Israel's enemies are my enemies, so why can't Democrats see that - opinion
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- An American, non-Jewish Democratic operative expresses bewilderment at perceived unwillingness within the party to acknowledge the reality of Iranian-backed terrorism targeting Israel.
- The author highlights Israel as the only country in the region where LGBTQ+ individuals can live openly, contrasting this with the regime in Iran.
- The piece critiques what the author sees as a disconnect between U.S. domestic politics and the geopolitical threat posed by Iran, leading to an unlikely alliance with Republicans on foreign policy.
An American Democratic operative, who is not Jewish, describes surreal experiences of missile alerts upon arriving in Israel, contrasting this with what they perceive as a disconnect within their own party regarding the reality of Iranian-backed terrorism. The author, who has no personal stake in the conflict beyond its regional consequences, finds it baffling that some in the Democratic Party seem unwilling to process repeated Iranian-backed attacks on Israeli civilians.
I am part of a delegation this week working with the Israeli consulate during Pride Week. It is surprising that this even needs to be said, but Israel remains the only country in the region where LGBT people like me can live openly and with dignity.
The author emphasizes Israel's unique position in the region as the only country where LGBTQ+ individuals can live openly and with dignity. This point is made in the context of a delegation working with the Israeli consulate during Pride Week. The piece expresses surprise that this fact is seemingly disregarded by some, who are described as mourning the death of the Ayatollah or rooting for a regime that would persecute them.
I have had conversations with American feminists mourning the death of the Ayatollah, gay men rooting for a regime that would forcibly castrate them, and trans women insisting that the country our Palestinian sisters dream of escaping to is somehow killing trans women.
The article critiques what the author calls "moral Disneyland," where Americans are allegedly conditioned by anti-Western propaganda to misidentify terrorists and victims. This sentiment is amplified by the author's own experiences as a transgender woman in the Democratic Party, where domestic politics, particularly concerning transgender rights, have become highly polarized. The author notes that while Donald Trump's administration has taken actions perceived as detrimental to civil protections, their "left-versus-right politics end at the waterโs edge."
American domestic politics have become so consumed with presenting transsexual women as a threat that basic human decency is increasingly treated as a partisan issue.
This leads to an "uneasy alliance" with Republicans, who the author views as the only major U.S. political force currently taking the threat from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seriously. The author expresses gratitude for figures like Mike Huckabee and Marco Rubio for their plainspokenness on security matters, despite political differences, while lamenting the lack of similar moral certainty within the Democratic Party, particularly concerning issues affecting transgender individuals. The piece concludes by questioning where their loyalty should lie given these domestic and international political dynamics.
I find myself in an uneasy alliance with Republicans, the only major political force in America currently willing to take the threat posed by the IRGC seriously.
Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.