Muslims For Harris-Walz

Leading up to the election, I’ve participated in several community groups advocating for the Harris-Walz ticket in the 2024 election. This includes “South Asians for Kamala,” “Comics for Kamala,” and “Geeks and Nerds and Kamala.” All of those events generated excitement, funds, and were greeted with relatively little to no controversy or calls for boycott.

Well, that was then. On Sunday, I’ll be representing the Middle-Aged Muslim Dad contingent for Kamala.

This is very controversial and downright enraging in Muslim and Arab communities right now due to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Everyday we awake to a fresh new scene of horrors and civilian casualties. In the past year, over 42,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed as a result of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza funded and armed by the United States. Now, the war has escalated and expanded to Lebanon with thousands of civilian casualties.

As VP, Kamala Harris has echoed the same line and talking points of President Biden in their near unconditional support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failed war which has not brought home the hostages, made the region more secure, or destroyed Hamas. In fact, Netanyahu has aggressively crossed every single one of Biden’s alleged “red lines,” and he is rewarded with more weapons and funds. Bibi is openly against two states, has expanded settlements in the West Bank, and continues killing civilians despite the Biden Administration’s protests. He has also rejected what President Biden said was Israel’s ceasefire deal since the summer.

Democrats made a huge, self-defeating mistake at the DNC by not inviting a single Palestinian American speaker to address the nation. They could have easily had a Palestinian parent speak side by side with the Goldeberg-Polin family whose son was held hostage and later killed by Hamas. When Kamala Harris did mention Palestinians in her speech, she was met with a huge applause. Most Democratic voters believe Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza and support a ceasefire. More voters are increasingly open to the U.S. threatening to stop arms to Israel as a means to curb Israel’s destruction.

The Biden Administration still has time to restrain Israel by enforcing its own laws and international laws. Unfortunately, with 5 weeks left until the election, it seems they will settle on refusing to change their policy to avoid political fallout thereby giving Bibi carte blanche. President Biden is stuck in ember when it comes to Israel, atrophied in the 1970’s and still recalling his meeting with Prime Minister Golda Meir.

“With all this, Wajahat, why do you still endorse the Harris ticket over Trump, Stein and not voting?” “How can you?” people ask.

Because as horrific as all this has been, a potential Trump Administration shall be even worse on this issue AND every other issue. There’s a reason Prime Minister Netanyahu and Itamar Ben Gvir want Trump to win. It’s because he has promised to let these extremists “finish what they started.” That includes annexing the West Bank, which is why Miriam Adelson has given Trump millions of dollars. Jared Kushner will get his “waterfront properties” in Gaza. Also, Trump has promised an “ideological screening” for immigrants, mass expulsions, the return of the Muslim Ban, and he wants to bar Gaza refugees from coming. He now casually uses Palestinian as a slur. This is in addition to his plan to create camps for undocumented immigrants, whom he calls invaders and accuses of “poisoning” the blood of our nation. That’s Hitler’s language by the way. 

You can and should continue to push the Biden Administration to stop Israel’s genocide and you can acknowledge Trump and MAGA's existential threat to our democracy and freedoms. Trump has already taken credit for attacking women’s rights and has promised to be a “dictator for a day” and terminate the Constitution. His Project 2025 seeks to purge the government and replace them with MAGA loyalists, who by the way are not fans of Muslims or people of color. He wants to attack Social Security and Medicare and eliminate Obamacare which is absolutely critical for the survival of millions of Americans. He doesn’t believe in climate change which is an existential threat. He doesn’t care about gun control even as our children die in mass shootings. His economic policies will bring about economic ruin and increase taxes for average Americans.

There's no "both sides" here. If you live in one of the 7 Swing States, then a vote for Stein or West is simply a vote to help Trump win. They will both achieve 0 electoral votes. This election will come to the margins in those specific states. As such, it’s imperative voters think of the greatest good and avoid the greatest harm.

A Harris-Walz Presidency presents the greatest good for the nation compared to all other options.