Israel-Hamas Conflict

Antisemitism On College Campuses Alarming!

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The Israel-Hamas War in the Gaza Strip has created a new wave of antisemitism on American college campuses.

It has caused threats and dangers to American Jewish students, and has led to massive demonstrations and sitins on campuses, as well as blockages of traffic in New York City and elsewhere.

The House Republicans have exploited this issue, condemning university Presidents who have, in many cases, been slow to take any action.

But it has also led to criticism at Columbia University, who has banned various student groups and expelled some students, and cracked down on “academic freedom’ of some college professors.

This whole situation is very awkward in so many ways, with no easy solution, but to have student groups promoting hate and desire to destroy Israel’s right to exist, and to threaten all American Jews, is unacceptable.

College professors have the responsibility to promote dialogue, not to advocate for hate and division in any controversy, as they are perceived as role models for students.

So debate and discussion with a professor being the moderator is the only proper role, and the purpose should be to bring the temperature down and promote interaction without taking away the safety and security and basic rights of all concerned!

The Likelihood Of Further US Engagement In Overseas Conflicts

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This author and blogger has the sense of foreboding, that the United States will soon become more involved in overseas conflicts in a more direct manner.

The Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Gaza Conflict are escalating dangerously, and both represent major problems for American foreign policy.

Attempting to promote more military aid to Ukraine has been a struggle, and the sense is that Russia is emboldened by the inability of the US being able to promote more aid to Ukraine, ironically likely insuring a wider conflict.

Russia is likely to attempt to expand the war against former Soviet Union held areas before 1989—Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. This would bring the US and NATO into a wider conflict.

The Israel-Gaza conflict is likely to escalate with Iranian involvement, and will put America into the cross hairs of supporting a right wing Israeli government, which has shown no concern about human rights in its war on Hamas, sadly making the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to suffer massive loss of civilians.

All that these two conflicts are doing is complicating Joe Biden’s Presidential campaign.

One would expect that there could be wider war soon, against all desires, and if that happens, as sad as that is, it would help insure Joe Biden’s victory, despite vehement anger of many, as no President has ever lost an election for another term in a time of war!

Israel-Hamas War A Nightmare Scenario For Joe Biden Campaign!

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The Israel-Hamas War, now six months old, has seen the death of 1,200 Israelis and 33,000 Gazan Palestinians.

More than 100 hostages of the 240 originally kidnapped on October 7 remain in Gaza, and famine is spreading in the Gaza Strip.

There seems to be no end to the bloodshed and hostage situation, and the war has divided the Democratic Party, with the left wing progressives condemning the war’s continuation, and Joe Biden being unsuccessful in influencing the strategy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

So as a result, many American Jews are angry at Biden for bringing pressure on Israel, while Arab-Muslim Americans are angry that Biden has not done more to stop the carnage.

And many Israelis are furious at Netanyahu for failure to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages.

The idea that Republicans and Donald Trump would have a better alternative that would win over the Jewish population and the Arab-Muslim population in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024 is to believe in fairy tales.

However, if either group sits on their hands and stays home, it would dramatically undermine the Joe Biden campaign, and likely help Donald Trump to win.

Michigan, And Arab-Muslim Americans In 2024 Presidential Election

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The state of Michigan, and particularly the area of Detroit and Dearborn, has a large Arab-Muslim population, and is one of the “swing” states in Presidential elections!

Understandably, they are upset over the Israel-Hamas War in the Gaza Strip, and have indicated their abandonment of Joe Biden and the Democrats in the recent Michigan Presidential Primary.

But the problem is that the election of Donald Trump would not be favorable to the Arab-Muslim population.

So it is a question of accepting reality, and the hope that Arab-Muslims in Michigan and elsewhere will, reluctantly, support Biden as the “lesser of two evils”.

Such is politics, as there is a binary choice, and to vote for a third party or stay home is totally counterproductive!

the 15 electoral votes of Michigan may be the deciding state in the Presidential Election of 2024, so the burden is heavy on the Arab-Muslim population there, and throughout other states and cities that have a notable population that could have an effect on the political future!

The states of New York, New Jersey, Illinois and California have more Muslims than Michigan, but they are all reliably Democratic states, while Michigan is a crucial swing state, so all attention will be paid to that state in November!

Voting Patterns For Presidential Election Of 2024 Hard To Predict

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Indications are that the Democratic Party has been gaining in suburban areas among well educated voters with a college education and more in recent years, a massive change from long term trends that such voters were usually voting Republican.

At the same time, rural voters, often less educated, are becoming much more oriented toward Republicans than they have been, leaving the role of racial minorities as being crucial in national elections.

The Democrats have seen alienation by Latinos and African Americans from the very high percentages that usually vote for them, and Asian Americans are also unpredictable in their voting patterns.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has become an issue that is causing division among racial minorities, including the growing influence of Muslim Americans and Arab Americans, as well.

Also, Jewish Americans, usually two thirds Democrats, are in play for this upcoming election.

At the same time, the abortion issue is gravitating more women toward the Democrats than is usually the case.

And the growing number of young voters, particularly Generation Z, is also a factor hard to predict the extent of their participation and where it will go.

So there are so many strands of voters competed for by both Democrats and Republicans, making predictions on the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024 even more confusing and hard to project.

Arab And Muslim Anger At Joe Biden Over Israel-Hamas War Endangers Michigan Support In Presidential Election

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Michigan is one of the most crucial states in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024, and with its large Arab and Muslim population, centered in the Detroit area and particularly in the nearby suburb of Dearborn, President Joe Biden faces a massive revolt,

Biden’s support of Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza has led to massive loss of life, with some Michigan families losing dozens of relatives.

So there is a movement in Michigan to help defeat Biden, although there is no sane reason for Arabs and Muslims to support his likely opponent, former President Donald Trump, who has been hardline in his policies and views on both groups.

So despite understandable anger, Arabs and Muslims are only spiting themselves, but in the process could end up deciding that Donald Trump wins Michigan and its 15 electoral votes, the third most such votes among states seen as in play in the upcoming election, only behind Pennsylvania with 19 electoral votes and Georgia with 16 electoral votes.

The Danger Of Donald Trump In Future American Foreign Policy

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The thought of former President Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2025 is horrifying when it comes to the issue of foreign policy.

Trump’s embrace of foreign dictators; his intention to withdraw the US from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and his nationalistic isolationist world view are a threat to promote worldwide chaos and disarray.

Trump would abandon Ukraine in its war with Russia; create Middle East chaos over the Israel-Hamas War; endanger Taiwan in its stand down with China; and undermine the forces of democracy worldwide.

In a world faced with two major wars and other unstable situations, the experience and statesmanship of Joe Biden, the most experienced President in foreign policy since George H. W. Bush, is desperately needed to promote a sense of stability and steadiness.

Ten Months Before Election Day, Joe Biden Makes Case For Democracy, And Repudiation Of Donald Trump!

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In his opening salvo of the Presidential Election campaign of 2024, President Joe Biden yesterday, precisely ten months before Election Day, delivered a stirring speech on the campaign to protect American democracy, which includes a massive defeat of Donald Trump, who is promoting the destruction of the Constitution and rule of law!

In his 30 minute speech at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Biden spoke with real passion and commitment, and reminded us how George Washington turned down the possibility of becoming a monarch after the American Revolution, and accepted the idea of serving as President, and then leaving office.

Biden and his supporters must make the case every day until Election Day, and besides discussing the threat to democracy, he and they must also talk about abortion, the economy, immigration reform, environmental advancements, voting rights, civil rights, and support of Ukraine in its war with Russia, and promoting a changed policy regarding Israel and Gaza to limit the loss of life!

Joe Biden Election In 2024 Endangered By Israel-Hamas War

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With the Presidential Election year upon us, there is new concern that Joe Biden’s election to a second term is endangered by the Israel-Hamas War.

Muslim Americans, Arab Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and many younger voters of all backgrounds have shown their support of the Palestinians, as the death toll mounts in Gaza.

The early sympathy about the October 7 Massacre of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas has evaporated, and antisemitism is rearing its ugly head, endangering American Jews in their daily lives, and infuriating the groups mentioned in what otherwise would be strong support of the Democrats.

The fact that the Republicans and Donald Trump do not offer a real alternative for these voting blocs does not mean that one can count on these groups coming home to Joe Biden and the Democrats in November.

If voting support for the Democrats declines through alienation, that could help elect Donald Trump and a Republican majority in Congress.

So Joe Biden and the Democrats have a daunting task facing them in 2024!

Difficult, Challenging Year Ahead In 2024!

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America is facing the likelihood that 2024 will be the most tumultuous year imaginable, as the nation faces the following:

A Presidential Election in November where the likelihood is that we will have the first time since 1888 (Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison), that a former President (Donald Trump) is challenging the sitting President (Joe Biden).

A Supreme Court that seems hellbent on moving further to the Far Right on many constitutional matters, despite its tremendously low public opinion rating, making it the most right wing in a century.

A likelihood of new climate crises continuing, and unlikely that much will be done to deal with it, as many people around the nation and the world become victims.

A growing crisis on issues that divide the nation, including voting rights, abortion rights, gay and transgender rights, gun control, antisemitism, civil rights and ethnic and racial minorities, immigration reform, political chaos in Congress, and growing religious extremism, among others.

A world crisis of war in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with the potential for greater US involvement, and the constantly growing threat of China, North Korea, Iran, and other autocracies, along with the Russian threat to the stability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the continuing war in Ukraine.