In all the endless talking and analysing that’s followed the US election, there’s one thing no one seems to be asking: What would’ve actually changed if Kamala Harris, with her so-called “forces of joy,” had somehow beaten Donald Trump? What would that have meant for America — and more importantly, what would it have meant for Palestine?
Let’s stop for a second and really think about that. What would people be celebrating? A Harris win would have meant more than just “Yay, Trump is gone!” It would’ve also meant giving a stamp of approval to America’s continued support for Israel’s brutal actions against Palestinians.
Does that sound like something to celebrate?
Even if people twist themselves into all kinds of mental, emotional, and political gymnastics, there’s no getting around it. Any joy over a Harris victory would also mean backing the US’s role in enabling Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians. And that’s the ugly truth no one wants to talk about.
Would a Harris win have changed anything about the rot at the core of US policies and its broken institutions? If anything, it might’ve made things worse. The Democrats love to paint themselves as the party of democracy, but let’s be real: they’ve never let true democracy function within their own ranks.
Remember 2016? Bernie Sanders was their strongest candidate, but the party elite made sure he never had a chance. Fast forward to 2020, and Biden’s campaign only gained traction after endless focus on racial politics, not his policies or leadership. And now, after years of protecting Biden from scrutiny over his mental decline, the Democrats were ready to push Harris to the front without anyone even voting for her.
Is that what democracy looks like?
Harris and the Old Guard
Then there’s Harris’s baffling alliance with Republican Liz Cheney. In any normal world, this would make no sense. But in today’s twisted political landscape, where the Clintons, Obamas, and Bidens have helped rehabilitate criminals like Cheney’s father (former Vice President Dick Cheney) and George W. Bush, it’s just business as usual.
And what about Palestine? Harris stood by and watched as Palestinian voices were silenced at the Democratic National Convention. If she’s willing to muzzle free speech at home, what hope is there that she’d stand up for Palestinians on the world stage?
Instead of looking in the mirror, Democrats have been quick to blame everyone but themselves for the election results. Their whole pitch was: Vote for Harris because of who she is, not what she’s done. And now that it didn’t work, they’re shamelessly fundraising, claiming they need money to “protect democracy.”
Seriously?
Pen America, which was boycotted by writers for refusing to take a stand on Palestine, is now suddenly worried about “free expression” and the “authoritarians” who target journalists. Talk about hypocrisy.
As journalist Jonathan Cook pointed out in his recent column, even The Guardian finally allowed the use of the word “genocide” — a year too late. But this is just one example of the kind of hypocrisy we’re going to keep seeing as liberals and progressives try to score points following the election, while continuing to ignore the real issues.
The Real Horror: US Support for Israeli War Crimes
Meanwhile, let’s not forget what’s been happening in the background: the absolute horror show of violence and cruelty that the US continues to support and fund with taxpayer dollars. Israel is carrying out its genocidal rampage in Gaza with complete impunity, and the rest of the world is too scared or too weak to do anything about it.
With a little time left in office, will the Biden administration dare to change course? Will they even try to stop Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians?
Right now, Israel is wiping out entire families, killing journalists, bombing hospitals, and preventing food and medicine from reaching those in desperate need. Students who were supposed to attend universities abroad can’t even leave Gaza. Israel has already destroyed Gaza’s educational system, killed teachers and students, and now they’re making sure there’s no future for Palestine.
And it’s not just Gaza. In Lebanon, as Hezbollah pushes Israeli troops out of the south, Israel’s response has been just as cowardly. They’re bombing villages, flattening cities, and targeting civilians, journalists, and healthcare workers from the air.
But has this strategy worked? Has it stopped the resistance or the rockets raining down on northern Israel? Has it made Israeli residents feel safe enough to return to their homes? Of course not.
So, what would Kamala Harris in the White House really have meant for Palestine? Absolutely nothing good. The US’s support for Israel would’ve continued, and the suffering of Palestinians would’ve gone on, unchecked and unchallenged.
And yet, people were ready to celebrate. But celebrating a Harris victory would’ve been celebrating the same old policies, the same old violence, and the same old lies. There’s nothing joyful about that.
