In a heartbreaking ordeal, Turfe saw his family suffer tremendously when his grandmothers were tragically killed in Lebanon during a bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, indirectly influenced by then-President George W. Bush’s support for Israel. This event imparted deep impacts not only on Turfe but also continuously moulded political orientations within his community, which was primarily Republican-leaning back in the day.
Surprisingly, during the era of Barack Obama, Turfe’s community saw a gradual political shift towards the Democrats, a movement which carried into 2020 and negatively influenced the fight between Biden and Trump, resulting in the former winning the election. However, that transient loyalty seems to have reached a breaking point in recent times due to Biden’s questionable decisions.
When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, causing massive destruction including, but not limited to, the loss of nearly 1,200 Israeli lives and the abduction of more than 200 people, Biden chose to extend military as well as diplomatic support to Israel, a move that set off alarm bells for Turfe and fellow community members.
The mounting civilian deaths in Gaza due to this offensive stirred a strong wave of dissent among Democrats, not only in Michigan but also in other parts of the country. This unrest manifested itself in the form of an exquisite protest vote movement during the Democratic primary, garnering a staggering count of over 100,000 ‘uncommitted’ votes, with a majority streaming in from Muslim-majority cities such as Dearborn.
Turfe was initially part of this ‘uncommitted’ brigade, uncertain about Biden and the administration under his leadership as the next presidential term approached. However, he had a surprising change of heart when Kamala Harris became the nominee, throwing his support behind her despite her association with Biden’s contentious stand on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In August, Turfe extended his formal endorsement to Harris, even getting a chance to meet her before a rally near Detroit a couple of months later. In this meeting, he took the opportunity to share the painful story of his grandmothers’ deaths nearly two decades ago. Though he claimed to have felt empathy from Harris, his actions sparked unrest among his own community members.
Turfe’s endorsement of Harris, a key player in the administration supporting the Israeli offensive they squarely opposed, did not sit well with the community. Social media platforms were soon brimming with photoshopped images, accusing Turfe of endorsing the horrors being rained down on Gaza. He also began receiving text messages labeling him a ‘traitor’, irrefutably damaging his community relationships in his hometown of Dearborn.
Dearborn’s resident Suehaila Amen, a lifelong Democrat and someone who lived through the perils in Lebanon from 2017 to 2021, found herself disillusioned with the Party’s candidates this time around. Despite her usual democratic leanings, she swore not to vote for Harris, citing her displeasure stemmed from the fact that their worries had been disregarded until now when an impending election loss threatens the Democrats.
Harris’s recent speech in Oakland County couldn’t have done a worse job at salvaging the situation. She briefly referred to the severe casualties and destruction in Gaza and displacement in Lebanon, even going as far as acknowledging the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Interestingly, while she named these events as potential turning points, she failed to indicate any change in her stance or policies that would be consoling to her potential voters present in Turfe’s community.
Adding insult to injury, Harris expressed pride in securing the endorsement of Turfe and other leaders of the Muslim community in the midst of this chaos. This confusing stance was in stark contrast to her continuing silence on advocating for a reduction in the US aid helping fuel the Israeli offensive against Hamas and her refusal to allow a pro-Palestinian speaker on stage at August’s Democratic National Convention.
In sharp contrast stood Khanna, a progressive Democrat from California, who despite being a Hindu himself maintained strong ties with Arab American leaders in metro Detroit. He not only acknowledged their concerns but, during a meeting with these leaders, admitted a lack of effort by Harris to help end the Israel-Hamas war, demonstrating a much better grasp of their sentiments.
While Khanna argued that a Trump win would spell doom for them, it’s hard to imagine that his words hold much weight for a community so betrayed by Harris’s administration. Even though Khanna argues in favor of Harris on the grounds that she provides representation, it seems empty when stacked against the reality of the suffering community.
Mike Musheinesh, a Palestinian American who attended the same meeting, seems to have a slightly different perspective, believing in the necessity of supporting Harris as the lesser of two evils. However, asking a community to ‘hold their noses’ and vote for someone they don’t trust just to secure representation is at best hollow and at worst, dangerous.
In essence, this entire situation has been a quick and brutal reminder of how much trust and empathy matter in politics. The Arab American community in Michigan put its faith in the Democratic Party, only to feel betrayed and let down by the actions, or lack thereof, of the Biden-Harris administration.
While some community members like Turfe were swayed by Harris’s supposed empathy, it is clear that many others, like Amen and the larger ‘uncommitted’ movement, are not ready to blindly follow. It’s yet to be seen which direction this swing state will sway, but it’s evident that the outcome of the election may rest heavily on the shoulders of this disgruntled section of voters.
Despite the scrambling, the insincere speeches, and the mixed messages sent by Harris and her camp, it is apparent that the community’s voice hasn’t fallen entirely on deaf ears. As elections loom, it’s clear that to win over Dearborn and similar communities, real actions, not empty promises or half-hearted words, will need to be taken. Otherwise, Biden and Harris need to prepare for the consequences of their actions or, in this case, inactions.