By Black Star News
Photos: Wikimedia Commons\YouTube Screenshots
Back in 2020, the Black Star News enthusiastically endorsed a charismatic educator hailing from the Bronx by the name of Jamaal Bowman. We were excited by Bowman’s platform positions then. And given the onslaught of big money by genocide deniers—like the AIPAC genocide lobby—to unseat Rep. Bowman it is obvious to us our trust in this champion of the people was well placed.
An unprecedented amount of money has been spent by the so-called pro-Israel groups to remove Bowman in this year’s New York primary. Some 23 million, so far has been spent in ads to spread blatant lies against Bowman in favor of AIPAC-sponsored candidate George Latimer.
Why?
Because Bowman has taken a principled humane stand in the face of the massacre of Palestinians that is taking place because of the murderous machinations of the current prime minister of Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu. Because of this, and the fact that he called for a ceasefire in Gaza early on, Bowman—like college students fighting against the Gaza Genocide, including Jewish students—is being falsely labelled as “anti-Semitic.”
We now live in a world where any criticism of Israel’s government is characterized as such. So, a prime minister, who should be in prison, can commit mass murder with the silent bi-partisan complicity of our so-called political leaders. And because of the fear of being dishonestly called anti-Semitic we’re all expected to just shut up as the Palestinian slaughter continues.
Black and Brown residents of the Bronx must turnout Tuesday in full force for Rep. Bowman.
Residents, in the NY-16 Congressional district, must do this not only because Bowman has delivered for the Bronx but also because if Bowman’s is removed, by the AIPAC lobby, they will be emboldened to continue to go after other members of “the squad.” This means Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib, AOC, Ayanna Pressley and Cori Bush will all face further AIPAC attacks.
Voters, not just in the NY-16 district, but all across America, must be clear about what is going on here. Those with big money are flagrantly telling us they can get anything they want by using their money to corrupt the political process.
We must keep in mind what has happened over the last year where billionaires have been using their money to intimidate and scare people into submission.
We currently have the fight against the Fearless Fund who were targeted by billionaire Ed Blum. Because of Blum’s anti-DEI attacks on this group, the Fearless Fund recently faced a legal setback.
But Blum’s bullying tactics are no different from what Bill Ackman did in orchestrating for the removal of Harvard’s first Black president Claudine Gay.
We the people must ask ourselves this question: are we going to allow billionaires, and their agents, to muzzle the voices of the people? If we allow them to takeout Rep. Bowman, we will all lose.
And the danger is not only coming from the right of the political spectrum.
Enter Hillary Clinton. This failed presidential candidate, who was so weak she allowed an ignoramus like Trump to beat her, has endorsed the AIPAC candidate Latimer. This is no doubt done to benefit the same billionaire benefactors that most politicians, from both parties, take money from to the detriment of the people and true democracy.
We must also be clear on this: the leadership of the Democratic Party is just as corrupt as those in the Republican Party. This is why more of them must be challenged—and removed—by voters.
Bowman, like other members of “the Squad,” face threats not just from right-wing forces but by the leadership of the Democratic Party who undermine progressive members within the party, for the benefit of corporate interests. Indeed, many of these progressive Democrats removed candidates that the leadership preferred because of their willingness to play ball in the political prostitution corporate patronage system that make Congress a swampy cesspool of corruption.
Rep. Bowman is facing this unprecedented AIPAC-sponsored attack because he took a principled stance against the mass murder of Palestinians and the crimes against humanity now transpiring in Gaza. Black and Brown New Yorkers, particularly in the Bronx, should be proud of this champion of the people—who is one of the only voices not silently condoning the butchery now being perpetrated against Palestinians.
On Tuesday, the people of the Bronx must send a strong clear message to AIPAC, and the billionaire class, that we are much more stronger that the deleterious influence of their money. This is why we must turnout and overwhelm them.
Congressman Bowman, in truly fighting for the people, represents the opposite of the sellout business-as-usual- approach in Washington. This is why the Black Star News proudly continues to stand firmly with Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
