Denver New Liberals Condemn Denver DSA, Urge Electeds to Disavow the Organization
DENVER, CO – Last week, the world witnessed a horrific act of terrorism by Hamas militants. This appalling act involved rocket attacks on Israel, resulting in the loss of innocent Israeli lives. This also included particularly barbaric acts against individuals innocently attending a music festival. These actions were beyond reprehensible and devoid of any justification.
On Saturday, the Denver chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) responded to the abhorrent images and videos we’ve seen over the past week by issuing a statement that failed to condemn Hamas and ended with an anti-Semitic epithet that calls for an end to the state of Israel. Their statement was void of any expression of sympathy for the lives lost in these attacks.
Denver DSA was quick to condemn the actions taken by the Israeli government over the last few days and yet their statement does not once mention nor condemn the originator of the violence, Hamas. The Denver DSA turns a blind eye to Hamas. We do not. The Palestinian people are endangered by ignoring Hamas.
The Denver DSA made a choice to downplay this evil and offered justification for acts of terror. They removed the sense of humanity to many of those suffering, implying that the people of Israel somehow deserved this tragedy. Their statement insinuates that infants are acceptable casualties and that those working tirelessly for peace, who have themselves suffered unspeakable atrocities, are merely collateral damage in pursuit of a greater cause.
This is a pattern and practice of radical movements throughout history. Extreme ideologies, in general, and members of the Denver DSA, specifically, think that violence is an acceptable way to achieve political change. It is clear that given the right opportunity, the Denver DSA believes that it would be morally justified to bring the horrific images we’ve seen over the past week to the streets of Denver.
The Denver New Liberals find this mindset deeply troubling and harmful to the diverse communities in Denver, including Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, and Palestinian communities, who all seek peace rather than validation for bloodshed. We understand the profound complexity of the conflict, but in a longstanding struggle marred by transgressions on both sides, it is not acceptable to draw moral equivalences.
The failure to acknowledge the distinct and deliberate suffering of the Israeli people right now reveals a significant lapse in moral judgment among the leadership of the Denver DSA and a significant portion of its membership. It reflects a pattern of questionable political judgment by Denver DSA, seemingly driven more by a desire for revolution, rather than for pragmatic solutions to make Colorado a better place for all. We believe that a claim of supporting the working class cannot coexist with attempting to rationalize the horrific murder of those very working-class individuals. This stance should disqualify the Denver DSA from ever being regarded as a serious political organization in Denver.
The Denver DSA, as a political organization, must be held accountable. We call on the numerous local government representatives, including Denver City Council members and Colorado State Legislators associated with the Denver DSA, whether through endorsements or membership, to publicly disavow the Denver DSA's recent statement and sever all ties with the organization. We believe that failing to disavow the DSA should render oneself ineligible for public office, and elected officials who fail to do so should face a serious primary challenger.
We want to be clear that we do not condone any mistreatment or loss of innocent Palestinian lives. Israeli forces must exercise the utmost caution while upholding human rights in their operations.
The Denver New Liberals stand in solidarity with the Israeli people during their national tragedy and offer our unwavering support to Jewish and Israeli communities in Denver. We also commend American politicians, such as President Joseph R. Biden and Governor Jared Polis, for their steadfast commitment to addressing this challenging situation.
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Media Contact: tobin@cnliberalism.org
