016 and 2000, that the green party, DSA, and other similar groups not only did not align themselves with the Democratic party, but actively campaigned against it.

Those groups have never been reliable Democratic voters, yet alone ones to actually come out and vote.

That being said, AOC made it clear when asked the question about the protests and voting for Biden, that the most important issue facing the country is saving Democracy, and that means voting for Joe Biden and the Democrats.

Whether these protesters will vote Democratic, or even vote, remains to be seen, but there are other issues such as a women's right to choose, workers rights, civil rights, environmental rights, the economy, social security, medicare, heathcare, etc. along with saving Democracy, that the majority of the population cares about, and where the differences between Democrats and republicans is striking, and those people WILL vote.

As for those protesters who won't vote Democratic, or not even vote, the results of that tactic were clearly expressed in 2000 and 2016, and from my perspective, anyone who follows that path is a loser, and we shouldn't spend too much time trying to convince them, because their minds are already made up. Cornell West, who is NOT a Democrat was included as part of the Democratic party during the 2016 Democratic Convention, and after the convention, he promptly left and endorsed Jill Stein for President.