Palestinian-American VS. Palestinian Reaction to Trump

This distinction is very interesting to watch, because it gives us a glimpse into one of our biggest flaws/darkest parts of human nature, despite the fact that it's initially done innocently, in good - but blind - faith.

And it's not just how much belief "trumps" fact, but how irrationally far people will actually go to avoid experiencing "buyer's remorse" and cognitive dissonance, over something or someone they believed in/trusted/voted for  ...  how far they will go to avoid to ever admitting they're wrong, especially when the stakes are this high.

Though Palestinians themselves are expressing shock and alarm at Trump's words of taking over the Gaza strip and concerned by Trump taking sides, interestingly, Palestinian-Americans who voted for Trump are simply dismissing his words as "all talk."

(Interestingly, that's the same reason they gave for NOT voting for Harris.)

In reading the NYT today on this subject, several people were quoted from Hamtramck area of Detroit, which is almost exclusively Palestinian-American and voted for Trump, despite Harris meeting with them specifically during her campaign.

Their responses ranged from "It's all talk" and "MAGA supports us on other issues with which we align."

???

Like what?

Women's issues and anti-LGBTQ stances?

Most of them feared/scapegoated/hated Jewish people, long before they hated you?  😂

Erm - the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend.

Okay - even if it doesn't happen, which we already knew was highly unlikely - you know what's NOT all talk?

The fact that Trump very clearly and publicly took sides with Netanyahu/Israel's government in literally kicking you out. 

The fact that Trump just tried to give $1 billion worth of bombs and other military aid to Israel, but was blocked by Congress. 

The fact that Trump stood on that stage with Israel's Netanyahu, grinning like a Cheshire cat - but no Palestinian leader will ever stand on that stage next to him while he's in office. 

Now, don't get it twisted ...

I need to clearly state - again - that I do NOT take sides - I am neither for nor against Israel OR Palestine.

And just because I can't stand Netanyahu doesn't mean I'm anti-Semitic, either.

There's a difference between disliking someone's current government leadership versus their country's people or their faith.

I suspect those in power know this, but it better suits their purpose to call people who disagree with their political leader's choices, "Anti-Semitic."

Heck, most of my Jewish friends and neighbors, practicing or not, can't stand Netanyahu either, and it has nothing to do with his race or his faith - as an individual, he's just an a-hole!  😂

What Hamas did on October 7, 2023, was horrific and pure terrorism - and it was inexcusable.

However, their behavior doesn't exist in a vacuum, either.

Because Israel, especially under Netanyahu leadership, has done some pretty horrific things to them as well, including torture, trying to bully them out, both before and especially after, October 7th.

Also, this has gone on between them for centuries, and though we should always denounce terrorism, we should also not take sides - if we're going to get involved at all, we should help negotiate for peace.

Speaking of liking a race or faith, but disliking a country's leader, I'm a practicing Christian and a proud American, but I am disgusted by Trump for many reasons, but especially for helping to push Christian Nationalism, for 3 reasons:

1)    One of the things I'm proudest of, in this country, was that we were the very first country to separate church and state, after asylum seekers escaped religious persecution in other countries to build this country.  

We then do NOT turn right around and demand everyone practice just Christianity, especially just one interpretation of the bible, and call anyone who doesn't unChristian or unAmerican.  

 

2)    Jesus said (Matthew 7:15-16) 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits." 

I see absolutely zero "good fruit" evidence that Trump is a practicing Christian; in fact, quite the opposite. 

Trump's fruit is rotten and bitter - it tastes like fear, hatred, vindictiveness, power abuse, war-mongering, arrogance and greed - all things that Christ literally preached against.  

I suspect he's using Christianity to gain support for himself, like he is the Palestinian-Americans, but he has no actual loyalty to anyone but himself.  

 

3)   From my perspective - not that I claim to have interpreted the bible correctly,  but that's precisely my point, we can't be sure anyone has - Trump and other self-proposed Christians have failed to read the bible cohesively, noting the progression towards human maturity over time and how they perceived, interpreted and experienced God. 

My evidence is the OT versus the NT, particularly Christ himself repeatedly encouraging us to mature away from merciless religious law into God's law based on loving they neighbor. 

And Christ encouraged us to continue this progression towards maturity as a society - not cling to and stagnate in previous immature human misunderstandings!

More importantly, many Christians have not just innocently misinterpreted scripture, as we all can -  they've intentionally perverted it for their own selfish, greedy gain (and some Muslim and Jewish leaders have done the same).

So Palestinian-Americans/Muslims, if you imagine that you and MAGA and ever truly "aligned" on whatever issues you're talking about?

Think again.

Because although they're equal-opportunity fearers, scapegoaters, and haters of anyone not exactly like them - including over half of them also fearing/scapegoating/blaming Jews - they especially hate Muslims after 9/11.


Living in a red state for the last 30 years, I can promise you that.

They're just using you and your vote.

And if you think that supporting them will eventually lead to changing their minds about your race/religion overall?

Again, think again.

The most you can hope for with people who fear and hate just about everyone not exactly like themselves is that they may put you, personally, as an individual, in the same "exception to the stereotype rule" they do with people of color and Latinos who support Trump.

Do NOT confuse that with changing their minds about your race or religion overall, or imagine they actually trust you or that they see you as an equal. 

Do NOT imagine they wouldn't call ICE or the police on you, too, in a heartbeat, knowing you're legal, just out of political-media induced paranoia.

It never ceases to amaze me how people refuse to see what's right in front of their faces in favor of their owns beliefs, religious or otherwise, as well as to avoid their own cognitive dissonance.

Palestinian-Americans, I'm talking to you ...

Jewish-Americans, I'm talking to you, too ....

Fellow Christian Americans, particularly Evangelical ones, I'm talking to you.

Latino Americans, I'm talking to you.

Middle and Working-Class Americans, I'm talking to you.

People who buy these for $10, then try to cash them for $1,000 at the bank or use them to purchase items, I'm talking to you.

Please hear me when I warn you that there are very clear red flags that Trump demands loyalty to himself, but has no true loyalty to anyone but himself. 

People who believe/trust blindly, minimizing and dismiss very clear red flags rather than addressing them, are likely in for a world of hurt later.

Trump isn't going to save you - he doesn't really care about you OR your causes, or even that we can't afford groceries - as evidenced by wanting to spend our money on absurd things like Greenland, the Panama Canal, and the Gaza Strip.

All he cares about is prime real estate for his own personal benefit rather than this country (or any country), corporate and government power abuse, and his own glory.

And as far as God and your faith saving you?

Does God save/rescue us from the consequences of our own poor choices?

(Not usually - I can testify to that one myself.)

And with this overly nationalistic and isolationist path the world is on, has anyone thought that if we truly do that, then no one truly has any allies if/when we need them? 

Let's stop being so short-sighted, so blindly loyal, and start paying more attention to red flags without immediately dismissing them.

As for my other thoughts on Trump's personal Gaza fantasy, see my post the moment he said it, 2 posts below.