In a recent Facebook post, the organization, the Westchester Black Political Conference (WBPC), challenged County Executive George Latimer to address a New York Times exposé on Israeli demolitions of Palestinian buildings. The article described how Israel destroyed hundreds of buildings that could prevent residents from returning home in violation of humanitarian law.
Given the Times’ reporting and Latimer’s ties to pro-Israel donors,The organization named him “Genocide George” for refusing to address his foreign policy’s human impact. Latimer called the post a “vicious and unfair attack.” I wondered why questioning the loss of Palestinian life is an attack while his social media ignores the pain of the Palestinian people, including those here in Westchester, specifically the Palestinian people who live in CD16.
Latimer: I support the release of kidnapped hostages and Hamas renouncing violence to murder Jews. What do you support?
WBPC: “the organization denounces all terrorism but asked him to also denounce Israel’s “acts of genocide” cited in International Court of Justice.”
WBPC: Do you believe that all Muslims are members of HAMAS?
WBPC: Do you think it’s fair to bomb Christian churches, mosques, and hospitals and desecrate cemeteries?
Latimer accused me, Damon K. Jones, of launching an attack without listening. I’m not entirely sure how my name got involved in this, but it seems convenient to assign blame. Perhaps because I’m known as one of the outspoken individuals in Westchester, it’s easy to point fingers in my direction.
In all honesty, I am a proud member of WBPC. Why shouldn’t I be? I’m Black. But isn’t it only natural that we should prioritize our community above party affiliations?
Even Latimer’s supporters endorse this concept of prioritizing community over party; it’s prominently featured on their website. They even encourage Republicans to switch to the Democratic Party to defeat Jamaal Bowman. So, why is it seen as an attack when a Black man echoes this very same belief? The fact of the matter is that this is another way for George Latimer’s Republican supporters to suppress the Black and Brown vote in DCD16. The persistence of double standards is a question we must address, and George Latimer and his campaign must be accountable.
While running as a candidate to represent the entire district of CD16, George Latimer’s dismissal of valid questions about his political stance is undemocratic.
This is particularly concerning given his connections to pro-Israel Republican MAGA donors. These questions are straightforward: Where is his compassion in light of allegations involving:
- The deaths of Palestinian civilians,
- The demolition of 36 hospitals,
- The displacement of 2 million people,
- The destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure,
- Acts of violence and oppression in the West Bank,
- And the incitement of settler attacks that have resulted in numerous deaths?
These incidents have all been reported by reputable news sources and outlets and denounced by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
One of the straightforward questions he could have addressed was acknowledging that not all Muslims are members of HAMAS. However, he chose not to respond or acknowledge this question.
Unfortunately, George Latimer avoided addressing the question on social media. He stated that he would not respond to a straightforward query question of whether he believes all Muslims are part of HAMAS. This behavior resembles traditional political “Ali Shuffle” tactics, possibly influenced by his status as a top recipient of AIPAC donations amounting to $353,000.
Some argue that such significant contributions may indicate a lack of concern for the well-being of people of color and a belief that all Muslims are associated with HAMAS. The question raised here is whether these actions align with the actual values of the Democratic Party in Westchester. It’s disheartening to see how far the party may have fallen in the eyes of some observers.
It is disappointing that George had a clear opportunity to correct misconceptions but failed to acknowledge the positive contributions of Muslims to our communities. Muslims serve as police officers, county correction officers, firefighters, doctors, EMS workers, and law-abiding citizens in CD16. George has refused to acknowledge their positive impact and has not shown them the humanity of recognizing that not all Muslims are associated with HAMAS.
As a newspaper publisher who has frequently supported you, George Latimer, during your time as County Executive, we are responsible for seeking genuine answers without allowing you to dismiss this as an unjust attack. With 40 percent of your funding coming from Republican MAGA pro-Israel organizations, it becomes evident that you may not be able to represent the entire district fairly.
I’m so disappointed George has no compassion for suffering. As a fellow Catholic I thought he would do some reflection on the slaughter happening in Gaza. I wrote this to him privately after he blocked me for challenging his position of unconditional support for Netanayhu and the Israeli actions in Gaza:
George it’s been hard to watch thousands of children murdered senselessly while you continue to support this killing unconditionally even as it makes Israel and us all less safe. You’re actually in a position to do something about this- to tell the people giving you money to support Netanyahu unconditionally that the path he and Israel have been on is just pure self-defeating madness. I think I’ve recommended you read Hannah Arendt’s “On Violence” – Violence and power are in fact opposites. A true solution will only come about once the violence ends. I had hoped you would be a moral leader who might help stop this madness instead of enabling it to continue as our representatives have done for too many years. If you truly care about people, about Israel, about our security, you would reflect on what is happening there instead of unconditionally supporting a failed policy and a failed government. Until people like you do, more children will die. Doing something about that is what motivates me and others. You underestimate people’s upset about this at your own electoral peril.
Bravo Damon and the WBPC for challenging George Latimer’s acceptance of AIPAC and Trump supporters’ money and support for Republicans entering and taking control of the direction of the Democratic Party.
First, this article is very poorly written, like an essay by a high-school student. Secondly, “do you believe all Muslims are members of Hamas” is a rhetorical question, asked in order to bait Latimer. I would refuse to answer it seriously, too. “Genocide George”? Is Latimer an Israeli policy maker? No. So he has committed no acts of genocide — this is a cheap attack on his character. And by the way, the ICJ has NOT come to any conclusion in the case, has NOT at this point found Israel guilty of genocide. You owe your readers better reporting.
Thank you for your comment. Regrettably, your criticism of the article seems like an attempt to distract from the main issue. As someone who knows Muslims in Westchester actively contributing to our communities and are registered Democrats, I understand the importance of elected officials addressing concerns from constituents. However, it appears George has failed to do so, possibly due to accepting funding from the racist MAGA AIPAC. Consequently, many in our community feel he should be held accountable until he speaks out against the Gaza atrocities and calls for a ceasefire to protect innocent civilians, regardless of their affiliations. Until he does so, he will be known as Genocide George.
It’s important to ensure accuracy in our discussions. Regarding the situation in Gaza, the United Nations’ top court has indeed issued an order directing Israel to take measures to prevent loss of life, destruction, and potential acts of genocide in the region. However, it’s worth noting that the court did not specifically mandate an immediate end to the military offensive causing devastation in the Palestinian enclave. Here’s a link from the Associated Press for further reference.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06
Again, thank you for your input, and I wish you a great day.