I Was Divided by Hopewell Indivisible on June 11!
On Thursday, June 11 I was at a recreational fitness site in Hopewell NJ and an acquaintance there who is also a political activist invited me to attend an event that occurred at 5:30 pm (earlier today). The event was an Indivisible rally on Broad Street in Hopewell. Since it was on my way home I made an attempt to participate. I had the depicted sign in my vehicle so I brought that to the site. The Indivisible group had a couple of people on 3 of the corners and most of the group was on a fourth corner. I approached one of the smaller groups on one corner – showed them the sign – and explained how on this day Trump had threatened the total escalation toward Iran that he has threatened several times since US and Israel launched an unprovoked war of aggression against the nation and people of Iran. (February 28) The first group was supportive.
Then I went to the main larger grouping. I sensed some hostility. I was talking to them a couple of inches in the street – they just stressed that I should get out of the street but “not can you step out of the street and tell us from the sidewalk? We will make a spot.” So I went to another grouping.
I explained the danger of thermonuclear war and that if US and Israel launch the full escalation they keep threatening that Iran will respond likewise but against all of the collaborative partners of the US and Israel in the region and that will cripple the world economy for decades to come.
Aside from my sign there was no visible specific expression of opposition to the US and Israel war of aggression on Iran. I was trying to explain that most of the NJ Democrats in Congress (6 of 9 of them) are very pro-Israel and not likely to do anything to stop the war because that requires the US and the Democrats to tell Israel to stop attacking Lebanon completely, immediately and permanently.
The person who I respected as a casual friend who invited me took the lead in berating me for being loud. He said I was preaching to the choir but I retorted that I did not see evidence of concern for Lebanon and any demand for US and Israel to stand down from the war. The person told me that “someone was physically assaulted here a few weeks ago for having a sign about Gaza.”
My retort: “So where is the sign about Gaza now? Why isn’t there a bigger sign? Where are the Palestinian flags? Where are the signs about Israel spreading the genocide to Lebanon?”
At one point he pointed at my sign – yet they were being unwelcoming to me so that does not count. Otherwise – crickets was the answer.
If a sign about Gaza was repressed – IT IS IMPERATIVE OF THE GROUP TO MAKE A BIGGER BANNER AND ALWAYS HAVE IT THERE! INSTEAD THE SIGN ABOUT GAZA IS NO LONGER ON THEIR LINE – CAPITULATION TO REPRESSIVE VIOLENCE!
The problem for Indivisible is that their primary objective is not ending US and Israel war in the Middle East and not stopping many of the other aspects of our repression that are the product of bipartisan support – not altering the systemic nature of mass violence and murder that the world is subjected to at the behest of USA and Israel. They are more about building electoral support for Democrats – even if they support Trump and Israel in the war of aggression against Iran.
The 6 pro-Israel pro-war Democrats – Congressional incumbents – that Indivisible supports include Norcross CD 1, Conaway CD 3, Gottheimer CD 5, Pallone CD 6, Menendez CD 8 and Pou CD 9. Menendez tried to dance back his unbridled support for Israel during his primary challenge by Mussab Ali. But Menendez was steadfast in support for Israel throughout the recent and ongoing US – Israel genocide in Gaza. All six of them have proven to be willing to cross the aisle to vote Israel’s interests, which equals Trump’s and MAGA’s interest over the interests of the American people.
I admit that what I was saying was disagreeable to the Hopewell Indivisible crew. I was just talking though and they acted like I was too loud! Most of the protests I go to these days people shout demands, chant together, call to get attention of passers by etc. Unless there is an event advertised as a “silent vigil” a new guest just invited for first time by one of the event organizers should not be chided for trying to talk about the threat of war. They should be welcomed, introduced and invited to address the group!
The participants seemed to have no idea that there is currently a bipartisan effort – already supported by NJ Democrats Norcross and Conaway to combine the Pentagon with the Israel Defense Forces. That could be dicey if the two sides disagree on strategy which is pretty common including right now with Israel being one of the main forces pushing the US to stay in the war with Iran and continuing to attack Lebanon while Indivisible chapters continue absolute silence trying to paint it as “Trump’s War” and omitting mention that Israel is pressuiing the US toward full escalation.
It is a contradiction the Indivisible needs to grapple – they can not be against Trump and silent on Israel – that is the cave and the compromise. Pro Israel is pro-Trump – 6 NJ Democrats in congress are clearly pro-Israel!
As I was leaving one of the participants said to me”Thanks for coming and giving it your try/”
My response was at first – “but nobody listened” – but that one person DID listen and I corrected myself. She was the one person who treated me respectfully as a potential collaborative partner and a fellow agent of change. She gave the impression like I was offering meaningful and helpful input.
The others continued to cajole me to try to stop me from expressing my antiwar views – that necessarily are very specific about the role of Israel so I left their line. When I drove past them after retrieving my vehicle I rigged my sound system and chanted about 10 times “USA Israel Stop Bombing Iran!”
Nobody joined in. Maybe they want the bombing to continue. One of them sheepishly waved but it did not seem to be in any way a friendly or supportive way.
I was invited to and driven away from the event by the same person.
The role of Indivisible is to keep the growing effort responding to the lawless mayhem from the Trump administration from transforming into a system challenging force – which is the only way that we will be able to end US war and Israel complicity, ICE, mass incarceration, obtain free healthcare for all etc. The Democratic Party is financially and in every other way connected to corporations that profit from all of this repression, war, genocide, oppression, violence and mayhem. They also profit from their support for Israel. In US Congress, 70% of elected democrats and 90% of elected republicans are on the campaign donation payroll of powerful pro Israel support lobby groups like AIPAC and DMFI (Democratic Majority for Israel). NJ has a very lively chapter with significant financial support coming from DMFI – including the powerful Edison Parking / Real Estate executive Archie Gottesman .
When they smugly gang on a guest participant – invited by one of the organizers instead of welcoming their diverse view and trying to learn from it – the newcomers will walk away.
I have indeed had positive collaborative interactions with Indivisible organizers – we recognize differences but still we sometimes can hand things off to each other and do good work. That sort of relation would have been nice. It would have been nice if instead of interrupting me and lecturing me the person who invited me had introduced me to the group and invited me to make my presentation and welcomed it. I would have spoke for 3 minutes and been done.
No one group is street commander. We have diverse backgrounds and experience. If your political club can not engage in discussion it is just a chorus reading a score – not a movement organically developing solutions to challenges. It was frustrating but nonetheless I believe it was more impactful for me to raise the antiwar question in the way that I did as it was not getting any play from the organizers – they have been out there for the last year and a half according to the organizer that invited me. That means they have been out there since US and Israel launched the unprovoked war on the nation and people of Iran February 28 2026. Yet – no Lebanon signs- no specific demand for US and Israel to stop attacking Iran (except mine which – we see where it got me). I doubt there will be introspection from the group though that one person seemed receptive and that was hopeful.
Here’s to hoping for growth!
My advocacy on June 11 in Hopewell, which were repressed by the local Indivisible leaders, actually aligns very closely with the very powerful pro-peace position of the Democratic Party CD 12 candidate Dr. Hamawy – who was nominated to represent Hopewell in Congress in the 2026 midterms. GO FIGURE!
