Watch: Palestinian American Lawmaker Gives Speech the DNC Wouldn't Allow on Stage
Summary
TLDRThe Harris campaign barred a Palestinian American from speaking at the Democratic National Convention, sparking protests. Delegates advocating for Palestinian rights and an end to U.S. support for Israel's actions in Gaza staged a sit-in. Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman, denied a platform, read her intended speech, emphasizing unity and the need for the Democratic Party to advocate for peace, equal rights, and dignity for all, including Palestinians.
Takeaways
- 🚫 The Harris campaign allegedly refused to allow a Palestinian American to speak at the convention, leading to protests and a night spent on the sidewalk by delegates and allies.
- 🗣️ Delegates from the 'uncommitted movement' demanded an end to the Biden administration's support of Israel's actions in Gaza and called for a foreign arms embargo.
- 📣 The uncommitted movement urged Harris to visit Michigan and discuss U.S. policy on Israel and Palestine by September 15th.
- 🏛️ Ruqaiyah 'Ru' Roman, a Palestinian American and Georgia state representative, was among those denied the opportunity to speak at the convention.
- 📜 Despite the denial, Ruqaiyah 'Ru' Roman read the speech she would have given, emphasizing the need for a Palestinian voice to be represented in the Democratic party.
- 🏡 Roman's personal story connects her family's roots in Palestine with her current role in Georgia, highlighting the importance of representation.
- 🕊️ The speech called for unity within the Democratic party, advocating for equal rights and dignity for all, including Palestinians.
- 🛑 Roman's speech criticized the ongoing violence in Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians, urging the party to take a stand against it.
- 🤝 The call for collective peace and safety was made, emphasizing the need for a multifaith, multi-racial, and multigenerational coalition within the Democratic party.
- 🌟 The speech highlighted the strength of the Democratic party in uniting diverse voices and the importance of standing together against divisive policies.
- 💪 A commitment to fighting for overdue policies was made, including restoring access to abortions, ensuring a living wage, ending reckless wars, and advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Q & A
What issue did the Harris campaign refuse to address by not allowing a Palestinian American to take the stage?
-The Harris campaign refused to address the issue of the Biden administration's backing of Israel in its conflict with Gaza, as well as the broader concerns of the Palestinian American community regarding U.S. policy on Israel and Palestine.
What was the response of the uncommitted movement to the Harris campaign's refusal?
-The uncommitted movement staged a sit-in and spent the night on the sidewalk outside the United Center, demanding a meeting with Harris to discuss U.S. policy on Israel and Palestine.
Who is Ruqa Huq and what is her significance in this context?
-Ruqa Huq is a Palestinian American who is a Georgia state representative in the Georgia legislature. She was among the list of speakers offered by the uncommitted movement that the Harris campaign refused to allow on stage.
What did Ruqa Huq plan to discuss in her speech at the convention if allowed?
-Ruqa Huq planned to discuss her personal story, the hardships faced by Palestinians, the need for a ceasefire and an end to the killing of Palestinians, and the importance of unity within the Democratic party to address these issues.
What is the significance of the 'uncommitted movement' mentioned in the script?
-The 'uncommitted movement' is a group of delegates that called for an end to the Biden administration's support of Israel in its conflict with Gaza and advocated for a more balanced U.S. policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
What was the reaction of the Democratic National Committee to the uncommitted movement's request?
-The Democratic National Committee informed the uncommitted movement that it was the Harris campaign that denied their request to have a Palestinian American speak at the convention.
What is the historical context of Ruqa Huq's family background mentioned in the script?
-Ruqa Huq's family background is rooted in Palestine, with her father's family from a small village near Jerusalem and her mother's roots in Al Khalil (Hebron). Her parents were born in Jordan and moved to Georgia when she was eight years old.
What was the main message Ruqa Huq wanted to convey in her speech?
-Ruqa Huq's main message was the call for unity within the Democratic party to prioritize equal rights and dignity for all, including Palestinians, and to address long overdue policies such as ending reckless wars and ensuring a living wage.
What specific actions did the uncommitted movement demand in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
-The uncommitted movement demanded the enforcement of U.S. laws on friend and foe alike, a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, and the beginning of the work towards collective peace and safety.
What was the reaction of the delegates and their allies to the news of the Harris campaign's refusal?
-Many of the delegates and their allies staged a sit-in and spent the night on the sidewalk just outside the United Center in protest of the Harris campaign's refusal to allow a Palestinian American to speak.
What does Ruqa Huq suggest as the Democratic party's greatest strength?
-Ruqa Huq suggests that the Democratic party's greatest strength is its ability to unite, and she calls for the party to flex this strength in the face of challenges and to commit to electing Vice President Harris and defeating Donald Trump.
Outlines
🏛️ Palestinian American Denied Stage Access at DNC
The Harris campaign reportedly denied a request from the uncommitted delegates for a Palestinian American to speak at the Democratic National Convention. Despite ongoing negotiations, the delegates staged a protest after being informed of the refusal. The uncommitted movement, which has been active in state Democratic primaries, called for an end to U.S. support for Israel's actions in Gaza and an arms embargo. They urged Harris to meet with them in Michigan to discuss U.S. policy on Israel and Palestine. At a press conference, Ruwa Romman, a Palestinian American and Georgia state representative, read the speech she would have given at the convention, expressing her dismay at the lack of representation and calling for unity and equal rights within the Democratic party.
🌟 Call for Unity and Change within the Democratic Party
Rua Romman, a Palestinian American and Georgia state representative, delivered a powerful speech that she would have presented at the Democratic National Convention if given the opportunity. She emphasized the need for the Democratic party to prioritize funding for schools and hospitals over endless wars and to fight for an inclusive America that belongs to all, regardless of race or ethnicity. Romman called for unity against divisive figures like Donald Trump and highlighted the importance of standing together for collective peace and safety, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Her speech underscored the Democratic party's strength in unity and the need to elect Vice President Harris and defeat Trump.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Harris campaign
💡Palestinian American
💡Democratic National Committee (DNC)
💡Uncommitted movement
💡State Democratic primaries
💡Biden administration
💡Israel-Gaza conflict
💡Multifaith, multi-racial, and multigenerational coalition
💡Equal rights and dignity
💡Reckless war
💡Cynics and naysayers
Highlights
The Harris campaign refused to allow a Palestinian American to take the stage.
Delegates with the uncommitted movement said the Democratic National Committee told them it was the Harris campaign that denied their request.
Many delegates and their allies staged a sit-in and spent the night on the sidewalk outside the United Center after receiving the news.
The uncommitted movement called on Harris to meet with them and discuss US policy on Israel and Palestine by September 15th.
Ruqaiya Abbasi, a Palestinian American Georgia state representative, was among the speakers the Harris campaign refused to allow on stage.
Abbasi read the speech she would have given at the convention if allowed, highlighting the need for representation of Palestinian voices.
Abbasi expressed dismay at the lack of diversity at the convention and the need to bridge the gap between the party and voters.
She shared her personal story, tracing her family's roots to Jerusalem and Hebron, and growing up in Georgia.
Abbasi spoke about the pain of witnessing the massacres in Gaza and the strength of the Palestinian people.
She called for unity within the Democratic party to demand equal rights and dignity for all.
Abbasi emphasized the importance of enforcing laws on friend and foe alike to reach a ceasefire and end the killing of Palestinians.
She urged the party to commit to electing Vice President Harris and defeating Donald Trump.
Abbasi advocated for policies such as restoring access to abortions, ensuring a living wage, and ending reckless wars.
She called for the Democratic party to prioritize funding schools and hospitals over endless wars.
Abbasi challenged cynics and naysayers, asserting that the party can prioritize the needs of all Americans, including Jews and Palestinians.
She concluded with a call to stand together as a united Democratic party, following the example of Barbara Lamer.
Transcripts
the Harris campaign refused to allow a
Palestinian American to take the stage
there were private negotiations that
were going on throughout the week but at
a news conference on Thursday delegates
with the uncommitted movement said the
Democratic National Committee told them
it was the Harris campaign that they
denied their request to have a
Palestinian Americans speak after
receiving the news on Wednesday many of
the delegates and their allies staged a
sden and spent the night on the sidewalk
just outside the United
Center in state Democratic primaries
earlier this year to call for an end to
the Biden administration's backing of
Israel in its assault on Gaza and
foreign arms embargo the uncommitted
national movement called on Harris to
come to Michigan where the uncommitted
movement was launched to meet with them
and discuss us policy on Israel pales by
September 15th among those who spoke at
the press conference yesterday was Ru
Roman a Palestinian American who is a
Georgia state representative in the
Georgia legislature she was among a list
of speakers offered by the uncommitted
movement that the Harris campaign
refused to allow on stage in her remark
she read out the speech that she would
have given at the convention had the
convention allowed a Palestinian amican
on stage this is Ru
Roman so what I'm about to read to you
is frankly very sanitized it was meant
to have an opportunity to represent a
Palestinian
voice but I'm incredibly dismayed
because we came here to offer a gift we
came here to offer an opportunity to
bridge the gap between our party and our
voters because when you looked around
that convention everybody I mean you
literally looked around so many people
wearing their pins their kuas their
Flags it's very
unfortunate my name is Ru Roman and I'm
honored to be the First Palestinian
elected to public office in the great
state of Georgia that's right and the
First Palestinian to ever speak of the
Democratic National
Convention My Story begins in a small
Village near Jerusalem called subba
where my dad's family is from my mom's
routs Trace back to Al Khal or Hebron my
parents born in Jordan brought us to
Georgia when I was eight where I now
live with my wonderful husband and our
sweet
pets growing up my grandfather and I
shared a special bond he was my partner
and
chief whether it was sneaking me sweets
from a Boda or slipping me a 20 into my
pocket with that familiar wink and a
smile he was my rock but he passed away
a few years ago never seeing tuba or any
part of Palestine
again not a day goes by that I don't
miss
him this past year has been especially
hard as we've been moral witnesses to
the massacres in
Gazza I've thought of him wondering if
this was the pain he knew too well when
we watch Palestinians displace from one
end of the GZA strip to the other I
wanted to ask him how did he find the
strength to walk all of those miles
decades ago and leave everything
behind but in this pain I've also
witnessed something
profound a beautiful multifaith
multi-racial and multigenerational
Coalition rising from despair within our
Democratic party for
322 days we've stood together demanding
to enforce our laws on friend and foe
alike to reach a ceasefire and the
killing of Palestinians free all the
Israeli and Palestinian hostages and to
begin the difficult work of building a
path to Collective peace and
safety that's why we are here members of
this Democratic party committed to equal
rights and dignity for all what we do
here Echoes around the world they'll say
this is how it's always been that
nothing can change but
remember Bonnie Lamer shun for her
courage yet she paved the way for an
integrated Democratic party her Legacy
leg y lives on and it's her example we
follow but we can't do it alone this
historic moment is full of promise but
only if we stand
together our party's greatest strength
has always been our ability to
unite some see that as a weakness but
it's time we Flex that
strength let's commit to each
other to electing vice president Harris
and defeating Donald Trump who uses my
identity as a Palestinian as a slur
let's fight for the policies long
overdue from restoring access to
abortions to ensuring a living wage to
demanding an end to Reckless war and a
ceasefire in Gaza to those who doubt us
to the cynics and the naysayers I say
yes we can yes we can be a Democratic
party that prioritizes funding our
schools and hospitals not for Endless
Wars that's right that fights for an
America that belongs to all of us
black brown and white Jews and
Palestinians all of us like my
grandfather taught me
[Applause]
together that was Rua Raman a
Palestinian American who is a Georgia
state representative reading the speech
she would have given had the Harris
campaign allowed a Palestinian American
to speak on stage for
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