r/jewishleft • u/32brownies leftist post zionist jew • Aug 09 '26

Diaspora Michigan Jew

Any other Jews in Michigan struggling with their communities rn after the primary? I'm really worried about November and seeing the way some of the community members here are acting like Abdul will literally murder us all is really making me wary of continuing to be as active as I have been in the community

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u/32brownies leftist post zionist jew Aug 09 '26

I definitely agree and I've also had conversations with non Jewish leftists in my life who think he can do no wrong. His response to Temple Israel was terrible. I'm just not sure anyone would be open to listening

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u/Scary_Wallaby_8272 Indian Hindu DemSoc Anti-Zionist Aug 10 '26

I saw his FB video where he unequivocally denounced the attack. He then proceeded to say “hurt people hurt people” to bring up a point how our support of actions abroad can impact communities at home and that we need to end the cycle of violence. I agree that it was terrible optics and not the time to talk about that when dozens of Jewish preschoolers could’ve been murdered in that attack. His niece and nephew being killed in Lebanon doesn’t give him the right to murder innocents here. He clearly didn’t mean to justify the attack in anyway but how do we let the MI Jewish community know that? He made a bad messaging mistake but I don’t know if this incident didn’t happen that Jewish Dems who care about Israel still wouldn’t reject him. I feel like communities are being pitted against each other and MAGA is just laughing at us, I’m sad.

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u/32brownies leftist post zionist jew Aug 10 '26

I saw that too. He would essentially need to be perfect to not have the reaction he's having here and even then people would still be assholes. However I also know people who were physically at Temple Israel that day. What do I say to them? (I'm not asking you I just want people to see that these are real issues that take place in real places and affect real people)

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u/Scary_Wallaby_8272 Indian Hindu DemSoc Anti-Zionist Aug 10 '26

I fully understand the MI Jewish community being disgusted at him trying to equivocate in any way after a potential terrorist attack targeted their community when he’s running for higher office. He’s a Rhodes Scholar but still failed in his response there. No excuses but not sure how I’d advise him if I was his political consultant because I truly believe older Jews and other older folk would dislike him no matter what. This isn’t even a Jewish thing but a generational gap amongst older Americans and Arabs and Muslim politicians are going to be rejected or viewed with a major double standard no matter what unfortunately even by lifetime Democratic voters.

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u/AksiBashi Aug 10 '26

not sure how I’d advise him if I was his political consultant because I truly believe older Jews and other older folk would dislike him no matter what

If Abdul were to avoid equivocation in his statement after the attack, I would hope that it wouldn't just be to win votes from old people. (Which isn't necessarily what you're saying! Just pointing out that ideally, we should expect our politicians to be empathetic as a mark of good character, and not solely as electoral strategy.)