Marinscope
The Democratic Socialists of America, an organization pushing for rent control in Fairfax and Marin County, is taking heat this week after the organization’s New York chapter promoted a pro-Palestine rally in the wake of the brutal terrorist attacks on Israeli communities that killed hundreds of people.
Even prominent DSA supporter Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, broke ranks with the organization, telling Politico she opposed the DSA’s role in the Sunday (Oct. 8) protest in New York.
After initially calling for a ceasefire but not taking a stand on the rally, Ocasio-Cortez denounced the DSA rally.
“The bigotry and callousness expressed in Times Square on Sunday were unacceptable and harmful in this devastating moment. It also did not speak for the thousands of New Yorkers who are capable of rejecting both Hamas’ horrifying attacks against innocent civilians as well as the grave injustices and violence Palestinians face under occupation,” she said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was more stern. She condemned “everyone” involved in Sunday’s protest. And New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs said he expects politicians like Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will face backlash from voters.
“I think anything like this gives voters an indication of what this group (DSA) stands for. They’ll face the electorate, and I think they’ll see the consequences.”
After the almost universal backlash, NYC-DSA steering committee member Nadia Tykulsker explained to Politico that the group only promoted pro-Hamas rally “at the request of a coalition partner because we believe in equality and justice for all Palestinians and Israelis, and we know that war will take more lives. (DSA) opposes harming and targeting civilians,” Tykulsker said.
However, the protest Sunday included many people expressing support of the attacks on Israel.
The DSA chapter locally has maintained silence on its website about the New York rally.
“We are currently focused on a campaign to win rent control in Marin,” the website says.
The New York Times reported that the pro-Hamas rally in Times Square has reverberated politically.
“As protesters there cheered the rocket barrage that devastated Israeli citizens, politicians closely aligned with New York’s left recoiled in horror and scrambled to respond to outraged Jewish New Yorkers.”
The DSA is an emerging political force on the left in New York, the Times said, but now after the protest people are asking politicians “which side are you on?”
The Times characterized it as a “long-simmering resentment between mainstream Democrats and the socialist-inspired groups that have achieved a foothold in city politics, often by waging aggressive primary campaigns against incumbents they deem too moderate.”
It will be interesting if the moderate Democrats take her to task for not initially not responding about the rally reading her silence on it as supporting it like thay have with certain Repunlicans. When pressed, only later she disavows it for being “too late”.