Voting was probably not the first thing on our parents’ minds

‘

or grandparents

‘

thoughts when they arrived in the

US

from countries and provinces where democracy was a pipe dream. Working (perhaps multiple jobs), learning the language, and settling into the community took priority over politics, and it was all in service of their top priority: creating a better future for their children.

This week, that seemingly shattered promise of the American dream played out in real time at polling stations across Michigan. Hundreds of thousands of Arab Americans, many of them second- and third-generation descendants of Middle Eastern immigrants, used their votes to send a message to President Biden in protest of his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Citizens concerned about the civilian causes and the humanitarian crisis in

the

Gaza

Strip

and frustrated by what they see as Biden’s unconditional support for Israel, joined a grassroots movement to control Tuesday’s primary ballet rather than vote for the incumbent candidate.

The goal was to get 10,000 votes. They hit

10

times that number. That’s more than 100,000 unpledged votes in a swing state that Biden won by just 154,000 votes in 2020. Maybe he’s listening now?

Of course, it has not yet been determined

will depend on

This impressive act of ballot box protest will move the needle further

US

policy, but the very act of using voting rights to convey a message rather than diminish a candidate’s chances represented a dream realized.

Previous generations who immigrated to Michigan from countries

search right away

Lebanon, Syria or Iraq came to the

US

for a better life. They came here to escape war, political and religious persecution, lack of opportunity and corrupt systems led by despotic strongmen or brutal theocracies.

Many came from places where free elections were largely performative because the outcome was already determined, or

Where

committed to one political party

vs vs

another meant you were endangering your life.

Some rulers never seem to go away. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah

El-Sisi

,

who belongs to whom

who has been in power for ten years is nothing compared to the late Hosni Mubarak who ruled for thirty years. The

a

The Assad family has ruled Syria since 1971. My father came from Iraq, where occupation, American interference and despotic leadership were the norm during his lifetime.

Political corruption, if not war, has been an ongoing reality from Lebanon to Libya for generations. It’s no wonder that America’s promise still shines brightly, even now in our divided, precarious state.

Biden was defeated by the free vote in both Dearborn and Hamtramck, where Arab Americans make up nearly half

by

the population. Some are new to the

US

but many more have generational roots in the

Middle East region

.

Yesterday was a resounding victory,

said

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud

said

Wednesday. The 33-year-old is the son of Lebanese immigrants.

Now this is not just an Arab or Islamic issue

“he continued.”

This is now an American issue.

TheirThey are

These actions made headlines and sparked a movement that will likely be replicated in other swing state primaries, where a small portion of the electorate could make or break a run for the White House. In 2020, Biden won Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes. The state is home to more than 57,000 Arab Americans.

Arab and Muslim Americans, the majority of whom have voted for the Democratic ticket since the Iraq War, are aware of:

Donald

Trump’s victory in November is not in their interests.

In his first year as president

the Republican

repeatedly insulted the Muslim parents of a trap

,

Gold Star soldier

;, Hi

issued a Muslim ban; and set Palestinian interests aside when he recognized Jerusalem as the country

capital

of Israel.

Arab American

voters

frustration over Biden’s support for Israel

i

has reached a new high, and they’re not alone. Lately I’ve heard many smart, generally civic-minded people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds say they are considering postponing the November election.

Voting for the incendiary Trump is a non-starter, they say, but Biden’s unconditional support for Israel in its war with Hamas poses a moral conundrum that is difficult to overlook. More than 30,000 Gazans have been killed, the majority of them

Women and

children, since

The Israeli army, the IDF

began

bee

the punishing attack on Gaza in response to the brutal attacks in October. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel killing an estimated 1,200 people.

On Thursday alone

at least 115 people were killed and more than 750 were injured,

100 people were killed

and at least 700 wounded,

Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd seeking help in Gaza City, according to witnesses and the Gaza Health Ministry.

updated with numbers from today’s stories; link to yesterday’s story moved to description of incident/sw

But sit outside

the

elections are not the answer, no matter where you stand on America’s role in the war between Israel and Hamas

on

something else

,

for

,

that case. It’s the only real power we have left as citizens, and if that sounds corny, just think about what happened in Michigan this week.

It was democracy in action, something that many of our parents and grandparents back home only dreamed of.