Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) is revoking his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) over its promotion of what he said was an antisemitic rally in New York City.
“Today, I am officially renouncing my membership in the Democratic Socialists of America. After the brutal terrorist attacks on Israel, which included the indiscriminate murder, rape, and kidnapping of innocent men, women, and children, I can no longer associate with an organization unwilling to call out terrorism in all its forms,” he wrote in a statement Wednesday.
Thanedar, formerly one of the six members of the DSA in Congress, said that a rally in Times Square on Sunday pushed him to make the decision.
The rally, held just one day after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel, was also denounced by other lawmakers and officials.
“Sunday’s hate-filled and antisemitic rally in New York City, promoted by the NYC-DSA, makes it impossible for me to continue my affiliation. I stand with Israel and its right to defend itself. There is no place for moral equivocation in the face of unadulterated evil as we have seen from Hamas,” Thanedar added.
No idea why you are getting down voted for asking a question especially as it brings up something important around the DSA and it’s highest profile members. I will look for the article but saw that the national DSA org came out saying the event was not planned (or supported? trying to remember how strong the language was) by the national org but rather the NY chapter. It will be interesting to see the fallout and whether that changes the power balance within org leadership
It will be an interesting litmus test for the DSA. If they want to achieve national relevance, they’ll need to pretty much agree with AOC and investigate what happened with the NY chapter.
All they need to say is that they condemn the Hamas attack just like they condemn Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Palestine, and they plan to investigate their NY chapter to understand what happened.
I believe the DSA said they didn’t organize the rally.
Unfortunately leftists hate having their thought processes challenged almost as much as MAGAs.