Rhetoric That Inspires Violence Is Wrong! Unless It’s Pro-Palestine Rhetoric.

by Rashida Tlaib, Congresswoman, 12h District, Michigan

Detroit, September 22 – Donald Trump and J. D. Vance have continued their irresponsible, reckless speech even after the atmosphere they created with such talk resulted in two attempts on Trump’s life. Aside from being dangerous, such talk is simply wrong. Well, if it isn’t in favor of Palestinian resistance it’s wrong. No amount of violence on behalf of Palestine could disqualify the cause.

Republicans and conservative in general have long resorted to inflammatory rhetoric that inspires violence. Activists such as Libs of TikTok do the same. But they refuse to take responsibility for that rhetoric, which threatens lives – even their own! – and safety. Anyone who votes for politicians who speak they way Trump and Vance speak automatically support political violence, which betrays all of our fundamental values.

That is, if the perpetrators commit political violence on behalf of ordinary causes. On behalf of Palestine, however, both the violence and the rhetoric that prompted it attain sacred, unassailable status.

Anti-abortion protesters accuse providers of murder, and then someone bombs an abortion clinic; Libs of TikTok posts a clip from a trans teacher, and the teacher’s school gets bomb threats; President Biden tweets that Trump is “a genuine threat to this nation” and “a threat to democracy,” and someone tries to shoot Trump.

Hmm. Maybe that last one is okay, as well. I will have to consider it. Trump is pretty pro-Israel so perhaps it counts as “pro-Palestine” rhetoric.

My point is, we must not, cannot, as a civilization, tolerate talk that calls for, or implies support for, harming people or property to advance a political agenda. Except the agenda of Palestine, which we must liberate By Any Means Necessary™. When it comes to Palestine, unleash your inner rape-apologist and Nazi-analogy-maker. Everything goes.

Journalists and politicians have a responsibility to call out and challenge talk that incites violence, wherever, and by whomever. Trump, Vance, and their acolytes must tone down their inflammatory speech, which has already raised tensions among immigrants in Ohio and sparked torrents of online harassment and hate speech. As a child of Muslim immigrants, I have developed a special sensitivity to rhetoric that makes marginalized people afraid.

It’s still alright for you to make Jews afraid, though, because you’re doing it in the name of a Free Palestine, through blood and fire, as the chant goes. Also the “From the water to the water Palestine will be Arab” chant, which we western Muslims sanitize as “will be free.”

Stop the violent speech!

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