A few weeks before the American presidential election, which will take place on November 5, “Le Point” chose to give the floor to voters of the two candidates, the Republican and former President Donald Trump et outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris. Danielle Elzayat, born in the United States, expresses her emotional attachment to Lebanon, where her father is from. Met in Michigan, she refused to choose between the two candidates because, she said, of the “hypocrisy” of American policy in the Middle East.
« JI am responsible for the security of a portion of the Dearborn public schools. I spend my days coordinating between the police and school management to guarantee the protection of students. Around 60% of the local population is Arab. Most of the inhabitants come from Lebanon, Yemen or Palestine.
Our children have become targets. Some private schools receive threats. One of them recently received a call from someone who said he was going to send us booby traps, like the ones that were used to attack Hezbollah. Children and parents are afraid. Teachers, too. There are even people who think that Muslims should not hold elected positions because they would not be able to be impartial. But what about the Zionist elected officials who run the country?
ALSO READ Hezbollah beepers: an unprecedented operationWe have been in mourning for a year. We cry about people we don’t even know and about whom those in power don’t care. This indifference is very hard to live with for Americans of Arab origin. On the one hand, Biden says he favors a ceasefire. On the other hand, he continues to send weapons to Israel. His actions contradict his words.
Every morning we learn that there have been new deaths in Lebanon and Gaza. We also know of Dearborn residents who are stuck in Lebanon because they cannot access the airport. We heard of people living in their cars because they didn’t feel safe anywhere else. We have relatives there who call us for help finding accommodation.
I don’t have much family there anymore. My father came to live the American dream in the 1960s and got married here. But we often went to the land of Cedar when his parents were still alive. Of course, we are Americans, but, for me, the United States is like a wife you choose, Lebanon is like a mother you cannot do without. It will always be part of our soul. We will always seek its comfort and protection.
I feel like I’m not considered an American, even though my great-uncle fought in the Korean War.Danielle Elzayat
Today we are asked to turn a blind eye to what is happening there. I feel like I’m not considered an American, even though my great uncle fought for this country in the Korean War and I worked for the federal government in the past. All people who show sympathy for the victims of Israeli bombings are considered terrorists.
Certainly, we love the United States, the country where we raised our children and grew up ourselves. But we will never forget where our ancestors came from. I am often asked if I know people who have been killed by Israel. I don’t need to know them personally. They are part of me.
What will I do for the November 5 election? My conscience prevents me from voting for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. This would amount to condoning the murder of children. I refuse to do it. And it is false to say that Kamala Harris is more sensitive to the Palestinian cause than Joe Biden.
I will still go to the polls because there are important local elections being organized at the same time, such as the election of parliamentarians in the state of Michigan, but I refuse to participate in the presidential election because of American hypocrisy : if the United States wants to stop the fighting, they should stop arming Israel.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein, very popular in antiwar circles, would be an alternative to Trump and Harris. We’re told that voting for her would mean supporting the Republican candidate, but, to tell you the truth, I don’t care. I will under no circumstances vote for either of them. I’m not capable of it.
I hope they will be beaten in Michigan, one of the key presidential states, where the results are expected to be close, so that they understand the power of the Arab community. Our voice can make a difference. For the first time in a long time, I feel like my ballot is going to count. »
