A Complex Dilemma: Voting for Kamala Harris
I cast my vote for Kamala Harris, but I can’t shake the feeling that I may be on the wrong side of history. In light of her competition, I concluded that supporting her was the least damaging option available. However, this decision does not fill me with pride or reassurance. It troubles me to see Democrats and liberals touting their support for Ms. Harris as an unquestionable act of virtue.
I will always remember that the Biden administration—where Ms. Harris served as the second-in-command—has been linked to the horrific mass killings and starvation of countless Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. The attacks orchestrated by Hamas on October 7 were undeniably heinous, yet the brutal retaliation inflicted by Israel on the innocent men, women, and children of Gaza since then cannot be morally justified. Furthermore, we must acknowledge our complicity in this tragedy: U.S. weapons, funding, and political backing have empowered Israel to continue its campaign of violence.
It’s a sobering thought that our grandchildren might one day read in their history books about the Biden administration’s crucial role in what could be labeled as Palestinian genocide. According to many legal scholars, this is not just a theoretical concern; the International Court of Justice has already deemed this characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza “plausible.”
This situation transcends ordinary political issues that typically weigh on the American conscience. It’s not merely a matter of potential Supreme Court judges or differing opinions on trade and tariffs. The crisis in Gaza represents a profound moral crisis—a stain that will linger on our national identity.
As Israeli attorney Michael Sfard reflected in Haaretz last week, “Generations of Israelis will have to live with what we have done in Gaza over the last year. Some will need to explain to their children and grandchildren why we acted in such a way. Others will have to justify their silence in the face of the bombings and the horrors that unfolded.”
These poignant warnings apply to Americans as well. I am acutely aware that if Donald Trump secures a victory, Democrats and leftists who chose to withhold their votes from Ms. Harris out of disgust and anger over Gaza will likely face criticism and blame for his success. When the rights of Palestinians are trampled in the West Bank or Gaza, while the Trumps flaunt their political deals in Jerusalem, those same voters will be confronted once again with the weight of their decision.
