The article “No kings protesters oppose Trump administrations’ policies” (June 15, TribLive) neglected to mention the large Palestine contingent that was present, including speaker Jacob Blumenstein representing Jewish Voice for Peace.
After listening to Blumenstein’s plea to connect the fight against fascism, white supremacy and antisemitism in the U.S. with Israel’s occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide in Palestine, we chanted “free Palestine!” At this point three people approached us yelling that Palestine was “not why we’re here” and “confuses the issue of opposing (Donald) Trump.”
Holding the U.S. government accountable for participating in Israel’s genocide in Gaza is exactly why we were there. We will not allow our government to dehumanize Palestinians and weaponize antisemitism against people speaking out against forced mass starvation, relentless bombing, constant displacement, an illegal siege, ongoing ethnic cleansing, colonization and apartheid, which Democrats and Republicans do to manufacture consent for genocide.
But the current regime has gone farther to criminalize anyone speaking out, especially immigrants and students. In my opinion, the regime is using Palestinian activism as a launching point for repression against all communities they don’t like, including Black, brown and Muslim immigrants and refugees, women insisting on their right to bodily autonomy and LGBTQ+ people.
We were there to protest our government’s participation in starving and shooting Palestinians trying to access food, and to uphold human rights and hold Palestine as the symbol for the inherent worthiness of and right to live free from oppression for all people. I hope these are the same values that those who confronted us hold in their hearts too.
Laurie Kessler
Baldwin