Advocacy Group Pulls Harris Endorsement, Disbands

Advocacy Group Pulls Harris Endorsement, Disbands

Muslim Women for Harris-Walz has withdrawn its endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris following claims that Palestinian speakers were denied spots at the Democratic National Convention.

At a Glance

  • A Muslim group supporting Kamala Harris in the 2024 election disbanded over the alleged refusal to allow a Palestinian speaker at the DNC.
  • Protests erupted outside the DNC venue by Uncommitted Movement delegates.
  • The Harris campaign had no comment on the allegations.
  • Internal discord within the Democratic Party regarding Israel’s actions persists.

Muslim Advocacy Group Dissolves

Muslim Women for Harris-Walz, an advocacy group that ardently supported the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, has disbanded. This decision stems from persistent neglect by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which refused to provide opportunities for Palestinian speakers at key events. Members felt their concerns and perspectives were marginalized, leading the group to disband in protest of the DNC’s actions.

The group accused the DNC of continually sidelining their issues, culminating in this year’s convention where Palestinian Americans were allegedly denied the opportunity to speak. Protests ensued outside the venue by Uncommitted Movement delegates, voicing their frustration and disappointment.

Democratic Leaders Criticized

Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the DNC for not allowing a Palestinian American to speak. They emphasized the importance of acknowledging Palestinian voices and the detrimental impact of erasing their narrative. Despite these criticisms, the Harris campaign has not confirmed or denied the claims and declined to comment when asked by the Associated Press.

“The Dem party is making a tragic mistake in 2024,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) wrote on X, formerly Twitter, arguing that by not allowing an Uncommitted delegate to speak on stage, Democrats are “perpetuating this erasure of the Palestinian story & voice.”

Discontent Among Democrats

The ongoing dispute highlights the disunity within the Democratic Party regarding Israel’s war against Hamas. Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Palestinian American, has warned that Democratic leaders are taking the Muslim vote for granted. The Uncommitted Movement currently holds 30 delegates at the DNC, gained from voters who refused to support President Biden in the primaries.

“Palestinians have the right to speak about Palestine,” the statement reads. “We pray that the DNC and VP Harris’ team make the right decision before this campaign is over. For the sake of each of us.”

The protests and the internal party contention over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war have affected support for Vice President Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. The Democratic Party’s decision to reject a Palestinian American speaker has been a significant point of contention, causing dissatisfaction among many voters.

Protests and Calls for Unity

As the convention continued, protests occurred outside the DNC in Chicago after Palestinian Americans were denied a speaking slot. The conflict underscores the ongoing issues of representation and voice within the Democratic Party. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with extensive loss of Palestinian lives, has been a backdrop to these internal conflicts. The Uncommitted Movement emphasized the need for Palestinian voices to be heard on the main stage, stressing that excluding such speakers goes against the party’s commitment to valuing all lives equally.

“This was supposed to be the symbolic bare minimum ask,” said Romman, a representative from Georgia. “We understand that we can’t change policy in a single election cycle, and this was supposed to be an easy way for the party to unite us on this issue. A lot of people care about this. Anybody who’s at the convention has seen the amount of people wearing pins and keffiyehs and flags. It is everywhere.”

The decision to allow the family of an Israeli American hostage, while denying Palestinian American voices, has led to accusations of double standards. “We cannot, in good conscience, continue Muslim Women for Harris-Walz, in light of this new information from the Uncommitted movement, that VP Harris’ team declined their request to have a Palestinian American speaker take the stage at the DNC,” stated the group.

Sources:

  1. Muslim group withdraws Kamala Harris endorsement after ‘uncommitted’ movement claims Palestinians denied speaking slot at DNC
  2. The DNC was avoiding controversy — then it refused to give Palestinians airtime
  3. Democrats refused to give Palestinian Americans DNC speaking slot
  4. ‘Muslim Women for Harris’ Disbands, Says It Can No Longer Support Her
  5. Muslim Women for Harris disbands and withdraws support for candidate
  6. Muslim Women for Harris pulls support after Palestinian speaker allegedly denied DNC slot
  7. Uncommitted holds sit-in outside Democratic convention after Palestinians denied a speaker
  8. ‘The answer is no’: Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down

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