Uncommitted National Movement voters splintered before election
By Anish Topiwala atopiwala@statenews.com
A national movement aiming to hold the Democratic Party accountable for its compliance with the war in Gaza remains splintered before the election.
The Uncommitted National Movement is a protest campaign led by anti-war activists who initially pressured President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo in Israel. It advocated for voters to vote uncommitted in the Michigan Democratic Primaries to send a message to Biden and the Democratic Party.
The movement well surpassed its goal of 10,000 uncommitted votes in Michigan with over 100,000, making up over 13% of total votes cast.
In September, the Uncommitted National Movement announced it would not be endorsing Harris after she failed to meet the movement’s requests, while still urging uncommitted voters against supporting a Trump presidency in any way.
For those who participated in the Uncommitted National Movement’s campaign in Michigan, opinions on the presidential candidates are divided.
Many Arab American voters have taken a stance against supporting the Democratic party.
Thasin Sardar, trustee for the Islamic Center of East Lansing, proudly said he has worked for the Democratic Party in the past and still identifies as a Democrat.
Yet, he said he feels left out by the party.
“We feel disenfranchised, our voices are not being heard,” Sardar said.
When it came time for the Democratic primaries, Sardar said joining the Uncommitted National Movement was “a no-brainer” for him.
But the movement has split into many directions, Sardar said, with some not supporting Harris and others believing her to be better than Republican candidate Donald Trump. Others have gone even further and embraced Trump, which which Sardar said he disagrees with but understands.
Illustration by Riya Patchava.
Learn what’s at stake in the Michigan Supreme Court race
IN 2022, SEVEN MICHIGAN STATE LEGISLATURE RACES WERE
DECIDED BY UNDER 1,000 VOTES
There are 454,231 college students in Michigan. Local elections impact your daily life and are often decided by just a few votes. As a voter, trust yourself to vote in every contest. Make sure to complete your ballot from top to bottom.
Early Voting Ends: Nov. 3, 2024
Election Day: Nov. 5, 2024
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024
FALL TEAM
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Liz Nass
MANAGING EDITOR
Dipika Rao
CAMPUS EDITOR
Amalia Medina
LIFE EDITOR
Kendra Gilchrist
SPORTS EDITOR
Thomas Cobb
COPY EDITOR
Claire Donohoe
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Saanvi Seth
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Brendan Mullin
DESIGN
Zachary Balcoff
Riya Patchava
CONTACT THE STATE NEWS
(517) 295-1680
NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 295-5149
feedback@statenews.com
GENERAL MANAGER
Christopher Richert
ADVERTISING
M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University every other Tuesday during the academic year. News is updated seven days a week at statenews.com. State News Inc. is a private, FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS
is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.
One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community. Additional copies avaliable at The State News office for a fee.
Copyright © 2024 State News Inc., East Lansing, Michigan
CARTOONS BY JACK
United States President
THE ISSUES
KAMALA HARRIS
DONALD TRUMP
See guides.vote for online guides with links & source kamalaharris.com donaldjtrump.com
ABORTION
Ban or legal?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Should climate change be a top priority?
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
How to ensure effectiveness and fairness in law enforcement?
ECONOMY
How to improve the economy and make daily life more affordable.
EDUCATION
Limit teaching about racism and gender identity?
ELECTIONS
Did Joe Biden win the 2020 Presidential election?
GUN LAWS
Loosen or tighten gun regulations?
HEALTHCARE
Repeal or expand the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare?
Legal. “Every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body.” “This fight is about freedom.” With Biden, strengthened abortion pill access and abortion patient protections, overturned Trump Planned Parenthood federal funding ban. Would sign national abortion rights bill if Congress passed.
Yes. We’re seeing the climate crisis “every day…in real time.“ “We must do more.” Cast the deciding vote to commit $369 billion to climate and clean energy, the biggest investment in US history. Supported $1.2 trillion in infrastructure; includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions. No longer would ban hydraulic fracking.
Police are dedicated public servants. As a prosecutor increased felony convictions by one third. But “public safety requires community trust.” Has supported better training, banning choke holds, and prosecuting police misconduct.
Expand child tax credit. Give tax credits for affordable housing builders and subsidize first-time home buyers. Restrict price gouging on groceries and lower drug costs by negotiating prices. Supported bipartisan infrastructure bill.
No. In Florida “extremists… passed a law, ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ trying to instill fear in our teachers.” Now, “they want to replace history with lies,” teaching “that enslaved people benefited from slavery.” Children should be “taught the truth.”
Yes. “The [election] results were certified by state after state and reaffirmed by court after court.” “On January 6, we all saw what our nation would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle our democracy are successful.”
Tighten. “Every person deserves the freedom to live safe from gun violence.” Supported the bipartisan gun safety bill and required background checks for gun show & online sales.
Expand. “Health care is a right, not a privilege.” Cast a tiebreaking Senate vote to expand ACA & lower Medicare drug prices, including a $35 monthly insulin cost. Would link drug costs to costs that comparable wealthy nations pay.
Ban. “After 50 years of failure, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade.” Did so by appointing three anti-abortion Supreme Court Justices. It was “a miracle.” States should decide for themselves, potentially monitoring women’s pregnancies and prosecuting women for getting abortions. Abortion is “really not that big of an issue.”
No. Climate change is a “hoax.” The world will “start getting cooler.” Withdrew from the Paris climate pact. Will expand coal and oil production. “I want to drill, baby, drill.” Asked oil and gas executives to donate $1 billion so he could reverse Biden’s climate initiatives.
Police are “under siege.” Cut back active federal oversight of excess force, though supported a database to track it. Admires Chinese approach of quick trials and a death penalty for drug dealers so there will be a “zero drug problem.”
Increase taxes (tariffs) on imported goods. Cut housing demand with mass deportations. To lower prices, would deregulate businesses, rein in “wasteful federal spending” and unleash American energy. Opposed infrastructure bill.
Yes. Certify teachers who “embrace patriotic values.” Would “cut federal funding” for any school “pushing critical race theory, gender ideology.” Restricted diversity training for federal employees and contractors.
No. Called the election a “Big Lie” and a “Massive Fraud” that would justify “termination” of parts of Constitution. Called those who stormed U.S. Capitol “unbelievable patriots.” Would pardon them fully.
Loosen. To NRA, “no one will lay a finger on your firearms.” Plans to roll back Biden gun restrictions. Reversed Obama-era background checks for those with mental illnesses.
Repeal. “Terminate.” “Obamacare is a catastrophe.” As President, promised to replace it with “something terrific,” but repeal failed in the Senate by one vote. Supported an unsuccessful lawsuit to overturn it.
ISSUES
IMMIGRATION
How to handle immigration?
Support a path to citizenship for “DACA” participants brought to the US as children?
ISRAEL/GAZA
Response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza following October Hamas attack?
LABOR
Make it easier or harder for unions to organize?
LGBTQ RIGHTS
Limit or expand LGBTQ rights?
MARIJUANA
Ban or legal?
MINIMUM WAGE
Raise federal minimum from $7.25 an hour?
SOCIAL SECURITY
HARRIS (D)
Supports “comprehensive immigration reform.” Backed the bipartisan Senate border security bill. Rejects mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. “We are a nation of immigrants…. let us all address [the issue] with the urgency and seriousness it requires.” Supports pathways to citizenship for DACA participants and undocumented spouses of citizens.
“We need” a cease-fire & a two-state solution. “Israel has a right to defend itself.” But “too many innocent Palestinians have been killed… Civilian suffering… [is] devastating.” Palestinians and Israelis both “are entitled to security.”
Easier. “Unions built” the American middle class. “We are fighting to protect the sacred right to organize.” Backs prounion laws. Walked UAW picket line. Build “an economy where every person, not just the wealthy,” can thrive.
Expand. In 2004, officiated some of the nation’s first same-sex marriages. Helped repeal California’s anti-gay marriage initiative. Biden administration protected LGBTQ medical patients from discrimination.
Legal. “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.” Legalize and regulate. Supports Biden’s easing federal prohibition.
Yes. Supports Congress raising the national minimum wage to $15. Biden administration raised to $15 for federal contractors.
Cut Social Security or raise retirement age to stabilize program? No. Would protect and stabilize Social Security by making wealthier Americans pay into Social Security at the same rate as everyone else; they’d keep paying in above their current $168,600/year income cap.
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
Support lowering interest on student loans and/or forgiving them?
TAXES
Raise or lower taxes on the wealthy and corporations?
UKRAINE/RUSSIA
Yes. Supported Biden forgiving $144 billion for over 4 million borrowers, after the Supreme Court blocked the Biden-Harris $430 billion forgiveness plan.
Raise. Voted against Trump tax cuts, which included the largest corporate cut in US history. Supported increasing corporate tax rates. To boost teacher salaries, proposed raising estate taxes on the very wealthy.
Support defending Ukraine against Russian invasion? Yes. “Regarding Putin’s unprovoked, unjustified war against Ukraine… we are committed to… defend democratic values and stand up to dictators.”
VOTING RULES
Make voting harder or easier?
Easier. Pass bills to protect voting rights and make voting and registration easier. Biden administration directed federal agencies to help people register.
TRUMP (R)
Illegal immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” Will use the National Guard and local police, with possible detention camps, to deport 15 to 20 million illegal immigrants. Opposed the bipartisan Senate immigration bill. Tried to end DACA; Supreme Court overruled. Would renew his Muslim ban and end automatic citizenship for everyone born in US
Has supported Israeli action, “get the job done.” Says Israel releasing images of bombed Gaza buildings loses “the PR war.” Gaza protesters are “raging lunatics and Hamas sympathizers.” Would deport student protesters.
Harder. Made it harder for unions to organize. Restricted federal employee collective bargaining. Praised employers who fire striking workers: “They go on strike…and you say… ‘You’re all gone.’” Striking Auto Workers were “sold down the river by their leadership.”
Limit. Weakened an Obama order protecting LGBTQ federal contractors from discrimination. Banned transgender military servicemembers and ended antidiscrimination protections for transgender patients.
Unclear. It does “significant damage.” Reversed Obama rule to not prosecute in states where legal, but ultimately didn’t prosecute.
No. A $15 minimum wage would “eliminate jobs.” Threatened to veto. Questioned need for a federal minimum wage: let the states decide.
Mostly yes. There’s “a lot you can do in… cutting.” Also flags bad management. Proposed $35 billion cuts in Social Security disability programs. But “will never do anything” to “hurt Social Security.”
No. Called student loan forgiveness “unfair” to those not attending college. Vetoed forgiving loans of defrauded students. Proposed cutting support programs for student borrowers.
Lower. His 2017 tax cut included the largest corporate cuts in US history and major tax cuts for the wealthy. Would extend and expand when they expire in 2025. Raising business taxes “will lead to the destruction of your jobs.”
Mostly no. To end the war, will push Ukraine to give up territory to Russia. Russia should “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that don’t pay enough.
Harder. Has long supported stronger voter ID requirements. Sued to bar ballot drop boxes. Encouraged Republicans to vote early but said early ballots “get lost” or are “phony.”
guides.vote is a nonpartisan effort to show where candidates stand. We do not support or oppose any political party or candidate. We include candidates polling 15% or more; use the QR code on the right for online versions, including links to credible sources and other candidates. Vote411.org offers guides to local races and how to vote. For campuses, see Campus Vote Project’s state-specific guides to student voting rules.
MSU students, faculty worry about foreign politics in face of the election
By Mallory Stiles mstiles@statenews.com
As almost every publication in the nation has said for weeks, the stakes couldn’t be higher in the 2024 presidential election. MSU students aren’t only worried about their own democracy, but politics on the world stage.
Sociology sophomore Maggie Frost said she has a lot of fears for her own agency if Trump is reelected.
“I am afraid of losing the right to my own body and my autonomy,” Frost said. “I also am afraid of the government becoming an autocracy.”
Psychology freshman David Falade said he fears Project 2025 the most, but he also said he knows Trump “is not for him.”
To Falade, a Harris win would be proof of the progress America is always bragging about.
“It shows evolution,” he said. “It shows we are getting better. A Black woman as president is actually showing up. It’s actual equality.”
And while these domestic policies seem to matter deeply to a lot of students, issues overseas may be the deciding factors of this race.
Mohammad Khalil is the director of MSU’s Muslim Studies Program, a professor of religious studies and an adjunct professor at MSU’s College of Law.
He said a significant number of Muslim constituents are not planning on voting for Harris strictly because of the current
administration’s dealings with the IsraelHamas war.
Khalil said U.S. Muslims, including those living in the battleground state of Michigan, are engaged in serious discussions on changing the population’s longstanding record of voting blue.
“Many Muslims are profoundly disturbed by the Biden-Harris administration’s general support for the Netanyahu administration’s decimation of Gaza following the Oct. 7 attacks. They are disturbed by, among other things, the numerous distressing images of children and other civilians who have been killed — with rubble seemingly everywhere as a result of the Israeli strikes in Gaza.”
not only democracy but also her loved ones.
“I am not a Trump supporter,” Butler said.
“A lot of the things he says scares me, but I think him having such power … it would be a dictatorship. I think foreign policy should be discussed by the people, not just one person, because we live in a democracy. Or at least we are supposed to.”
According to Khalil, the withheld votes are meant to send a message because there is “a justifiable, widespread belief that the U.S. can and should take a more active role in de-escalating the situation.”
Journalism freshman Jadyn Butler, who currently has family members living in Israel, said she does not support Trump or his foreign policies and is voting to protect
Lifelong student Louise Monard-Duval is a French citizen studying abroad at MSU. When asked if she was worried about the effect of an extremist like Trump taking office again, she said the damage from the rise of right-wing extremism on European democracy had
“It’s kind of a reality I am already living in because of elections in France and Italy, and the rise of far-right parties in Germany,” Monard-Duval said.
MSU associate professor of comparative politics Erica Frantz specializes in a variety of topics including, but not limited to, authoritarian politics and democratization.
Frantz said she believes America is in a unique position to set the standard for a high-functioning, multi-party democracy
across the world.
“I think it’s fair to say that the world is at a very critical crossroads in terms of the potential for conflicts in various regions of the world escalating and entangling other world powers,” Frantz said. “Given the U.S.’s power on the global stage, the U.S. will be a major player that can influence the trajectories of these conflicts.”
Frantz said this means whoever wins this presidential election will be responsible for either crafting foreign policy that de-escalates global war or puts the country in the middle of it, regarding conflicts like Israel-Hamas war, the Russo-Ukrainian war and the Sudan Civil war, amongst others.
Frantz said Harris is likely to stick to her campaign promises, should she win the presidency. She could not say the same for the opposing candidate.
“The research suggests that we can expect a lot more unpredictability from Trump, should he win and return to office,” Frantz said. She added that the Republican Party had “evolved into what we refer to as a personalist party,” meaning it is linked to an individual versus a policy platform.
“The research shows that when leaders are elected to power, backed by personalist parties, the risk of executive power grabs increases, as does the chance of democratic backsliding,” she said.
FROM COVER: UNCOMMITTED VOTERS SPLINTERED
“I think a lot of it is primarily from people not being vested enough in American politics and just going off emotions,” Sardar said. “He is infamously known for his Muslim ban and his stance against immigrants, refugees, female reproductive health, freedom. Not many people know all the facts, but being driven by the images from Gaza, they think that Trump would be a better alternative.”
Sardar wants to vote and is currently leaning toward Green Party candidate Jill Stein, but is willing to be swayed if Harris changes her policy on Gaza.
“So far, that doesn’t seem to be the case,” Sardar said. “She has lost my trust and faith... To vote for Kamala at this time would be like to say we are OK with genocide, and I’m just not able to get over that mental barrier.”
Unless Harris makes a dramatic policy change, Sardar said he will vote for Stein.
“Jill Stein has actually appealed to our conscience,” Sardar said. “She has promised to not support the genocide, to bring an end to it. She
has actually taken part in the protests on university campuses with the students in support of the Palestinian struggle. So for one, I feel she needs to be acknowledged and appreciated with our support.”
Sardar plans on voting Democrat down ballot, he said, believing that those running better reflect the values he aligns with.
Sunrise co-founder Will Lawrence said voting in this election was the hardest vote he has ever cast.
“I voted for Harris by mail,” Lawrence said. “I’m 34, so I voted a few times for president, but this one was definitely the hardest. And I am not at all looking forward to a Harris presidency. I’m looking forward to a Trump presidency even less.”
Lawrence said he fears for the people he cares about more under a Trump presidency than a Harris one.
“But the situation is intolerable either way, which is why I believe that all the people who voted uncommitted, and everybody of conscience in this country, has to keep working to build an anti-war
movement, a movement to stop the bombs going to Israel and a broader movement for peace and human rights,” Lawrence said.
Abdo Korayem, an MSU doctorate student studying civil and mechanical engineering, voted uncommitted during the primaries and was involved in some protests.
He said he normally would vote Democrat, while also agreeing with some values on the Republican side, but believes both parties are currently captured by corporatism.
“I would be more inclined to vote for Democrats as compared to Republicans,” Korayem said. “However, given the sheer volume of destruction the Democratic Party has unleashed onto an innocent population, I cannot find it in myself that I would be willing to reward someone’s evil just because he is going to be a lesser of two evils.”
Korayem said he will most likely vote for the Green Party, agreeing with many of Stein’s policies. But Korayem said the two party system is flawed when it comes to voting for
third party candidates.
There is also a small chance he may vote Republican, not because he likes Trump, but rather to see something different.
“If we’re going to bring an end to this, we might as well just bring it as soon as possible,” he said.
He said a Republican administration may try to end the war quicker, employing a more aggressive attitude toward it.
“Instead of the death by a thousand cuts the Democrats have been living on for a while now, at least if he does that, that would completely destroy or denature the fabric of Israeli politics in the Middle East and the Middle Eastern politics. It would be a huge destabilizing thing to Israel, which I think is a net good,” Korayem said.
Human biology senior Aamir Baig, who attended a few protests with the movement, believes the biggest problem with the U.S. is the twoparty system.
“It really undermines the voices of the people,” he said. “Right now, we’re left in such a situation where we don’t
have another option. And because we’re left in that kind of situation, we’re not going to be rewarding the people who are funding a genocide.” Baig doesn’t see voting for Harris as picking the lesser of two evils, he said.
“If you really want the Muslim vote, if you want the Arab American vote, if you want the vote of the people who don’t support the Israel-Palestine war, then you have to make some effort to try to end the war,” Baig said. “You have to say things that are gonna help people make that decision towards you.”
If Harris loses Michigan, or the election, Baig wants her to notice the lack of support from Arab Americans and understand the importance of their voices.
“It’s clear that Kamala Harris doesn’t care about the Palestinian voice,” he said. “She doesn’t care about the Arab American voice, and I don’t think we can reward that just because there’s no other option. That’s just not how democracy works.”
Illustration by Riya Patchava.
EDITORIAL: Trustee candidates lack concrete ideas, oblivious to real issues at MSU
By The State News Editorial Board eic@statenews.com
Days away from the election, most of the major party candidates vying for two seats on the MSU Board of Trustees have yet to prove they deserve our votes.
The two Democrats and two Republicans are running on the same core ideas: student safety, affordable tuition and uniting the fractured governing body.
That seems to be where their ambitions end.
Most candidates don’t seem to understand the community they hope to govern, either ignorant to the nuances of the issues facing the current board or void of a plan to make their agendas tangible.
One of the most contentious issues facing new trustees is the referral of trustees Rema Vassar and Dennis Denno to the governor for removal from the board. An outside investigation conducted last year found the trustees had interfered in university business and encouraged students to attack their opponents, among other things.
Julie Maday, the Republican mother of an MSU alum and former Novi city council member, said she did not think their punishment should have gotten to the point of considering removal.
“Unless,” she said, “they did something egregious” that she might have missed when reviewing the cases for their removal.
Democratic candidate Thomas Stallworth, longtime Detroit-based Democrat politician, admitted to not reading the full report. But, based on media coverage of the situation, he said he hasn’t seen any “egregious” behavior warranting removal.
Trustees will also be forced to confront divestment, whose proponents have spent the last year demanding MSU take the step to divest from Israel.
In her interview, Maday said she did not know enough about the divestment argument to give an opinion.
In a more explicit admission of ignorance, Stallworth, who has
centered safety in his campaign, said MSU should conduct a review on the February 2023 campus shooting and MSU’s safety infrastructure.
“I don’t know if an audit has been done or a review has been done,” he said. “If one hasn’t been done, there probably should be one.”
But that already happened; the review was released a year ago and MSU has since implemented some of its recommendations. When our reporter told him this, Stallworth said he would continue to ensure the review’s recommendations are being followed.
Candidates’ ignorance to paramount campus issues demonstrates a lack of care to meet even the bare minimum. And if their proposed policies do not extend past the scope of what has already occurred, then those policies are, to put it plainly, pointless.
Candidates are also campaigning on simple issues instead of complex solutions.
Democrat Rebecca BaharCook, a career Democratic political fundraiser, hopes to bring collaboration back to the board. Her website lists priorities such as maintaining MSU’s research excellence and to “ensure MSU remains accessible to working-class families while preparing students to contribute to society.”
It’s not clear how she intends to do that.
To his credit, Republican candidate Mike Balow, a parent of MSU alum and advocate for the former swim and dive team, has shown up to every board meeting for the last several years. He does call for an independent investigation into the Nassar documents, reinstatement of swim and dive and more frequent board meetings.
But even a candidate with a long history of engagement with the MSU community follows a platform of phrases meant to appease those angry about board unrest instead of fixing it, like “ensuring there is transparency and fairness in decision making” and “no more boardroom secrets at MSU.”
It ultimately doesn’t make a
difference, because the major candidates don’t actually have to articulate detailed goals — or even know what changes happened on campus after the life-altering shooting we experienced a few semesters ago.
Instead, what candidates hope will get them elected is the “Democrat” or “Republican” label next to their name.
Bahar-Cook admitted as such when she said, “My race will be won by the party who wins Michigan.”
This partisan crutch gets the candidates into positions of power, but it gets us nowhere.
During public comment at last week’s board meeting, student leader Missy Chola echoed a sentiment we hear constantly: “Time after time, students have come forward, expressing their fears and concerns and showing up to these meetings only to receive vague, incomplete responses and a lack of meaningful action.”
The frustration of the student body is palpable, and empty platitudes in campaigns dependent on “who wins Michigan” are useless in ending that frustration.
On Nov. 5, people across the state will vote in this election. Some may overlook the university board section altogether, while others may do a straight-party ticket.
Some of us have already voted — many for the first time. But we did not feel confident in doing so. We reluctantly filled in two circles next to trustee candidates’ names, some of us with a glimmer of hope that our university will improve and others with worry that it won’t.
But above all, we felt like we were simply going through the motions of a futile race. We felt nothing.
The State News Editorial Board is made up of editor-in-chief Liz Nass, managing editor Dipika Rao, campus editor Amalia Medina, life editor Kendra Gilchrist, sports editor Thomas Cobb, copy chief Claire Donohoe, multimedia editor Brendan Mullin, staff representative Jack Williams and DEI manager Jada Vasser.
Illustrations by Zachary Balcoff.
Early voting ends Sun, November 3. Election Day is Tues, November 5, 2024. In Michigan you can register and vote on Election Day or during early vote. Just bring your ID with you to the polls. As a college student you can register at your campus address.