Palestine Solidarity Information, Analysis, Local Actions and Events for the week of May 19th
It has been more than 7 months since the Israeli government began their most recent assault on Gaza and the West Bank. The retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, has escalated to what the international community has called genocide, therefore, GRIID will be providing weekly links to information and analysis that we think can better inform us of what is happening, along with the role that the US government is playing. We will also provide information on local events and actions that people can get involved in. All of this information is to provide people with the capacity of what Noam Chomsky refers to as, intellectual self-defense.
Information
450,000 Civilians Flee as Israeli Assault on Rafah Enflames Tensions With US
Israel Continues Unfettered Colonization of the West Bank Amid Genocide in Gaza
Gaza Solidarity Encampments Interactive Map
AN ISRAELI COMPANY IS HAWKING ITS SELF-LAUNCHING DRONE SYSTEM TO U.S. POLICE DEPARTMENTS
THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS ISRAEL ISN’T BLOCKING AID. VIDEOS SHOW THE OPPOSITE.
On Gaza, Is Biden Choosing Donors Over Voters?
Analysis & History
The Arsenal of Genocide: the U.S. Weapons That Are Destroying Gaza
‘Are You Going to End the Genocide, President Biden? That’s the Central Question’
Local Events and Actions
Power to Palestine: Weekly Rally in Grand Rapids
Wednesday, May 22 from 12 – 1pm, Monument Park
Graphic used in this post is from https://visualizingpalestine.org/#visuals
Monitoring the most powerful family in West MI: Update on the DeVos Family Reader – 2024 edition
It has been six months since we last update the DeVos Family Reader. As always, there has been plenty to report on regarding the most powerful family in West Michigan.
In Howard Zinn’s monumental book, A People’s History of the United States, he constantly juxtaposes the amazing things that people did to fight for liberation and the people behind the systems of oppression that social movements were fighting against.
This is exactly why I have spent years monitoring, investigating and critiquing the DeVos Family. They are the most recognizable and powerful manifestation of the systems of power and oppression in West Michigan. Now, I know there are plenty of people who share the belief that without the DeVos Family, Grand Rapids wouldn’t be where it is today. I fully agree with that belief, but for reasons that are the exact opposite of those who hold the most powerful family in West Michigan in high regard.
This updated version of the DeVos Family Reader includes information and analysis on a variety of local issues, even some that are not directly focused on the DeVos Family, but there are connections.
In early February, I posted an article entitled, Buying Elections: 2024 DeVos family campaign contributions to key Kent County elected positions. This article revealed that the DeVos family had already contributed $264,000 for just 4 political candidates running for seats in Kent County. Then in late February, I posted an article about the role that the DeVos family is playing in the new soccer stadium that will be developed in downtown Grand Rapids.
In March, I posted a critique of Doug DeVos’ podcast Believe!, where he interviewed former GRPS Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal. Neal was essentially mentored by Betsy DeVos during her tenure at GRPS. Then in late March, GRIID posted a story about the Grand Action 2.0 plan to build apartments by the downtown Amphitheater and the proposed soccer stadium. Grand Action 2.0 is led by Dick DeVos.
Lastly, when the DeVos family decided to close out the Richard & Helen DeVos Foundation, I wrote a 2 part piece regarding local media coverage and what was completely left out of the local media reporting.
The DeVos Family Reader is now up to 750 pages of history, analysis and information about the most powerful family in West Michigan.
Last week, Senator Gary Peters introduced bipartisan legislation – the United States-Israel Anti-Tunnel Cooperation Act – with U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) to strengthen anti-tunneling activity in the Gaza strip.
According to a recent Press Release:
The legislation authorizes a $30 million increase in funding to expand Department of Defense (DoD) efforts, in collaboration with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), to detect, maneuver through, and destroy tunnels constructed by Hamas and other terrorist organizations under the Strip and near the Israeli border. As part of the DoD’s collaboration with the IDF, Israel shares its counter-tunnel technology with the DoD and Department of Homeland Security to combat growing threats at our borders, as well as similar threats faced on the Korean Peninsula and in multiple locations in the Middle East.
Ok, so let me get this straight. Senator Gary Peters has voted every year he has been a US Senator to provide over $3 billion in US military aid to Israel, plus he voted for the additional $15 billion in “supplemental aid.” Peters, as a member of the Senator Armed Forces Committee, loves using public taxpayer funds to underwrite the arms industry, whether its domestic or foreign.
Here’s an idea Senator Peters. How about you, Stabenow, Rep. Scholten and the rest of the Democratic Party stop sending more military aid to Israel, call for an immediate ceasefire, end any and all future aid to Israel on the condition that they stop brutalizing Palestinians, that the Israel government stop building settlements on Palestinian lands, that the Israeli government call for an immediate end to their military occupation of Palestine and pay massive reparations for all the harm that has been done to Palestinians since 1948, when Israeli murdered countless Palestinians and displaced some 900,000 from their lands in order to create the State of Israel.
Now, of course the main Israeli lobby group AIPAC loves the idea from Sen. Peters, based on a recent Press Release of their own. Not surprising that Senator Peters has received $626,444 from Pro-Israel groups since he first ran for a Senate seat in Michigan, according to OpenSecrets. Republican Senator Ted Budd, who co-sponsored this legislation with Gary Peters, has received a much smaller amount in campaign contributions from Pro-Israel groups ($159,035), but then again Budd only became a Senator in 2023, so his proposed legislation will no doubt pay off big dividends from Pro-Israel groups down the road.
Lastly, does Senator Peters really believe that providing $30 million additional funds in US military aid to detect and destroy tunnels is a solution that will reduce any animosity that Palestinians might have towards the US? Instead of coming up with new ways to get people from other countries to despise the US, how about putting an end to this shit. Of course Senator Peters won’t, since he, like virtually all members of the US government, are deeply committed to US hegemony and US imperialism.
This Know Your Rights SkillShare is at the Grand Rapids Pride Center. From the event description:
The police have a long history of targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, especially where they intersect with BIPOC and disabled communities. Join us for a workshop to talk about your rights when interacting with the police. We’ll work through scenarios, as well as various options for community safety without police involvement. Presented by the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy and the Grand Rapids Pride Center. Facilitated by Jeff Smith, Ames Carpenter, and Nikita Miner.
Registration is optional, but helpful for the facilitators, especially if you have accessibility needs or burning questions! 
We encourage you to register so we have an accurate count for food as well.
Here is a link to the registration.
This SkillShare will be using the lived experiences of the three facilitators, Know Your Rights information from the American Civil Liberties Union and some really good information from the book, Beat the Heat: How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement.
The Beat the Heat: How to Handle Encounters with Law Enforcement excerpt not only has great advice, but it includes wonderful illustrations for tactics you can use with cops.
On Tuesday, about 75 people held a picket out in front of the Lansing Center, just east of downtown Lansing, where people were attending a conference hosted by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
The picket was organized by the Rent is Too Damn High coalition, made up of people from across the state that are part of tenant unions and other housing justice groups. Inside the Lansing Center was a totally different crowd, made up of MSHDA staff members, bankers, non-profit housing groups, developers and other people who believe that the market will fix the housing crisis.
The morning keynote speaker was a GOP Strategist and the closing keynote speakers were 2 guys who have a show on HGTV. Plus, all of the panel speakers were people who embrace the housing crisis from a market perspective. One of the panelists was Brooke Ossterman the Executive Director of Housing Next, an entity that was created by the GR Chamber of Commerce, which GRIID has previously written about.
I would also like to point out that MISHDA is essentially a mechanism that provides large public subsidies to developers and to non profit housing entities, what I like to call the Non-Profit Industrial Housing Complex, because they only want to provide piece meal housing solutions, but never want to address the root causes of the housing crisis.
Before the conference happened, MSHDA got wind of the planned picket and sent a letter to the Rent is Too Damn High, trying desperately to present themselves as the “good guy.” The Rent is Too Damn High sent a response that read in part:
Our choice to demonstrate at the Building Michigan Communities Conference was deliberate. As the leading state agency responsible for housing, MSHDA bears responsibility for housing conditions in the state of Michigan. As you acknowledge, the housing supply shortage remains severe. Most renters also lack any form of rent stabilization, right to renew their contracts, or right to counsel in eviction proceedings. Two million Michiganders with criminal or arrest records are subject to legalized discrimination in housing access, and others are discriminated against for their source of income. All of these factors are driving more renters into homelessness.
The response from the Rent is Too Damn High coalition also stated:
We understand that you are trying, but for renters on the brink of eviction, it’s not enough. Our demonstration at the conference intends to raise the ambitions and increase the tangible actions of MSHDA, its nonprofit and municipal partners, and the governor. Only with uncommon courage, administrative creativity, and outspoken political leadership will this crisis be solved.
Throughout the four hour picket, some of the people who were attending the conference did come out to offer support or at least were willing to engage in conversation. However, there were also several people who came out to make nasty comments directed at those who were protesting.
The Rent is Too Damn High picket involved lots of chanting and some marching in from of the Lansing Center. There were a few banners and most of the picketers held up signs demanding Social Housing, Renters Rights, Housing First and Rent Control, which also happens to be the four main demands of the statewide coalition.
More importantly were the short speeches and testimonies made by people from across the state. There were people from Washtenaw County, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids who spoke about both the urgency of addressing the housing crisis from the perspective of renters and how the housing industry and the government has failed to seriously address the current housing crisis. All of the speakers had great things to say and help get the crowd pumped up during the nearly 4 hours of picketing.
The Rent is Too High coalition also talked about next steps and some upcoming actions for the rest of the year. They made it clear that despite the Democrats having control of the State Legislator they have not embraced housing justice nor the four demands by the coalition.
Lastly, people were encouraged to push for the passage of four pieces of legislation which would certainly benefit tenants and eliminate some barriers for those seeking secure housing.
- HB 4878 – Fair Housing for Returning Citizens
- HB 5237 – Tenants’ Right to Counsel
- SB 205-207; HB 4062-63 – End Source of Income Discrimination
- SB 801 – Expunge and Seal Eviction Records
On Sunday, MLive posted an article entitled, Will housing near new Grand Rapids amphitheater, soccer stadium be affordable? The headline should have read, “None of the 735 new apartments that will be connected to the Amphitheater and Soccer Stadium project will be affordable.”
Reading the MLive article was rather instructive, since it was fundamentally an exercise in the justification of over-priced rental costs that will exclude huge sectors of society who do not make enough money to afford to live next to the Amphitheater or the Soccer Stadium. What follows are some of the justifications.
Justification #1 – “We’re hopeful that we will be able to provide some level of affordability within the project, but we understand the challenges that are being faced,” said Kara Wood, Grand Action 2.0′s executive director. What the Grand Action 2.0 spokesperson is really saying is, “Gee, we would love it if poor people could live here, but it wouldn’t make sense to have poor people live next to these amazing transformational projects. Such projects are really designed to bring more money downtown and primarily benefit the members of Grand Action 20 and our friends.”
Justification #2 – “A huge part of affordability right now is lack of availability,” Bliss said. “So, we know that building housing at any price point will increase supply and increasing supply will reduce costs across the board … and we need housing across the entire spectrum.” Really, so Mayor Bliss thinks that the “market” will just magically provide an adequate amount of housing that is current too expensive for thousands of families in Grand Rapids to afford? In the current NeoLiberal Capitalist market, the plan is always to funnel more public money to projects that are privately owned. Get the public to pay for stuff that the professional class and the Capitalist Class will benefit from.
Justification #3 – “What we’re trying to do is provide a path to getting to an affordable housing agreement,” said Jono Klooster, interim economic development director for the city of Grand Rapids. “It’s kind of a reflection of where we’re at in the development of those projects, and a way to provide options and flexibility as we continue to make progress on these and identify the developers we will be working with.” Sounds like trickle down economics, where these people use warm and fuzzy language about affordability, but rarely practice it, and when they do it is merely token.
What is also instructive about this project is that Grand Action 2.0 wants to get the Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to provide subsidies to both the apartment buildings for the Amphitheater and the Soccer Stadium. Grand Action 2.0 is asking the City to use the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to grant $318 million in subsidies – $290 million for the amphitheater housing and $28 million for soccer stadium housing. I mean, why not. The MLive article already says that both Mayor Bliss and 2nd Ward Commissioner Ysasi support such a plan. Not surprising, Commissioner Ysasi sits on the Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority board, along with people who are part of the development industry, former elected officials, but all who are committed to NeoLiberal Capitalism.
Another person who sits on the Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority board is Brooke Oosterman, the executive director of Housing Next, which is an entity created by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. Considering how viciously the GR Chamber of Commerce was able to get the City of Grand Rapids to adopt ordinances to criminalize the unhoused, it would follow that they don’t want more poor people hanging out in the downtown area.
Near the end of the MLive article it states:
Estimated monthly rental rates for the amphitheater housing show an income-restricted, one-bedroom apartment would be $1,888 per-month, according to the city. The same unit at the market rate would be a $126 more at $2,014 per-month.
A two-bedroom unit in the same building would go for $3,157 per month at the market rate, and $2,267 per-month for an income-restricted unit. There are expected to be nine, two-bedroom income-restricted units in the amphitheater housing tower.
OK, so Grand Action 2.0 and the City of Grand Rapids wants us to provide $318 million in subsidies through the Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, which is public money. Then they want to limit the number of income restricted apartments, which at the numbers listed above shows that what they mean by income restricted is restricted for those who don’t make a living wage.
If you are paying $1,888 a month for rent, that equals $22,656 a year. If you are lucking to make $15 an hour, you would make $31,200 a year as a gross salary. Take out taxes and you pretty much are going to afford much after paying rent for an income restricted apartment, except maybe food and a phone, but that’s about it.
All of this is to say that Grand Action 2.0 and the City of Grand Rapids don’t want poor and working class people to live in this city. On top of that, Grand Action 2.0 is happy to use public money to subsidize these so-called transformational projects, which is really code for – projects that will put more money in the pockets of those who are already disgustingly rich, like members of Grand Action 2.0.
When will the public wake up to this shit and resist the ongoing plundering that the Capitalist Class does to the rest of us, just so they can have their downtown playground for themselves and their cronies? What we need instead is Social Housing, which is one of the demands of the Rent is Too Damn High coalition in Michigan.
As a first term Representative of the 3rd Congressional District, Hillary Scholten has mad it clear from the beginning her time in Congress that she has a deep commitment to Israel.
In 2023, Rep. Scholten, like most members of Congress, voted for the annual $3.8 Billion in US military aid to Israel. In May, GRIID posted a piece that showed the difference between Rep. Scholten and Rep; Tlaib. Rashida Tlaib re-introduced a resolution calling on Congress to recognize “the ongoing Nakba and Palestinian refugees rights.” Rep. Scholten did not support that resolution, but she did post a message on her Facebook page that said, This week marks Israel’s 75th birthday. Happy Yom Ha’atzmaut! #Israel75.
In late July of 2023, Rep. Scholten signed in to a resolution, which stated:
(1) the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state;
(2) Congress rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia; and
(3) the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel.
In August of 2023, Rep. Scholten went on an AIPAC-sponsored trip to Israel, which solidified her allegiance to Israel. GRIID posted a piece about that trip, with AIPAC created videos you can find here.
Since the Israeli retaliation for the October 7th attack from Hamas, I have written 17 articles about Rep. Scholten and her unconditional support for Israel and her opposition to those who are opposing genocide. Many of these actions are in violation of International Law, specifically the Genocide Convention and the War Crimes Tribunal. What follows are links to those 17 articles demonstrating that Rep. Hillary Scholten has Palestinian blood on her hands.
Rep. Scholten endorses Israeli War Crimes in Gaza
Yesterday, I was arrested in Rep. Scholten’s office for demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
Rep. Scholten says she is working hard to make sure US Imperialism wins the day in Gaza
Rep. Hillary Scholten voted for resolution that conflates Anti-Zionism with Antisemitism
Congresswoman Hillary Scholten just voted to for a bill that cements genocide as official US policy
Rep. Hillary Scholten continues to support genocide and she voted to criminalize speech
The Acton Institute thinks fraternity bros are a fabulous counter to the Palestine Solidarity university encampments
The Grand Rapids-based think tank, the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, continues its assault on people who stand in solidarity with Palestinians.
In a post from last week, GRIID noted that the Acton Institute was deeply critical of the student-led encampments in support of Palestinians that are happening all across the US. In their weekly podcast Acton Unwind, one of the participants even suggested that students who were organizing the encampments should be expelled.
Thus, it is no surprise that they would continue to be dismissive of the student-led campus Palestine Solidarity protests on another Acton Unwind show. However, this time they chose to celebrate fraternity bros who were “defending an American flag” at the University of North Carolina (UNC).
The Acton Unwind show was even entitled, Will fraternity bros save America? The discussion about the frat bros begins at 32:40 into the program. Apparently, some frat bros thought it was important to protect an American flag on campus from the students who were part of the University of North Carolina Palestine Solidarity protests. The pro-Palestine students had replaced the US flag with a Palestinian flag, which was going too far for fraternity members on campus. They put the US flag back up and then surrounded the flag poll to prevent anyone from messing with the American flag.
This action generated so much attention, especially after someone began a GoFundMe to raise money for the effort. They raised like $500,000 in no time, according to a story from USA Today.
The Acton Unwind host then read what the GoFundMe page said, which tells you something about the mindlessness of nationalistic thinking. Here is the text from the GoFundMe page:
We are overwhelmed by you glorious, Patriotic Americans who value good beer and great times. We are in contact with multiple leaders from different fraternities whose members helped defend the flag. Our gratitude goes to all of them and we will update supporters on what comes next.**
Commie losers across the country have invaded college campuses to make dumb demands of weak University Administrators.
But amidst the chaos, the screaming, the anti-semitism, the hatred of faith and flag, stood a platoon of American heroes. Armored in Vineyard Vines and Patagonia, fueled by Zyn and White Claws, these triumphant Brohemians protected Old Glory from the unwashed Marxist horde — laughing at their shrieks and wails and shielding the Stars & Stripes from Soviet missiles.
The Acton Unwind guests were then saying that the frat bros are being the leaders of a counter protest effort, by saying the Pledge of Allegiance, by singing God Bless America and being more patriotic. It is really quite brilliant what they are doing. They really found something to do!
The show took an even more bizarre turn, when the other guest on the show talked about his recent book, Heroic Fraternities: How College Men Can Save Universities and America. The author of the book, Anthony Bradley, then spoke for the next 10 minutes about how he feels that college fraternities can truly save this country.
While listening to the show I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry from the content. It is interesting how the Acton Institute considers itself an intellectual center, which is also laughable. Their podcast titled, Will fraternity bros save America?, is just another example of the far right/religious right ideology that they spew, which has nothing to do with intellectualism or critical thinking in the least bit. Maybe there needs to be a Palestine Solidarity protest at the headquarters 98 E. Fulton Street in downtown Grand Rapids.
Palestine Solidarity Information, Analysis, Local Actions and Events for the week of May 12th
It has been 7 months since the Israeli government began their most recent assault on Gaza and the West Bank. The retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel, has escalated to what the international community has called genocide, therefore, GRIID will be providing weekly links to information and analysis that we think can better inform us of what is happening, along with the role that the US government is playing. We will also provide information on local events and actions that people can get involved in. All of this information is to provide people with the capacity of what Noam Chomsky refers to as, intellectual self-defense.
Information
Israel Wants to Destroy Gaza, Annex the West Bank: But What Does Gaza Want?
Israel Is Carrying Out a Horrific Ground Invasion of Rafah
Students Demanding Divestment: You’re on the Right Side of History
Israel Rejected a Cease-Fire. The Media Isn’t Telling Us.
As Peace Protests Are Violently Suppressed, CNN Paints Them as Hate Rallies
The Land and Sea Blockade Against Israel is Working
Norman Finkelstein: Build a Majority for Palestine
Analysis & History
Rashid Khalidi: Violent Settler Colonialism Caused This War
Illustration of Israeli Apartheid
Local Events and Actions
Nakba Day Rally in Grand Rapids
Wednesday, May 15 from 6 – 7:30pm, Monument Park
https://www.facebook.com/events/766861522201645?ref=newsfeed
Graphic used in this post is from https://visualizingpalestine.org/#visuals
Foundation To Combat Antisemitism video makes false claims and promotes their own brand of hate
The Foundation To Combat Antisemitism was founded by Robert Craft, a billionaire who is best know as the owned of the New England Patriots NFL football team.
Using is vast amounts of money, Kraft created the Foundation To Combat Antisemitism shortly after the Hamas attack in Israel. Here is what Kraft said, just after he created the group:
Since October 7, Jewish hate has continued to explode on college and university campuses, resulting in Jewish students feeling unsafe and under attack in the spaces they are meant to feel most safe and free.
Kraft doesn’t provide any evidence of the increase of Jewish hate, just a survey about how Jewish people feel.
In February, the Foundation To Combat Antisemitism launched its first video during the Super Bowl, which attempted to equate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. Dave Zirin, a Jewish sports writer, said this about Robert Kraft earlier this year:
The New England Patriots’ 81-year-old owner, Robert Kraft, writes seven-digit checks to the right-wing Israeli lobbying machine AIPAC, but his personal, political, and financial ties to Israel run deeper than the occasional donation. The multibillionaire married his late wife, Myra, in Israel in 1963 when Kraft, then 22, was older than the nation itself. Together they set up numerous business, athletic, and charitable ties to Israel, a record of which is proudly proclaimed on the Kraft company website. In particular, the Kraft Group boasts of its “Touchdown in Israel” program, where NFL players are given free, highly organized vacations to see “the holy land” and come back to spread the word about “the only democracy in the Middle East.” (Not every NFL player has chosen to take part.) Kraft also attends fundraisers for the Israel Defense Forces, currently—and in open view of the world, committing war crimes in Gaza.
In the most recent 30 second video produced by the Foundation To Combat Antisemitism, they are attempting to equate all of the Palestine Solidarity encampments that are taking place at colleges and universities across the country. The video’s tagline is, Don’t Bring Hate to the protest and uses images that suggest that students who are participating in the Palestine Solidarity encampments are violent, even though the video offers no evidence. What is really absurd about this video is that it doesn’t say anything about pro-Israeli groups that have attacked students, like what happened at UCLA.
The other thing that the Don’t Bring Hate to the protest video doesn’t address is how many instances where local police departments have been sent in to beat, harass and arrest students who are participating in the Palestine Solidarity encampments.
Lastly, the Don’t Bring Hate to the protest video fails to mention that many of the organizers who are involved in the hundreds of students encampments are Jewish.
Instead of producing a misleading video about how student protesters should behave, maybe the Foundation To Combat Antisemitism should make a video about the state violence directed at Jewish students who are organizing and participating in the Palestine Solidarity encampments at campuses across the country.
Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy 