Thread by @PlayfulPianoVGM

how NY16 happened (a thread):
- county dem leadership in westchester has hated bowman and found him antisemitic way before he even had his more leftward shift on policy, I mean like back in 2022 early
- decided to be more vocal/front and center after a poor '22 showing
(1/25)

- had numerous gaffes between the fire alarm, comments following oct 7th saying that the atrocities of the day were lies, and probably most importantly:
- lack of outreach towards the more standard (and to be clear, zionist) jewish communities in the district.
(2/25)

To be clear on this point, and something leftists at large *really* need to understand in relation to I/P, is that the palestinian movement is a significant minority, and that specifically among jews, saying this *as a jew* who grew up in this,
(3/25)

there is a *lot* of historical propaganda as well as general ignorance regarding israel and its history that shapes the overall perspective of american jews nationwide. One which, and I emphasize, *cannot* be responded with by anger or hatred.
(4/25)

By being reactionary to even the worst impulses of the jewish community (settlement / bibi endorsements) as non jews will always lead to backlash and a step back for the palestinian momenet. The only way to change course is through the jewish community internally.
(5/25)

And the first major step for that is to give literal olive branches to zionist american jews / the jewish community at large. Something bowman did not do. This was truly the first domino that led to tonight's result.
(6/25)

Yes, he was involve with JVP, IfNotNow, and similar progressive, jewish, *anti-zionist* organizations. But those, again, are a significant minority among the jewish community. We get told an extremely pro-israel stance growing up, even among the most reform temples.
(7/25)

These are still constituents to acknowledge, communicate with, and even support as they are still people you represent. It doesn't mean becoming a zionist, or sacrificing your pro-palestinian views. But it does mean you need to communicate and emphasize with them.
(8/25)

By communicating, showing up at events, and being a member of their community gives you that personal connection for them to understand you as a person and at *minimum* put them in a "I disagree with you on this one position but I like you as a person otherwise* situation.
(9/25)

But beyond that, it also opens a genuine inroad with breaking through those literal generational decades of propaganda regarding the israeli state and government. Inroads which will not occur *unless* you give that olive branch forward.
(10/25)

From what I've heard among jewish groups and communities within westchester, those branches were not given, so those communities only defaulted to what they assumed based on what they were told: that bowman was an antisemite by being anti-israel, and to primary him.
(11/25)

This also is something I have seen even locally btwn jews/leftists. My temple's rabbi commented on how concerning that progressive organizations hesitated on condemning 10/7 right after it happened, even when our temple didn't hesitate in the other direction
(12/25)

regarding the tragedies of mosque shootings, the BLM protests, and other general progressive causes. Again, reform temple here, also noticing a perceived double standard, probably again due to the difficulties of separating american jews with israel.
(13/25)

And *again*, to *reiterate*, I am not saying american jews with zionists. I'm saying american jews with israel. Because the *vast majority of american jews are zionists.* Something that leftists have to really understand if they want to change how ppl view I/P in the US.
(14/25)

Some things, which should be really god damn obvious here, include:
- not endorsing, justifying, or celebrating hamas *period*. They actively worsen the palestinian cause, strengthen the belief that pro-palestinians are antisemitic, and have the worst optics I've seen.
(15/25)

- putting focus squarely on israeli actors, even in cases where actual harm of palestinians are sourced by local jewish groups in the US. They have to be dealt with by jews, because otherwise, again, the optics are freaking terrible.
(16/25)

Literally, the whole goal of I/P in the US is persuasion and public relations. You cannot strongarm change that alienates median voters, because that will only label you as a fringe extremist, which in many cases they literally aren't wrong here.
(17/25)

I cannot tell you how many times i've seen blatant worship of hamas or straight up antisemitism among both fringe leftists online, but also literal leadership and members among the leftmost caucuses of DSA (MUG, B&R).
(18/25)

As @MMiraculorum has commonly said before, you aren't a book club for larpers, you are an organization trying to seek change and to use power effectively for the betterment of the US and the world. Start acting like one.
(19/25)

Because you know what happens when you go off message, when the tinniest crack of publicity goes negative? People will react, hard, to prevent your change. And the whole movement goes 5 steps back. This is how bowman eventually lost, because he went off message.
(20/25)

AIPAC might be the poster boy for Likud and the Zionist established view of Israel, but the only reason they put this much money in the first place is because they smelled blood, a wounded incumbent who they could beat.
(21/25)

And for Latimer, out of literally so many within Westchester, to do it with a double digit victory, *after* so many negative stories broke out about him and his racist and corrupt past? That cannot be blamed solely on AIPAC here. It just cannot.
(22/25)

We've literally *just* seen a primary race where a multi millionaire self funded himself to buy a senate race in maryland, with a significant fundraising advantage, only for him to lose to another candidate who had local and statewide support in the race.
(23/25)

What was different in NY16? *Latimer* had that local support, not Bowman. Because *Latimer* made those connections constantly across the county for years, but Bowman did not reach out to the only group that could have ever saved him in 2024. The American Jewish Community.
(24/25)

More about bowman with his relationship with westchester jewish groups:



Lastly, my word of advice is to learn from this, understand how this outcome happened, and to not give up towards palestinian freedom and self-determination.

https://x.com/matthewkassel/status/1803037076360675773

huffpost.com/entry/jamaal-b…

And to make sure this is prefaced in advance, I don't support a jewish state of israel. I support whatever solution that gives equal representation and dignity among all within mandatory palestine, with no more famines, no more war, and no more displacement from people's homes.