Believe it when Donald Trump promises to deport those who champion Palestinian rights, when his son-in-law suggests building condos over the graves of Palestinians in Gaza, and when his former and likely future ambassador to Israel says that Israel’s annexation of the West Bank is “based first and foremost on biblical prophecies and values.”
Some are advocating voting third-party as a way to absolve themselves of the difficult choices they have to make in November. But we know that either Harris or Trump will become president, and unless the intention is to reelect Trump, then a vote for a third-party candidate, especially in a swing state, will achieve just that.
In 2016, votes for third-party candidates helped Trump carry Michigan by only 11,000 votes, Wisconsin by 23,000, and Pennsylvania by 44,000.
The 2024 elections might come down to even smaller margins. I have heard some argue that, indeed, we should support Jill Stein or Cornell West to “teach Democrats a lesson”.
If Donald Trump wasn’t the likely beneficiary of such punishment, I can understand the sentiment, if not the reasoning. But to willingly help someone who has promised to do more harm to Muslims and Arabs at home and abroad is reckless because it places those we are seeking to help in even more danger.