✈️ Conversation at 30k Feet
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I drew the short straw yesterday on my flight home from DC. Or, at least I thought I did when I sat down. I was sandwiched between an elderly couple from Central Wisconsin, heading home from the Democracy Alliance conference, and I was reading one of the books they had given me, ‘Big Bets’ by Rajiv Shah.
Halfway through the flight the older gentleman asked me about the book and we started a conversation. We talked about everything from his grandchildren, who were the same age as my kids, to his job – he was a retired insurance salesman.
When he learned about my line of work we talked about politics on a wide variety of issues including foreign policy, abortion, guns, immigration, you name it. I gave my take, and he gave his. He used to travel to Chicago frequently but due to the recent media narrative he has been afraid to visit. I could tell his wife was becoming increasingly uncomfortable and tried to get him to stop talking.
A Staunch Republican
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The conversation never became uncomfortable for the two of us. I learned from him and how he viewed the world, and he appreciated my stance and how I view it. He was a staunch Republican but not a fan of Trump. He was in a military family and his brother's promotion in the Airforce has been lingering for months now thanks to none other than Tommy Tubberville. In the middle of the conversation he was shocked to learn that I was not born in the US and even more shocked when he found out I was born in Syria.
Some Common Ground
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As we land, he tells me "You and I disagree on a lot, but I respect you, I respect where you are coming from. I am sorry for what is happening to the people of Gaza, we have made a lot of mistakes when it comes to the Middle East".
This was a gentleman that was attending the Israel rally and he, after a 45 minute conversation, had changed his mind. He asked me what side of the conflict I was on in Syria. I looked at him and said I will always side with the innocent victims and blame the aggressor. I side with the children of Syria that were killed by Syrian, Russian, and Iranian planes, and the world did NOTHING to stop it while hundreds of thousands of innocent people died. I side with the people of Ukraine whose country got invaded by a ruthless Russian invasion. I side with the victims that were attacked on October 7th.
I also side with the 2.2 million people of Gaza who are experiencing war crimes conducted against them on a daily basis by a savage radical right wing Israeli government and military. He shook his head, and he said I agree with you! This was a person that was attending the March for Israel rally. Change can happen, minds can be changed, hearts can be won over. It's not easy, we can't sit on flights with every single person. But we must start talking to one another again, including the folks we don't agree with.
A Healthier Perspective
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That flight – that conversation – helped redirect my energy and perspective on why I do this work and why it's important. We need to figure out how to talk to folks, and accept criticism as Democrats. We have our faults too. I did not get into this work to be a cheerleader, or to just coast by. I entered this field to have an impact, I mentioned I was reading Big Bets, and that mission is at the centre of Shah’s book.
We have to keep working together, and we must push for people to do the right thing, including the Democrats we respect and helped elect.
—Hassan
Executive Director
No Dem Left Behind PAC
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