With just a few days before the election, progressives remain deeply divided. There are some on the left who won’t vote for Harris out of anger with the Biden administrations’ response to the Israeli assault on Gaza. They take a moral stance, that Biden is responsible for funding and not stopping the genocide. It’s a position that I respect, but do not share. There are many of us who care deeply about justice for Palestine, who deplore genocide, but who make a different strategic decision: that a second Trump administration is too great a danger to risk. That is my position, also worthy of respect, and shared as well by many Muslim organizations and many prominent activists, including AOC and Bernie Sanders, who has more reason than most to be angry at the Democratic leadership.
You're so right. I always wonder how MAGA voters don't mind shooting themselves in the foot (think Affordable Care, Social Security, price spikes because of tariffs on imported goods, etc.), but we shouldn't be doing the same. A Trump win will NOT help the Palestinian people, or Ukraine; instead, it will seal their fate.
Thank you for this well reasoned outreach. Things will get worse in every direction if we don’t elect Harris. I don’t really understand how anyone who cares about Gaza and its people could think Trump was a reasonable alternative. You have said this so well.
If you want to understand, they don't think Trump will be better, they want Stein/Green Party to earn 5% of the vote so third parties will get more funding. And to show the Dems they don't own anyone's votes, that they can't win votes while being genocidal.
Please vote for Harris no matter what. Trump is unfit for the office and the people backing him are fascists. He and his MAGA will hurt many of your fellow Americans, especially women, poor people, and anyone not white and straight. And there will never be another free election without a bloody revolution.
Vote for Harris and then take your grievances to Washington during her term. You will get another chance to vote in two years and four. The most vulnerable Americans are counting on all of us to prevent the unmitigated disaster of Trump in the White House.
Thank you so much for using your influence in this way. I see voting for Harris as a way to have a chance to vote again, to protest again. Enabling Trump to win will harm so many many more.
Well said, Starhawk, reflecting an important and nuanced position that can be acted on after the election. My take is that regardless of injustices here and abroad, we can’t yield to our own desires. We must not vote for ourselves, but only vote for the needs of our nation because this is the last shot to take down the efforts to push aside democracy in favor of #RepubloFascism.
Our vote for Harris is a patriotic necessity. Our voice to reshape policy should be strong as well, because a two state solution in Israel is a humanitarian decision that may only come to pass if the US states that it backs Israel as a nation and a people, but not Netanyahu as a cruel leader killing the innocent with seemingly no conscience.
Agreed that it's time to start thinking about how to organize after the election, and that we must act sooner rather than later no matter what the outcome.
One small correction: There are no third party presidential candidates on the ballot in NY this year. Former Gov. Cuomo changed the law, making it much more difficult for third parties to qualify.
Voting is only one tool, as you have so clearly outlined. I think people forget that their responsibility in any democracy is to continue to speak at all times - to each other, to their representatives, to everyone - not just to cast a vote. Voting is the least we can and must do.
I normally disagree with strategic voting, because in Canada we have more than two parties, though we still have a "first past the post" majority system. However, in this US election it is critical. Just as critical is to continue to speak and act beyond the election. That, we share with you.
Thanks for your brilliant words, as always, Starhawk! I made a pro-Harris music video today that lays out my case of why I believe Vice President Harris deserves the votes of Progressives. Feel free to listen and share if you think it could be effective: https://youtu.be/i2p8HFRSpaQ?si=M9V7FejSMZ5hCAzb
(It's a hip-hop western and the beats were made by an award-winning Salish/Blackfeet guy named Foreshadow).
How do we move from oppositional, ie, with each defined by reaction to the other, to the triple spiral of moving together for the well being of the one Earth community we share with all the more than human world?
Guess liberals aren't paying attention to what Harris is saying. There will be no ceasefire. She has been a supporter of Israel Sinceher undergraduate days. She fundraised for an organization that erases Palestinians, planting fake forests on thr graves of Palestinians. Biden Harris are fully dedicated to fracking. Harris and Trump serve Israel and corporate interests and the loser democrats have been going on the 'lesser evil' lie for decades, since NIXON. They are thr actual evil.
doesn't matter, cuz trump would be worse and cuz we need Harris victory for other matters of, and forgive me for this, greater importance, inasmuch as a trump win will bring about the collapse of civilization, not just the US, and then there's no chance to help Palestine or anything else
I live in West Virginia. If I had lived in a swing state, I would have voted for Harris. I agree with you that a Harris administration would have been extremely preferable to the horror that's coming. But unfortunately my vote didn't count. So I cast a protest vote for Jill Stein. Trump won 70 percent in my state. Now we will face a very different set of choices: whether to have the courage to resist, to shelter immigrants, to speak up and be ourselves, and try to save as much of the natural environment that we can.
You're so right. I always wonder how MAGA voters don't mind shooting themselves in the foot (think Affordable Care, Social Security, price spikes because of tariffs on imported goods, etc.), but we shouldn't be doing the same. A Trump win will NOT help the Palestinian people, or Ukraine; instead, it will seal their fate.
Thank You so much for this message. We need to heed it so bad.
Thank you for this well reasoned outreach. Things will get worse in every direction if we don’t elect Harris. I don’t really understand how anyone who cares about Gaza and its people could think Trump was a reasonable alternative. You have said this so well.
If you want to understand, they don't think Trump will be better, they want Stein/Green Party to earn 5% of the vote so third parties will get more funding. And to show the Dems they don't own anyone's votes, that they can't win votes while being genocidal.
won't work like that tho
Please vote for Harris no matter what. Trump is unfit for the office and the people backing him are fascists. He and his MAGA will hurt many of your fellow Americans, especially women, poor people, and anyone not white and straight. And there will never be another free election without a bloody revolution.
Vote for Harris and then take your grievances to Washington during her term. You will get another chance to vote in two years and four. The most vulnerable Americans are counting on all of us to prevent the unmitigated disaster of Trump in the White House.
Thank you so much for using your influence in this way. I see voting for Harris as a way to have a chance to vote again, to protest again. Enabling Trump to win will harm so many many more.
Well said, Starhawk, reflecting an important and nuanced position that can be acted on after the election. My take is that regardless of injustices here and abroad, we can’t yield to our own desires. We must not vote for ourselves, but only vote for the needs of our nation because this is the last shot to take down the efforts to push aside democracy in favor of #RepubloFascism.
Our vote for Harris is a patriotic necessity. Our voice to reshape policy should be strong as well, because a two state solution in Israel is a humanitarian decision that may only come to pass if the US states that it backs Israel as a nation and a people, but not Netanyahu as a cruel leader killing the innocent with seemingly no conscience.
Agreed that it's time to start thinking about how to organize after the election, and that we must act sooner rather than later no matter what the outcome.
One small correction: There are no third party presidential candidates on the ballot in NY this year. Former Gov. Cuomo changed the law, making it much more difficult for third parties to qualify.
Voting is only one tool, as you have so clearly outlined. I think people forget that their responsibility in any democracy is to continue to speak at all times - to each other, to their representatives, to everyone - not just to cast a vote. Voting is the least we can and must do.
I normally disagree with strategic voting, because in Canada we have more than two parties, though we still have a "first past the post" majority system. However, in this US election it is critical. Just as critical is to continue to speak and act beyond the election. That, we share with you.
Thank you for keeping it complex and clear!
Wise counsel Starhawk✨.
For those interested in what people who are against voting actually have to say or suggest to do, here:
https://types.mataroa.blog/blog/dont-voted
Thanks for your brilliant words, as always, Starhawk! I made a pro-Harris music video today that lays out my case of why I believe Vice President Harris deserves the votes of Progressives. Feel free to listen and share if you think it could be effective: https://youtu.be/i2p8HFRSpaQ?si=M9V7FejSMZ5hCAzb
(It's a hip-hop western and the beats were made by an award-winning Salish/Blackfeet guy named Foreshadow).
I love this. He is really great! I shared with friends who could use a lift B4 Tuesday!
How do we move from oppositional, ie, with each defined by reaction to the other, to the triple spiral of moving together for the well being of the one Earth community we share with all the more than human world?
https://youtu.be/5Rz9dC_U5lo?si=KJ4U_Aco65zZUhtG
Guess liberals aren't paying attention to what Harris is saying. There will be no ceasefire. She has been a supporter of Israel Sinceher undergraduate days. She fundraised for an organization that erases Palestinians, planting fake forests on thr graves of Palestinians. Biden Harris are fully dedicated to fracking. Harris and Trump serve Israel and corporate interests and the loser democrats have been going on the 'lesser evil' lie for decades, since NIXON. They are thr actual evil.
doesn't matter, cuz trump would be worse and cuz we need Harris victory for other matters of, and forgive me for this, greater importance, inasmuch as a trump win will bring about the collapse of civilization, not just the US, and then there's no chance to help Palestine or anything else
👍👍👍
I live in West Virginia. If I had lived in a swing state, I would have voted for Harris. I agree with you that a Harris administration would have been extremely preferable to the horror that's coming. But unfortunately my vote didn't count. So I cast a protest vote for Jill Stein. Trump won 70 percent in my state. Now we will face a very different set of choices: whether to have the courage to resist, to shelter immigrants, to speak up and be ourselves, and try to save as much of the natural environment that we can.
Right there with you, Starhawk.
Thank you, I felt myself settle down a bit because I read this and felt represented. I’m using that letter to Biden and Harris!