By a MAPA member
On Monday, June 16, members of MAPA and allied organizations called out Congressman Hakeem Jeffries at Harvard University for his complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Jeffries, a man of color with roots in Brooklyn, is the highest ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives.
As Harvard Book Store welcomed the House Minority Leader at the Memorial Church of Harvard University for a conversation on his book, The ABCs of Democracy, protesters denounced Jeffries’ strong pro-Israel values. After all, he is a politician supported hugely by the lobbying machine the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Aside, the speaker rejects Israeli Apartheid, prioritizes military aid over American people’s living conditions, will not allow criticism of Israel and their policies or actions, and is a strong Anti-Palestinian. Though he maintains a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, he has done far too little to bring this about and also has passed bills that aid the destruction, killing and pillage of the Palestinian territories along with ethnic cleansing and genocide. Additionally, he supported President Obama’s 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal with Iran.
What did the activists do? This ticketed event cost the protesters money to enter after undergoing security checks. Soon after the speaker began, two brave people unfurled a banner with a picture of a starving fragile child and the words “LET FOOD INTO GAZA.” Immediately, these activists were surrounded by the heavy security at the event but continued to chant “Let Food into Gaza” and “We charge you with Genocide.” I am not certain if the Minority Leader even got a chance to see the banner and hear their impassioned chants before the activists were removed from the audience. Moreover, does Congressman Jeffries care about their concerns?
There were five others who also stood up to protest – calling out the speakers’ inactions to this blood thirsty calculated Zionist regime violence and carnage. Their chants included: Shame on you, Hakeem Jeffries! Free Palestine, How do you Live with Yourself! You have the blood of Palestinian and now Iranian children on your hands. One speaker mentioned the considerable money the AIPAC lobby donated to Mr. Jeffries’ last campaign and the Israeli army killing thousands of Palestinian children.
I applaud the protesters for bringing attention to the U.S hegemony and impunity for Israel and not honoring international, U.S, and humanitarian laws. Some activists proudly claimed their Jewish faith and how horrified they were by The ABCs of inhumanity, the need to end the genocide, stop starving Gaza, and bringing/allowing baby formula and water into Gaza. They yelled “Let it in now.” Another older activist called out Mr. Jefferies on his ironclad support for Israel as sickening, and the lip service to forming a two-state solution and allowing humanitarian aid for Gaza. She got considerable attention from the crowd when she mentioned the $860,000+ the Congressperson received from AIPAC for his last election. Additionally, she mentioned how as of March, over 17,400 children have been killed by the Israeli/U.S. machine in Gaza.
Other chants included:
“Are you a Zionist, yes you are, Will you be president, no you won’t; are you a murderer, yes, you are; Will we forget about you? No, we won’t; Free Palestine, Free, Free Palestine.”
“Why did you send $17B of weapons to Israel; shame on you; 15,000 children are dead, 15,000 children are dead, and it’s your fault; Shame on you for walking the halls of Congress.”
“Shame on you Hakeem Jefferies, How do you live with yourself? Shame on you.”
The audience drowned out and/or challenged a couple of the activist voices, and all the activists were quickly escorted out by security.
During his conversation with Mr. Bowen, the Congressman spoke about the virtues of democracy that he hailed in his book and in person. He noted C stands for Cruelty and that this is mostly the other party (Republican); the Democrats call out for peaceful protest, but righteous indignation may be a challenge to democracy. Though I have heard of the term righteous indignation, I am not familiar with its meaning. On my search, I found out this is a feeling of anger and disapproval directed at what someone perceives as an injustice or moral wrong. It’s a strong, often intense, reaction to something considered unfair or unethical, stemming from a belief that the situation violates moral principles. Being Indian, I can understand this as passion.
However, I see through Mr. Jeffries’ actions/inactions while in Congress, he fails on these demands of the activists. While it is okay to speak out, speak up and stand up, we, the people, have very little power except only these actions. We need the leaders to mark their morals and values in their legislative activity.
Diligent enthusiastic activists protested the House leader with great passion on this important matter of genocide, ethnic cleansing, lobby monies, and more that stagnate peaceful practical solutions.
