American Muslim. Kitten dad. Worked on some Emmy stuff. Taught film & journalism. Worried about the country, & I'm working on content. See pinned post👇🏼
US
Joined November 2021
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You came from my bio, so here's what I'm up to...
I'm an American Muslim, and I love this country. Its promise, its stubborn hope, its endless mix of people who somehow keep trying to live side by side. That's exactly why I'm worried about it.
Too few of us are talking to each other. People who don't look alike, don't pray alike, and don't vote alike mostly talk past each other, or not at all. A tweet only tells you a sliver of a person. A conversation tells you the rest.
So I want to build something that makes those conversations easier.
Maybe a podcast series, audio clips, short videos, or writing, made together. The goal is healthier conversations on the road to 2028.
And I don't only want to hear from people who agree with me. If you disagree with me, I especially want to hear from you.
I'll be vulnerable here: there are a lot of bots on this app, and I'm tired of shouting into the void. If you're a real person, I'd love to talk, because I'm a real person too.
One ground rule: real names, real people. I'm happy to talk about how public or private we want the work to be, and the form is where we figure that out.
Here's the form. If you are not ready to work on something yet, please retweet or tag someone who might be interested. I read every response 👇 👇
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
Does this guy #MikeRogers @MikeRogersForMI have anything besides
"me safe white fascist trump guy with no policies
vs
Abdul dangerous because brown Muslim & his policies don't matter" ?
I has saved this a while back as I felt this was a helpful triage.
Two screenshots. One exchange. And a pattern we need to name out loud.
Screenshot 1: @shannonrwatt.s: "There's no Democratic majority without the votes and support of Black and Jewish Americans."
@cory_fitz points out that Democrats should fight antisemitism and compete for Jewish votes, but their electoral success doesn't hinge on the Jewish vote.
Her reply: "Tweet says Black and Jewish."
His: "I know. That's why I said what I said."
Screenshot 2: The masterclass by @briebriejoy who lays out the numbers.
Black Americans are roughly 12% of the population against about 2% for Jewish Americans, and Black voters are decisive in swing states like MI, TX, OH, NC, VA and FL.
In Michigan, she says, about a quarter of Democrats are Black and about 1% are Jewish.
She points out that pairing the two communities lends Black electoral power to a lobbying agenda that has influence of a completely different kind.
Here is where I stand.
I am against it.
I reject the blurring, and I reject the use of the Black community as leverage, cover, or a human shield for the zionist political agenda.
Black voters have real demands, and they've watched their priorities get ignored and their voices disciplined while donor interests get deference. Their power is earned at the ballot box. It is not a prop.
Voters, communities, and lobbies are three different things, and merging them hides who holds which kind of power.
We're witness this with the opposition to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed as well. And we can't let the zionist lobby continue to obfuscate truth.
Just my two cents
This is the first time I am disagreeing with Abdul.
Bringing Abdul's commitment to the Constitution in question is not beneath @MikeRogersForMI.
It is on-brand for him.
I expect nothing less from Mike, seeing the disgusting campaign he has ran so far.
I'm glad Abdul shut him down and put him in his place.
Why wouldn't they?
We pay for their free Healthcare, their free security, their free education, free public transit (yes look this up). We even pay for paid maternity and paternity leave for their workforce. We threaten the entire world for them. We violate international law for them. We attack other countries for them.
How dense does one have to be to not recognize this?
I have known a considerable number of Israelis in my life. They absolutely love everything about the United States and Americans. They view the U.S. as a kindred brother nation. They’re proud of their role in global matters as a partner of America. They’re grateful for the relationship and they do not take it lightly.
In my younger years I had the pleasure of taking Israelis, often fresh out of their military service, on tours of NYC. They not only wanted to see all the sights, they wanted to buy American products, especially clothing. They wanted to eat hot dogs and pretzels. They wanted to see baseball games.
They stand for our national anthem. They love the American flag. They name streets after our presidents, and not just Trump.
It is not limited to just some of the services I mentioned above. They even get child care for free and paid maternity leave up till 15 weeks.
xitter.cf/AzfarRizvi/status/2112…
I do not speak for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's campaign. My assessment of what he is promising is based on ground realities.
Some of you are upset at me for simply pointing out that American Tax Dollars are being taken away from us and are being funneled overseas. So instead of subsidizing our social services here, my tax dollars are being sent to subsidize the overwhelmingly broad and many times free (im envious) social services that Israel is offering to its citizens.
This is not a difficult concept. Come along children:
btw this concept is called "budget fungibility" which sounds abstract, but we Americans practice it every day.
For instance ... If your rent, car payment, or insurance bill is covered, you are flexible with whats remaining. You can choose to spend that money on a vacation, a new computer, or better clothes. But the stress and the obligation is gone, so your remaining income has more room.
Following?
Governments work through the same basic principle.
The U.S. support to Israel (which goes from our tax dollars) subsidizes every Israeli social programs. My tax dollars are used to help reduce part of Israel’s defense-financing burden, which they then take and invest in their social services like free education, free health care, paid parental leave (crazy right?) , child allowances and savings, children’s dental care, disability support, paid sick leave and vacation, Fertility care (YES!!!! ), New-settler invitation and support housing assistance (this one is crazy lucrative for anyone who just wants to take over some Palestinian's family home and land)
I believe, Abdul is asking the right questions.
Why do our funding choices (my tax dollars) make these free and subsidized services possible ABROAD while we Americans struggle to afford health care, housing, paid leave, childcare, and long-term care.
1/3
I do not speak for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's campaign. My assessment of what he is promising is based on ground realities.
Some of you are upset at me for simply pointing out that American Tax Dollars are being taken away from us and are being funneled overseas. So instead of subsidizing our social services here, my tax dollars are being sent to subsidize the overwhelmingly broad and many times free (im envious) social services that Israel is offering to its citizens.
This is not a difficult concept. Come along children:
btw this concept is called "budget fungibility" which sounds abstract, but we Americans practice it every day.
For instance ... If your rent, car payment, or insurance bill is covered, you are flexible with whats remaining. You can choose to spend that money on a vacation, a new computer, or better clothes. But the stress and the obligation is gone, so your remaining income has more room.
Following?
Governments work through the same basic principle.
The U.S. support to Israel (which goes from our tax dollars) subsidizes every Israeli social programs. My tax dollars are used to help reduce part of Israel’s defense-financing burden, which they then take and invest in their social services like free education, free health care, paid parental leave (crazy right?) , child allowances and savings, children’s dental care, disability support, paid sick leave and vacation, Fertility care (YES!!!! ), New-settler invitation and support housing assistance (this one is crazy lucrative for anyone who just wants to take over some Palestinian's family home and land)
I believe, Abdul is asking the right questions.
Why do our funding choices (my tax dollars) make these free and subsidized services possible ABROAD while we Americans struggle to afford health care, housing, paid leave, childcare, and long-term care.
1/3
U.S. military support (from our tax dollars) allows space to subsidize Israeli social service.
Our tax dollars fund part of Israel's draconian policies against Palestinians ... giving Israel more fiscal and political room to maintain social services and its continued oppressive posture.
2/3
Simply put ...
America can find billions for military commitments abroad, yet tells working Americans that paid leave, health care, housing, childcare, and long-term care are “too expensive.”
U.S. support needs to stop subsidizing and creating space for Israeli welfare and offensive spending. The more we direct funds there, the more we defund American social services.
That is the point: when our government has resources to spend, it should put American families first. Our tax dollars should help build security, stability, and opportunity here before expanding commitments abroad
3/3
These 'I am a lifelong Democrats but won't vote for Dr. Abdul El-Sayed' shills are so pathetic.
They coplay as progressives and when they are called out, they block you.
As if living in your own 'twitter/X' bubble will translate into a cohesive and coherent argument which will magically reflect on the polls.
No it will not.
The world has spoken up.
We will march for both Palestinian and Jewish people.
This effort to diminish Palestinians and focus on zionist exceptionalism is not a good look.
PEP
'Progressive Except Palestine'
It is so called 'progressives' like you who have consistently dehumanized Palestinians for decades and are now actively undermining the Democratic party because you can't stand the fact that the world has recognized this Genocide and your grift.
unavailable
"Now, the state of Israel – not AIPAC, to be clear – is running television ads in Iowa, a key Senate battleground state that may only be in play for Democrats thanks to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran."
In one TV ad, Israel specifically touts its willingness to wage war. “Israel confronts Iran and its network of proxies directly, addressing those dangers at their source,” the ad says, claiming that this helps “deter aggression” and “stop a wider conflict” – as if America isn’t currently at war with Iran.
"ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL"
Imagine if this said "on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party or "on behalf of the Russian Federation"
Video in comments:
For years, Neera Tanden hid her bogotry well. She didn't really need it because she had other tools in her arsenal.
But now when her control is slipping, the mask is off.
100% agree.
We should begin asking, more often and more loudly, whether Zionists are truly our allies—and whether those who support Zionism, whether they’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Republican or Democrat, are genuinely on our side.
A thoughtful, important conversation can only start when we’re all willing to pose the hard questions, rather than relying on Abdul to answer everything for us.
Imagine targeting someone like @DanielBiss just because he is working to empower Democrats to win a Senate majority!
This Israel-first agenda will ruin American democracy and social fabric.
So great to see Daniel offer not just support but also share much hope with the community.
We appreciate Jewish leaders like Daniel who are prioritizing these important conversations!
We can't let Republicans win.
I was proud to join Michigan Jews for Democracy in Detroit last night to talk about why I’m supporting @AbdulElSayed for Senate. With antisemitism rising, Abdul has shown a real commitment to Jewish safety. He’s the right choice for our community and our country.
oh come on.
He's answering a question about Democrats, not specifically Abdul.
Transcript: "... and I think that his victory and the victory of Democrats across this country is of critical importance to our city, because what it also indicates is a willingness to chart a new course in Washington that has working people at the heart of it. And so we're hopeful, and yet we also know that hope doesn't win elections, the action that it motivates does, and we look forward to that."
@NYCMayor Zohran Mamdani insists that electing Abdul El-Sayed to the Senate is “of critical importance to our city.” Last time I checked New York City was located in New York not Michigan.
hey @LTGetsPolitical thanks for sharing and treating this topic with the somberness it required.
I did not know what #NAZA meant. I struggled through the video but made it to the end. I cant believe how we have abandoned humanity. I will try to watch the doc soon, and I am prepared to come away with gloom ... but I also hope that someday all this will become common knowledge and justice will be served.
Video: #NAZA the documentary