At least one Michigan legislator is defending pro-Hamas protests that have disrupted public celebrations and roadways since the terrorist organization attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
State Rep. Emily Dievendorf, D-Lansing, posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday to express their (Dievendorf’s preferred pronoun choice) disappointment with individuals “shaming” Hamas protestors.
Truly disappointed in the shaming of demonstrators for blocking roads to make points re: violations to human rights. It is called disruption and it is used when people of privilege won't pay attention to suffering unless their life is inconvenienced. See civil rights movement. 🧵
— Emily E Dievendorf (@EmilyDievendorf) November 27, 2023
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“Truly disappointed in the shaming of demonstrators for blocking roads to make points re: violations to human rights. It is called disruption and it is used when people of privilege won’t pay attention to suffering unless their life is inconvenienced. See civil rights movement.”
Dievendorf was unclear whether the so-called “human rights” demonstrations they (another preferred pronoun choice) were referring to, but it might have been the pro-Hamas demonstrations that took place during a Christmas tree lighting celebration in Ypsilanti on Sunday. The Midwesterner attempted to clarify Dievendorf”s comments with emails and voicemails left for the representative, but received no response.
Emergency vehicles would/should be allowed to pass.
Aside from that, get over yourselves. Too many people would prefer to watch a football game than to care about human beings being murdered and/or displaced across the world or even next door and need disruption to notice. 🧵
— Emily E Dievendorf (@EmilyDievendorf) November 27, 2023
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The Ypsilanti disruption occurred three days after protestors attempted to stymie the Macy Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. In that incident, protestors glued their hands to the pavement to block the parade’s progression.
Dievendorf followed her initial tweet by adding: “Too many people would prefer to watch a football game than to care about human beings being murdered and/or displaced across the world or even next door and need disruption to notice.”
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She added: “But geez, nobody gets to tell you not to be angry that people have been dying and displaced for decades and that you want it to stop while they prefer to have a holiday.”
But geez, nobody gets to tell you not to be angry that people have been dying and displaced for decades and that you want it to stop while they prefer to have a holiday.
— Emily E Dievendorf (@EmilyDievendorf) November 27, 2023
Responses to Dievendorf’s posts were uniformly negative.
“Their right to protest does not trump my right to freely travel,” an X user identifying as SASNC wrote. “Their rights end where mine begin. When you don’t understand the fundamental concept of freedom you have no business holding any elected office.”
Another X post from an individual calling themselves Johnny Apodaca called out what he identified as Dievendorf’s hypocrisy: “I am sure, using your logic, that you would be a huge supporter of anti-abortion protests inconveniencing your life. Because after all it’s about saving the lives of defenseless,” he wrote.
I am sure, using your logic, that you would be a huge supporter of anti-abortion protests inconveniencing your life. Because after all it’s about saving the lives of defenseless.
— Johnny Apodaca (@JohnnyApodaca3) November 27, 2023