Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) is revoking his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) over its promotion of what he said was an antisemitic rally in New York City.
“Today, I am officially renouncing my membership in the Democratic Socialists of America. After the brutal terrorist attacks on Israel, which included the indiscriminate murder, rape, and kidnapping of innocent men, women, and children, I can no longer associate with an organization unwilling to call out terrorism in all its forms,” he wrote in a statement Wednesday.
Thanedar, formerly one of the six members of the DSA in Congress, said that a rally in Times Square on Sunday pushed him to make the decision.
The rally, held just one day after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel, was also denounced by other lawmakers and officials.
“Sunday’s hate-filled and antisemitic rally in New York City, promoted by the NYC-DSA, makes it impossible for me to continue my affiliation. I stand with Israel and its right to defend itself. There is no place for moral equivocation in the face of unadulterated evil as we have seen from Hamas,” Thanedar added.
This guy is a tool, totally agree. Supporting Modi is incompatible with being left wing. I’ve pretty much written the actual politician off as not serious.
Pundits – oddly enough, I think AOC has made the best statement on this crisis. She did a fantastic job of not making any of the violence sound justified, while condemning all of it.
Comments are always hard to judge for if they’re really fringe or not. I will say I’ve seen some leftists carry water for Hamas, but they’re the tankie type that doesn’t really understand leftism to start with. And I think that’s who people are thinking of here when someone says “the left”
You also make an excellent point about how support for Israel never needs to be qualified but for Palestine it does.
Sorry if this comment sounds a bit rushed, I didn’t want to leave you hanging, but I’ve only just heard of Israel telling all of Gaza to evacuate in 24 hours, and I can’t get it out of my head. It’s utterly chilling. I fear that whatever they’re about to do will change the conversation’s dynamic entirely.