Bonus content! Text message eavesdrop

Nov 02, 2024

My son is 19, we live in a swing state, and somehow my phone number is linked to his voter info, so I get all the Harris campaign texts imploring him to vote. Y’all would not BELIEVE how many communications our sweet first-time-in-the-general-election voter gets. Handwritten letters and postcards, bulk flyers and mailers, and, my God, the texts. THE TEXTS.

The tone? Not great. Begging. Fearful. Shaming. And sometimes: deeply condescending.

vote shaming / peer pressure in a pile of GOTV mail my son received *in one day*

Even friends are texting “information” (unrequested by us), I guess thinking that our past year of anti-genocide work means … I don’t know … I guess we just haven’t really thought through mainstream Democratic talking points?

Or that we’re low information voters?

Like … if only we saw the clip or endorsement, or listened to the Obama bros at Crooked Media, we would suddenly be sympathetic to a feckless Democratic party that is increasingly anti-Muslim, consistently silencing anti-war protestors, and actively supporting genocide?

Um. Okay…

Anyhoodle Sam deputized me to be his comms person. I love it when he gives me homework.

Here’s a sample text exchange. Some have been better. Some have been worse.

Screenshot of text exchange: reads -- The text: HARRIS VOLUNTEER: Hi Sam—-, Election Day is 21 days away so I want to check in: Does VP Kamala Harris have your support this November? Stop to quit. Btw I'm K—- a real person volunteering with Democrats in NC and I hope you respond! ME AS SAM: Harris needs to call for an end to the genocide in Gaza, along with an immediate arms embargo to Israel if she wants my support HARRIS VOL: Thank you for sharing how you feel with me. Vice President Harris continues to work toward a ceasefire and has been clear that both Israeli and Palestinian people must be able to realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination. — caption...

screenshot of texts: ME AS SAM: Come on dude. She needs to come out with full condemnation of the GENOCIDE that Israel is perpetrating. Netanyahu and the IDF have made it abundantly clear that they don't give a flying fig about the hostages. This isn't about the hostages or "Israel's 'right' to defend itself." The violence did not start Oct 7. Harris needs to stop insulting voters with these "both sides" talking points. It's not fooling anyone. She is losing a LOT of voters because of (1) her smearing of good faith anti-genocide activists as too radical or somehow antisemitic, and (2) and her refusal to say or do anything about what's really happening. It's been a year. Now you know how you'd behave if your country was funding and enabling a genocide.

THE VOLUNTEER’S RESPONSE?

HARRIS VOLUNTEER: Well...I'm sure the citizens of Gaza will fare much better under a Trump presidency.

THAT.

That right there.

It sums up the tone of sooooo many of the Harris & Co folks. So so so many of them simply WILL NOT LISTEN and instead give glib, snide, dismissive, disdainful reactions. And it’s so clear how detached they are from any actual humans who are suffering in Palestine, or who are Arab, Muslim, or Palestinian.

Because I would bet good money that if this person had a bestie or family member who was Arab, Muslim, or Palestinian, there is no way on God’s green earth they would EVER say something this horrifically dismissive.

screenshot of texts: HARRIS VOLUNTEER: Well...I'm sure the citizens of Gaza will fare much better under a Trump presidency. ME AS SAM: Ummm ... what's worse than genocide? That is already happening, friend. Also: Wow. Way to respond to a compassionate, honest young voter's concerns about literal *genocide.* You could have said, "I see this is very important to you. I'll share this with the campaign. I hope you'll continue to care about justice and that we can earn your trust." Instead? You respond with a glib, dismissive answer. That is some real, "Shh. I'm speaking" energy. This condescending, dismissive, glib tone alienates votes you are trying to gather.

screenshot of texts: This condescending, dismissive, glib tone alienates votes you are trying to gather. The people of Gaza couldn't be faring worse [than genocide under this] administration. I'll screenshot your response to share on all my social media as yet ANOTHER example of the ways the Harris campaign is literally insulting young voters. I'm 19. This will (or would have been, if I decide to abstain) my first vote in a presidential election. I am among the most engaged young voter you could meet. I have been marching in the streets for an end to the genocide. I come from a family of people who vote in every primary and every general election. My mom spent the morning at a vigil for gun violence victims. My dad is a primary care provider in a rural health care clinic. There isn't a "bluer" house on this block. We live in a swing state. And none of us, even my grandma, none of [us] can believe that Harris expects our votes while supporting genocide. We try to talk about it with y'all. And what do we get? Glib, snide responses. I hope you try to listen next time.

screenshots of texts: HARRIS VOL: And you don't think everything you have said is condescending to me? Fact is that more Gazans will die if Trump is elected. Is that what you want? ME AS SAM: Oh my word. Are you for real? I am responding to YOU texting ME out of blue, wanting me to vote for Kamala Harris. You contacted me. You asked me a question: "Does VP Kamala Harris have your support this November?" I answered your question. I raised my concerns. You replied with one of the more insensitive things that could possibly be said about my concern and about hundreds of thousands of humans who are being maimed, murdered, starved. I am honestly so tired of Harris and folks (like this exchange, I reckon) in her campaign trying to [minimize her complicity or shame voters into supporting her.]

screenshot of texts: ME AS SAM [CONTINUED]: Yes. Trump is horrible. He is a dangerous fascist. But I expect more from a Democratic campaign than "Trump is worse." I mean basically what you seem to be saying is ... Harris can do whatever she wants as long as it's not *quite* as bad as Trump? And we're supposed to just shut up and go along with it? I thought candidates were supposed to earn our votes. Especially young people. Whatever happened to that notion? See how the following are two very different things: --- I have major concerns about voting for Kamala. Here's why: | would like her to stop a genocide, and she is one of a literal handful of people in the WORLD who could stop a genocide. ---

screenshot of texts: ME AS SAM [CONTINUED]: versus: -- I like Trump. I want Trump to win. -- Do you see how those are two entirely different things? They are. And wowee, your responses to me are going a really long way towards making me not want to have anything to do with Harris or her campaign. "With friends like these..."

The exchange went on. But you get the idea.

—

I get that folks are stressed out about this election.

There’s a lot at stake.

If you’re in the US, I trust you to vote —or abstain— the way that you can live with.

I’ve said all along that I won’t tell you what to do or who to vote for. Oh, except: Don’t vote for Trump.

And again, for the love of all things good and holy, I implore you: Don’t be like one of these texters. If Trump wins, and you need someone to blame — blame Trump. Blame his racist billionaire sponsors. Blame the media who grossly unprepared to be real about violence and fascism.

Don’t you DARE fall for the Dem’s tactic of blaming progressives, Arabs, Muslims, immigrants, formerly incarcerated folk, or the many many more people who cannot stomach voting for Harris.

Use your ire and agitation to get feisty about solidarity. Use your concern as further impetus to reach out to neighbors, to be in community, to work for the abolition of imperial and white supremacist systems.

Please and thank you.

Oh, and also: “Treat your Arab & Muslim friends kindly this week. Consider making your posts private when gleefully voting for someone who has funded a genocide against our people and parroted anti-Arab talking points. I don't want to see your "I voted" stickers or watch parties. This is a day of grief. A day of fear for what comes next. There is no good outcome for us in this election. We will be holding our families close. Think of this. Don't cause us more pain.” —from an Instagram post

If you don’t have Arab, Palestinian, and/or Muslim friends, you have homework. (Also: you’re telling on yourself a little bit.)

Listen to them. Learn from them. They need support and solidarity - under their leadership.

—

OK, now it’s time for me to do some self-care and renewal. I’m off to walk the dog, then brew some chamomile tea with a dollop of local honey and watch the Great British Baking Show with the fam.

Please be good to yourselves and kind to each other.

XOXO