If we lose the ability to hold accountable, we lose the future.
The US election presents a crushing reality: Kamala Harris' administration is actively complicit in a genocide, whilst Donald Trump competes with her on doubling down on “finishing the job", accusing her of obstructing an already accelerated machine of mass murder in Gaza and Lebanon.
Amid this gruesome reality, there are two things many Arab-Americans are contemplating: Should we accept the “lesser of two evils”? Or is that a trick to resist a well-needed penalty which could potentially stop a genocide in the future? This dilemma is articulated in every debate, in every Arab household. While others hold concern for domestic US policy, many feel the genocide holds prominence.
From my perspective as a Lebanese-American, I think it's important we highlight three particular aspects of the US election:
- We can't treat the US election as a passive outlet in which we cast a vote. We need to treat it as an urgent, active, and on-going "use-every-minute-possible" milestone to pressure and shame any candidate who won't bring this genocidal war to an end now.
- A strong indicator of human, societal, and even civilisational failure in the next US election is there not being a penalty and cost for those spearheading one of the biggest atrocities of the 21st century.
- Any election is about tough choices and costs. There is a cost for a Trump presidency. There's also a cost for Harris winning. With Trump, the battle for particular domestic rights becomes tougher. Certain institutional and democratic norms will be violated. With Harris, the world will know that those actively complicit in a genocide can be re-elected. The murder of 50,000 people will be trivialised and cast aside. With Trump, it’s arguable we will have an even more aggressive pro-Israel or Netanyahu administration, but how much does that even matter given the incredible leeway offered to Netanyahu by much of the members in Congress and other officials within a variety of US institutions? How does that matter when the Democrats have already ensured Israel so much future support? How does it matter when every red line has already been crossed?
While elections are about costs and wins, I argue that the biggest defeat today is one which allows us to lose accountability. Losing accountability gives both Democrats, Republicans, and their opponents a sign that Palestinian and Lebanese lives can be stomped on.
We are destroying whole futures. We cannot let that happen. Losing accountability is not just a symbolic gesture; it has real, material effects on the lives of people in the region.
If neither of the two candidates succumb to the wishes of the vast majority of Americans who want this genocide to end, then accountability ought to be our message for the next election.