Turns out you can never be woke enough.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have dumped their poster child, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, because she wasn't anti-Israel enough.
This is the same AOC who said that Israel was occupying "Palestine" and is besties with friends of Hamas, Jeremy Corbyn, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
The DSA's National Political Committee voted to endorse AOC back in June, but as long as she:
"Publicly opposes all funding to Israel, including the Iron Dome" (the thing that helps Jews not get murdered by Palestinian rockets)
"Participates regularly in the DSA Federal Socialists in Office Committee"
"Publicly opposes all criminalization of Anti-Zionism, such as bills advancing the IHRA definition which conflates criticism of Israel with anti-semitism"
"Publicly supports BDS (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction) to end Israeli settler-colonialism"
And apparently, AOC failed. The DSA's statement on Wednesday was a doozy:
Because we have not seen evidence of AOC meeting these conditions, and at the request of the NYC-DSA SC, the NPC is withdrawing our conditional endorsement of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, although she will remain endorsed by our New York City chapter.
In the last several months, thousands of DSA members provided input about the prospect of a national endorsement through town halls, meetings, and engaging in their chapters' discussions, and AOC was invited to speak at a member forum. Many members have supported national endorsement while at the same time demanding that AOC demonstrate a higher level of commitment to Palestinian liberation, self-determination, and the immediate end to the heinous genocide in Gaza committed by Israel that aligns with DSA's positions and expectations of socialists in office.
While the DSA recognized that "AOC has taken many courageous positions on Palestine," she apparently committed unforgivable crimes, such as "conflating opposition to Israel's 'right to exist' with antisemitism" and co-signing a press release that "support[s] strengthening the Iron Dome and other defense systems."
Because Jews defending themselves is just not OK.
Finally, AOC recently hosted a public panel with leaders from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, lobbyists for the IHRA definition of antisemitism. On this panel, anti-Zionism and antisemitism were conflated and boycotting Zionist institutions was condemned. This sponsorship is a deep betrayal to all those who've risked their welfare to fight Israeli apartheid and genocide through political and direct action in recent months, and in decades past.
A national DSA endorsement comes with a serious commitment to the movement for Palestine and our collective socialist project. We must endorse candidates who enthusiastically seek a relationship with DSA, and the National Political Committee as the highest body of the organization between conventions is responsible for setting the criteria we establish for national endorsements. Chapters have a responsibility to make this clear to their endorsed candidates when applying for a national endorsement. The NPC is committed to ensuring that all of our elected officials are unabashed in their support for Palestinian freedom. To build a socialist movement that's capable of defeating capitalism, we must demand more from leaders in our movement.
The New York City chapter of the DSA's National Political Committee will still have her back, which is a bit like being dumped but staying in touch with your ex's mom.
Remember: On the Left, you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.
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