As we pass this grim milestone...
Vote Palestine — Three Years of Genocide, Eight Days to Election Day
This week, we passed the grim milestone of 3 years. Three years of bearing witness to the most well documented genocide in history, actively enabled and supplied by our governments.
To all the institutions that tried to suppress our moral outrage, to all the media narratives that tried to distract and mislead us, to all the politicians who refused to respond to our grief, we say no more. No more putting corporate dollars over humanity, no more preaching human rights while violating them at will, no more portraying the erasure of a people as too complicated to understand.
We understand. All too well.
That's why solidarity with Palestine is now our filter for determining who might deserve our vote.
Committing to the Palestine Platform is the basic minimum, the absolute floor, for entering office. In this time of horror, it is the litmus test sorting out the people with moral clarity from those all too willing to bend for the sake of power.
We have eight more days until Election Day. We thank all of you who signed on to the Vote Palestine Vancouver petition — it is because of you that over one-third of the candidates for mayor and council endorsed The Palestine Platform.
1. Keep up the pressure
Send the list of the 22 Vancouver candidates who have declared public support for Palestine to all the voters you know — but be prepared that not everybody will react well despite this being a non-partisan educational campaign.
You can also find these candidates, and other candidates from other cities, on our website. This and Teach Palestine's list of school board trustee candidates should constitute everybody's shortlist for voting. Together, we have the power to make Vancouver one more node among the growing network of cities refusing to turn a blind eye to genocide and apartheid.
2. Stand against racism
We have direct evidence that a well-known racist politician has been harassing two pro-Palestine candidates and attempting to derail their campaigns. Let's send our love and appreciation to all Vancouver candidates publicly in solidarity with Palestine. We far outnumber the haters. Our messages of encouragement will let the world know.
The endorsing candidates' Instagram handles:
- solomon.xyk
- kumari_devyani
- seanorrofficial
- intheknow_withchlo
- innercityfarms
- spkr.118
- parrisjuray
- rajm_undra
- andylin_official
- muhammadformayor
- ibrahimacisse__
- bilal.vancouver
- yadmangat
3. Walk for Palestine
We are delighted to announce that a Vancouver artist has made a mobile art installation that asks "Do you know if your candidates condemn genocide?" We would like to invite volunteers to carry the 12 wooden panels that comprise the artwork around the streets of Vancouver. The artist is proposing that we do this for 24 hours straight to evoke the multiple forced displacements and long walks Palestinian families in Gaza have endured time and again across the last three years.
We have a hunch that a majority of Vancouver voters would prefer to vote for candidates taking a public stance against the genocide in Palestine — and just need to know where to find the information they need. The art is there to provoke that question in people's minds, perhaps be newsworthy enough to get on the media, and so, through word of mouth and coverage, help the public know that they can consult resources like our website to make an informed choice when they vote.
Our ask: volunteers walk in a group of 12 carrying the panels, which are light and can be carried under one's arm, in shifts of two hours.
The art will circulate for two periods:
- October 10th, 1pm until October 11th at 1pm
- October 16th for about 5 more hours, time to be determined
If you would be interested in supporting this work of urban art, please download the Signal app and join this group chat:
https://signal.group/#CjQKIB7d2O1_deHx9t8qKUGd2AkJmk8RO08RwWedYKIbB6hsEhDBLLEe8UiIWPkvpnmcC3K_
Our power is collective. Let's come together to be the change we want to see in our city.
New media pieces about Vote Palestine
- The Cascade UFV: https://issuu.com/the-cascade/docs/the_cascade_volume_34_issue_12
Watch Georgia’s statement
Watch Naheed’s Statement
Watch wisdom from some wise kiddos
Spread the word! Over 20 Vancouver municipal candidates have committed to the Vote Palestine Platform. Please let five of your friends and neighbours who are Vancouver voters know that they can consult our website before they vote to know where their candidates stand on Palestine, the biggest moral issue of our times.
Towards Justice,
Vote Palestine Vancouver Team