65. Ryan Grim on The Squad vs. the Israel Lobby and Students for Justice In Palestine vs. Columbia University
Dec 21, 2023
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Ryan Grim, author of 'The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution,' discusses the fight between progressive Democrats and Israel lobby organizations. Later, a student organizer from Columbia University talks about the wave of McCarthyism targeting pro-Palestine groups on campus, including suspensions of Students for Justice in Palestine chapters. The episode highlights the challenges faced by progressive candidates in balancing their support for Palestinian rights and the discrimination faced by Palestinian activists at Columbia University.
The podcast highlights the struggle for representation and moral courage within the Democratic Party, particularly regarding the Israeli assault on Gaza, where there is a stark contrast between overwhelming opposition and support in representative institutions.
The episode reveals the discriminatory and violent sentiment towards Palestinian activism on college campuses, showcasing the suppression of student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, as well as the formation of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest Coalition.
Deep dives
The book 'The Squad, AOC, and the Hope of a Political Revolution' examines the fight between progressive Democrats and Israel lobby organizations
The podcast episode features an interview with Ryan Graham, the author of the book 'The Squad, AOC, and the Hope of a Political Revolution.' The book explores the ongoing conflict between the squad of progressive Democrats and Israel lobby organizations like APAC and Democratic Majority for Israel. It highlights the struggle for representation and moral courage within the Democratic Party, where overwhelming opposition to the Israeli assault on Gaza contrasts with overwhelming support in allegedly representative institutions.
An assessment of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's approach to the Israel-Palestine issue
The podcast discusses Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (AOC) position on the Israel-Palestine issue. It delves into the criticism she faces from both the right and the left for allegedly being anti-Israel or more nuanced compared to her colleagues. The conversation explores her voting decisions, like changing her vote on the Iron Dome funding, and the challenges she faces in representing the interests of the Palestinian rights movement while also seeking to bridge divides and bring people together.
The impact of Israel lobbying groups on the Democratic Party
The podcast examines the influence of Israel lobbying groups, such as APAC and Democratic Majority for Israel, on the Democratic Party. It discusses how these groups have worked to purge critics of Israel from the party, spending significant amounts of money to unseat Israel critics in elections. The episode highlights the challenges faced by progressive candidates who must navigate the pressure and influence exerted by these pro-Israel lobbying groups.
Suppression of Palestine activism on college campuses
The podcast episode addresses the recent wave of suppression targeting Palestine activism on college campuses. Specifically, it explores the suspension and banning of student groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at Columbia University. The conversation reveals the discriminatory and violent sentiment towards Palestinian activism on campus, which includes doxing and smear campaigns. The episode also discusses the formation of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest Coalition and their demands, including immediate ceasefire support, divestment from companies involved in Israeli apartheid, and reinstating the suspended student groups.
In this episode, we have two interviews with our U.S. Correspondent, Michael Arria. First, Michael talks to Ryan Grim, Washington D.C. Bureau chief for The Intercept. Ryan has a new book out titled, “The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution.” In it, he reports on the fight between the squad of progressive Democrats first elected to Congress in 2018 and Israel lobby organizations AIPAC and Democratic Majority for Israel.
Later, we’ll hear from a student organizer at Columbia University about the school's suspension of pro-Palestine groups on campus. In recent weeks, we've seen a disturbing wave of McCarthyism target Palestine activism across college campuses. A number of Students for Justice in Palestine chapters have been suspended or even banned at schools. One of the schools is Columbia University, which also suspended its Jewish Voice for Peace chapter. Michael spoke with a member of Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine about these developments. She is also a member of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition that has been relaunched in response to the suspensions. She asked Mondoweiss to withhold her name.
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