Notably absent from Walz’s speech was any real substance on foreign policy — including discussion of the genocide happening against Palestinians in Gaza, which uncommitted delegates and their allies have been trying to discuss for days at DNC. Indeed, most of the night, if not the week, has ignored the issue, and where it has been mentioned, Israel’s role in the genocide has been glossed over.

Uncommitted delegates in support of Palestinian liberation and an end to the genocide have requested that the DNC allow a Palestinian speaker take the podium in the United Center, to discuss a permanent ceasefire and an embargo for weapons from the U.S. to Israel, which the U.S. is legally obligated to do.

“We are learning that Israeli hostages’ families will be speaking from the main stage. We strongly support that decision and also strongly hope that we will also be hearing from Palestinians who’ve endured the largest civilian death toll since 1948,” read a statement from the Uncommitted National Movement account on X. “Excluding a Palestinian speaker betrays the party’s commitment in our platform to valuing Israelis and Palestinian lives equally. Vice President Harris must unite this party with a vision that fights for everyone, including Palestinians.”

A group of uncommitted delegates, joined by interfaith leaders and their allies, staged a sit-in just outside the convention hall on Wednesday night, saying they wouldn’t remove themselves from that spot until their demands for a Palestinian speaker were met.

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    All activists will sometimes lose ground. The successful ones gain the ground back. The unsuccessful ones are discouraged by setbacks, complain about the latest tactics used by their opponents, and give up.

    Women’s rights activists suffered a huge setback in 2022. They did more than complain about the internet and billionaires. They redoubled their efforts and are determined to gain all that ground back in the coming years. And then some.

      • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Well, in America change generally takes years. Activism takes patience. Set your goals accordingly.

        • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldOP
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          4 months ago

          The goal is a ceasefire. When we are arming one side, Israel, that uses our weapons to eradicate the other side, Palestinians; a ceasefire means to stop providing the weapons used for genocide. Conditional military aid, conditional on Israel abiding by international laws and not committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

          That is the moral position. That is also popular, and a great way for Harris to gain support and momentum. In general but also critically in key states.

          An April 2024 poll of likely voters across the U.S. found that 30% strongly supported withholding military funds to Israel until the attacks on Gaza stop; another 25% somewhat supported that conditional aid policy.

          If you see Palestinians as equals, I don’t get why you’re arguing against the people advocating for their voice instead of being an advocate

          • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            If the goal is a ceasefire, commonly defined as a bilateral end of hostilities, then you should encourage and reward the administration’s attempts to secure a ceasefire.

            If the goal is to stop arming Israel, then Americans overall do not sufficiently support this goal right now. That means this goal will take years to achieve.

            If you want to help Palestinians, then you should be realistic about what you can achieve and how long it will take.

            • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldOP
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              4 months ago

              40-100 thousand people have died while they fail to pressure Israel to agree to the ceasefire. Americans overall do, you don’t.

              First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom

              • MLK Jr
              • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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                4 months ago

                Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice

                MLK had patience, which that quote exemplifies. It took the civil rights movement years to see any results.

    • Snot Flickerman
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      4 months ago

      Oh no! Someone complained! That must mean they’re not a real activist who gets anything done and thus should be chided and dismissed!

      If that’s really your implication here, get fucked, cunt. People can and do both. You’re allowed to speak at how fucked the situation is while also trying to do something about it, and people telling us “just try harder” like they’re doing anything better can eat dogshit.

      • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        You can, and should, do whatever activism you can.

        Who cares about how hard it is with Persona Management blah blah blah. Activism isn’t supposed to be easy. Get it done, or don’t.

        Every other Democratic activist in America faces the exact same problems, but they aren’t whining. Women’s rights activists got ballot initiatives in ten states this year. They rose to the challenge, and that’s why they are successful.