Hundreds of Palestinians March Through Downtown New Orleans Streets
I'd never have realized so many Palestinians live here
In numbers far greater than I’d have imagined, and in a group composed overwhelmingly of Palestinians and their children, protestors organized by local Socialists gathered on the edge of Duncan Plaza Monday evening in a show of solidarity with Hamas and the people of Gaza.
Even before encountering the protest, I walked by the empty pedestal for the John McDonogh statue serving as a reminder to me that we live in the post-Truth era. I knew I’d be hearing lies and half-truths at this protest, all filtered through the demented minds of American Socialists.
On balance, far more Palestinians attended than Socialists, though the Socialists clearly had organized the afternoon. I never would have realized so many people of Palestinian origin live in the New Orleans region.
”Peace was not broken this weekend,” said Josh from “Jews for Peace,” though the world did witness “so called violence.”
Recall the type of folks who put this show together…
These are radical Leftist Socialists…
They like street chants:
When people are occupied, resistance is justified !!
After almost an hour of speakers talking about “the Israeli Empire” and blaming Jews for everything from Georgia’s “Cop City” to facial recognition cameras in New Orleans, the group broke into more chants…
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free !!
The group was told “there are no ‘two sides’ in this conflict,” as Israel is to be understood as entirely to blame, “with blood on their hands” because, you see, “resistance is not terrorism.”
Say it loud, say it clear! We do not want Zionists here !!
One Zionist did show up in counter-protest. The speaker/organizer called him out, made sure he was pushed aside, and several people faced off with him for a short time. He retreated across the street and was left alone.
As the speakers concluded, the group spontaneously began a march out of Duncan Plaza, down Loyola Street to Poydras, then left on Camp to Canal Street. Led by flag-waving Palestinians in trucks, the scene was straight off my TV screen as if I were watching news coverage from the Gaza Strip.
The chanting continued…. “Let them hear you on the roof!” shouted the organizers as the marchers moved through downtown New Orleans.
To add a bit of depth to understanding how American Socialists - and Democrats generally - can support all this, consider these four courses now being offered at Harvard University. This should answer several questions…
It is impossible to be confused about what has happened this weekend. Babies shot. Bodies desecrated. Women raped. Old women kidnapped. Whole families slaughtered in their homes. Almost 300 young people targeted at a desert dance party by execution squads that flew in to the site using paragliders. No, there is no way to be confused about what happened in Israel this weekend.
Nor is there any confusion about what happened this afternoon on New Orleans streets.
I witnessed the celebration of rape and death.
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
the bec