Tonight we pray for every Iranian, Israeli, Palestinian, American, and all others once again caught in the violent whims of corrupt leaders.
Through Shabbat, our day of rest, we watched the Trump regime ignite a new war, as U.S. and Israeli forces launched an attack on Iran that is now rapidly and dangerously escalating across the region. As the sun set on Shabbat today, we’re already witnessing reports of elementary school children killed, along with many other civilians. And as the new week begins, in an age when every day brings new horrors, we pray for an end to this violence and we examine what is fueling it so we can stop it.
Trump’s popular support has plummeted to historic lows. MAGA’s coalition of white nationalists who use antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, transphobia, misogyny, and abuse — along with those who profit off of the turmoil they create – are starting to go after each other.
Americans, including those who voted for Trump, have been experiencing food taken from our tables. We continue to have to make choices between medicine or school clothes, rent or heat, the grocery store or walking to a donated food pantry for the first time. All this to move trillions of our dollars into Trump’s pockets and the pockets of those most loyal to him. He does this and will continue to do this at any cost. Including wars on families overseas, and deploying young people who should be here at home with their families.
Why are Trump supporters turning? Why are ordinary Americans who never protested before coming out into the streets for each other? Because this regime’s use of violence, chaos, and turmoil has consequences.
In the streets, where ordinary Americans are joining with clergy of all faiths, and even some Republicans, to stop his paramilitary ICE killings and abductions.
Across conservative podcasts and channels who once championed him, his fans are either genuinely changing hearts or saving face away from MAGA.
Trump strongholds across our nation have been shifting, with the loss of 21% of GOP held legislative seats. He knows that in a House where Republicans hold only three seats for a majority, his authoritarian plans may be in jeopardy after this November’s elections.
As his support continues to falter, he will do what he’s done all his life: fake it to appear popular. That’s why he’s directing his regime and its supporters to take over free press and force it to parrot his lies. That’s why he’s employing tech oligarchs to surveil us and make us afraid to tell the truth. And that’s why Trump is playing every old election con in the book in his attempts to push voter turnout to record lows – from gerrymandering, banning ballots by mail, cancelling drivers licenses of trans people, and using ICE abductions as bargaining chips to gain access to blue state voter data.
The other old trick is the oldest: war. The last refuge of desperate politicians. On evidence even flimsier than what took this nation into Iraq, Trump has begun his project to distract from his domestic failures and stop the trend of more and more Americans realizing it was all a con.
We won’t fall for it. We will continue to refuse illegal wars of distraction and the death and suffering they cause. We will continue to fight to make sure every American is heard this November. And for Trump, MAGA, and the white supremacy that fuels them to begin to become a voice of the past where it belongs. That is how we will build a future where all of us can live in peace, with justice and safety we each deserve – no exceptions.
