Michigan
Michigan Congressman abandons town hall after ‘ceasefire now’ chants
Constituents at Congressman’s town hall demand a ceasefire in Gaza. The representative ended up leaving the meeting. | Michigan Communist Party USA via X (formerly Twitter)
WYANDOTTE, Mich. — U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) left his own Town Hall meeting early Saturday in what could only be described as a political disaster. His exit came after a room full of his constituents began chanting “Ceasefire now!” in response to the lawmaker’s refusal to call for an immediate end to the Israeli government’s genocidal military campaign in Palestine.
Even before the event at the Downriver Council for the Arts here began, Thanedar was grilled about his continued political support for the Biden Administration’s blank-check for Israel’s invasion.
It was clear the majority of attendees, passionate and determined, were there to press their representative for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. With picket signs, pro-Palestine, pro-peace and anti-war buttons in abundance, the residents of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District were prepared for non-violent, peaceful confrontation and strong political messaging.
Taj, wearing a UAW Detroit Axle jacket and a fourth generation Detroiter, told People’s World he showed up to speak on the issues most important to his neighborhood and petition for peace in Gaza. Tax dollars, he said, that are being used for weapons to Israel would be better used to fund poverty alleviation programs here in Detroit.
“Economic growth in the city is not benefiting the legacy, majority Black, population,” Taj added, and instead is benefitting the largest corporations and billionaires.” He hopes Rep. Thanedar will pressure President Joe Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire.
“I’m here to push you to call for an immediate ceasefire,” Leslie, another resident in the 13th District, said. “We want our tax dollars spent on Detroit…for affordable housing, for schools…it is so sad they are being used for genocide.”
Money for schools, not for war
“Why are we not calling for a ceasefire and redirecting military funds to our schools?” Angela from Hamtramck, a public-school teacher and a member of the Teachers Union, asked. “I am working multiple jobs, I spend my ‘time-off’ caring for my students who live in poverty, who have nowhere to go after class, who have nothing to eat, and yet we always have money for war.”
People’s World spoke with another Teachers Union member, a middle school teacher, who drove out on a Saturday morning to the meeting to “be the political voice for her students,” the majority of whom are Muslim and Arab-American. Michigan’s 13th Congressional District is home to the largest Arab population in the United States, but the teacher reported that many of her students feel “voiceless in the face of the on-going catastrophe.”
“The school administration told us that we weren’t allowed to talk about the conflict in class,” continued the teacher who asked not to be named for this story, “But I let my kids talk about it anyway. It’s important for them to express their justified concerns about seeing their peers being killed by bombs, entire schools leveled, on television.”
War is never a solution
“War is never a solution,” Congressman Thanedar said many times during the Town Hall.
“I am not here to defend Israel,” he said. “How do you justify killing off 26,000 people? There is no justification for that. I don’t know how to justify that.”
However, by not calling for an immediate ceasefire and a political solution, Thanedar is supporting not only war, but the most heinous atrocities, war crimes, and genocide being committed by Israel in their war against the Palestinian people, many constituents said.
“You just said war is not the solution, but you continue to support the funding of Israel’s war,” an audience member said. “Israel is committing war crimes, and you are standing behind them. It seems like your words are empty.”
Noelle, a member of the Detroit News Guild and also a resident of the 13th District, pointed to the recent decision by the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to take “all measures to prevent genocidal acts, prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to genocide, and take immediate and effective steps to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.”
Thanedar responded he will only call for a ceasefire when the Israeli hostages are released. He made no mention of the Palestinian prisoners.
Only an immediate ceasefire and an end to the occupation will facilitate the conditions necessary to “release all hostages and the more than 10,000 Palestinian political prisoners currently being held in Israeli prisons. Why haven’t you called for that?” Noelle demanded to know.
No functioning hospitals remaining
Zaya Maqdessi, a social worker and another resident of the 13th District who works in the field of maternal and infant mental health, told People’s World that in Gaza there were 36 hospitals just a few months ago and now there are none.
Maqdessi was born in Baghdad and shared a story of how, during the U.S. war on Iraq, her father, even while in a hospital, would constantly fear an incoming U.S. missile headed straight towards them. “I implore you to call for an immediate ceasefire and to end the blockade of Gaza so that the people there may stop being massacred, so that they may begin the very long journey of healing and rebuilding,” Maqdessi told Thanedar.
Ceasefire now!
After Thanedar attempted to redirect the barrage of ceasefire and pro-peace questions towards lectures on “terrorism” and “self-defense, Hasan Newash, a Nakba survivor and prominent Palestinian-American activist in Detroit, told the congressman: “We don’t want to be taught. We don’t need to be taught. You keep trying to teach us.” He continued, “We want to teach you!” Why aren’t you listening to us? Why aren’t you calling for a ceasefire? Ceasefire now!”
A wave erupted among the constituents, following Newash’s remarks with clapping and shouting in unison, “Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now!” Newash joined in. This went on for several minutes as Thanedar awkwardly walked back and forth, up and down the aisles of chairs, waiting for the chanting to end.
Suddenly, another contingent of activists, coming from the Pro-Palestine rally outside, walked in and joined the chorus of peace constituents demanding that Thanedar call for an immediate ceasefire. He stood there momentarily and abruptly exited his own Town Hall.
Out of touch
Most attendees felt that Thanedar is out of touch with his district. “He literally turning his back on his constituents,” said one.
Major municipalities in the region have passed resolutions calling for a ceasefire, including Hamtramck, Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Wayne County, Ann Arbor, Canton, Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County. Additionally, the UAW International is officed in downtown Detroit. The union recently joined the ceasefire movement, publishing a statement calling for a “permanent and lasting ceasefire.”
Next door, in the 12th Congressional District, Rep. Rashida Tlaib is leading the effort with Rep. Cori Bush (Dem. Mo.) to pass a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives calling for an immediate ceasefire. Attendees at Saturday’s town hall lobbied Thanedar to sign on to that resolution, H.Res. 786, but after today’s events it appears he does not have the political will to do so.
Political troubles
Politically, this sample showing is not a good sign for Biden’s re-election chances in Michigan. With the exception of Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in the U.S. Congress, and others such as U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Mich. 6th District), many elected officials and politicians in Michigan have opted to remain silent on the situation in Gaza.
Senior representatives from the Biden campaign had sought to visit Dearborn, Michigan on Friday to speak with Arab and Muslim community leaders in an effort to garner support for his re-election bid. Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, along with several others, refused to meet with them.
“What do I tell my residents? My residents who have lost loved ones overseas,” Hammoud told reporters. “This is not the time to talk about elections. This is the time to ask and demand for an immediate cease fire.”
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CONTRIBUTOR
Michigan mother of three talks about how she broke her kratom addiction
Melanie Clark, 35, of Kincheloe in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, has fought a four-year-long addiction to kratom, the so-called “gas station heroin.”
Michigan lawmakers are debating a complete ban on the sale of kratom products in the state, citing cases of addiction and instances of death from people consuming the herbal supplement known as the “gas station heroin.”
Here is what to know about this unregulated herbal substance commonly sold in convenience stores, gas stations and tobacco shops across Michigan:
What is kratom?
Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia whose leaves contain compounds that can produce stimulant effects at low doses and opioid-like effects at higher doses. It is manufactured and sold in different forms: liquid tonics, tablets, gummies, powders and capsules.
What is kratom used for?
Kratom is marketed as a herbal supplement for energy, mood, pain relief or opioid withdrawal, though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any of those uses. Some kratom users take it to get off heroin or fentanyl, according to University of Michigan researchers.
How is kratom pronounced?
Kratom is pronounced KRA-tum. The letter “a” takes a short “a” sound, as in crab or crack.
What is 7-OH?
7-hydroxymitragynin, or 7-OH, is an alkaloid found in kratom leaves. It is manufactured in a synthetic form to produce an opioid-like sensation of pain relief or sedation. It is more potent than pure leaf kratom and sometimes referred to as the hard liquor version of kratom (if pure leaf kratom were considered beer, which typically has a much lower percentage of alcohol by volume compared with distilled liquor).
Is kratom an opioid or addictive?
Kratom users, substance abuse counselors and doctors report symptoms of dependence and withdrawal from the substance, particularly when users exceed the recommended serving size.
The Drug Enforcement Agency has warned that kratom has “sedative effects” that “can lead to addiction.”
On July 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration moved to declare certain 7-hydroxymitragynine synthetic kratom products a Schedule I controlled substance, the same class of drugs as heroin, ecstasy and peyote. As of April 9, the substance had not yet been formally added to the list of Schedule I drugs, which would effectively ban 7-OH nationwide.
Does kratom have side effects?
The FDA has warned that kratom use can lead to liver toxicity, seizures or substance use disorder.
Withdrawal from the substance can lead to increased anxiety, insomnia and psychiatric episodes, according to University of Michigan researchers.
Dr. Eliza Hutchinson, a family physician based in Ann Arbor who is a clinical instructor at UM, said her substance abuse patients describe withdrawal from kratom as “the worst influenza of your life — times 10.”
CARE Southeastern Michigan, a recovery advocacy group, has reported some individuals experiencing psychotic episodes after taking 7-OH, the synthetic form of kratom.
The FDA has also said kratom is “not appropriate for use as a dietary supplement” and unsafe as an additive to food. The powder and liquid forms of kratom are sometimes marketed as an additive to shakes and smoothies.
Does kratom show up on a drug test?
Yes, if it’s part of a specialized screening of narcotics and other substances that looks for active ingredients in kratom products.
Some substance abuse clinics in Michigan are starting to test for it, said Madison Lauder, a counselor at The Guidance Center in Southgate.
“We see you so often, we have added into our (drug test) panel,” Lauder said.
Is there any age restriction on buying kratom in Michigan?
No, Michigan has no laws governing the sale of kratom and related synthetics, such as 7-OH.
But retailers set their own rules. Some stores won’t sell to anyone under age 21.
Some of the 7-OH kratom products on the shelves of stores are labeled “21+.”
But there’s no law on the books in Michigan requiring buyers to show a photo ID when buying kratom, as is required to purchase alcohol, tobacco or marijuana.
Which states have bans on selling kratom?
Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin have outright bans on the sale of kratom.
In December, Ohio’s Board of Pharmacy used the state’s controlled substance laws to ban the retail sale, distribution and possession of 7-OH and other synthetic forms of kratom, board spokesman Cameron McNamee said.
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has a separate proposal to ban natural kratom products that remains in the rulemaking process, McNamee said.
Some cities and counties across the country have imposed varying local sales bans, including Anaheim, Calif., Spokane, Wash., and the New York City suburbs of Nassau County on Long Island, according to published reports.
What’s the status of legislation to ban kratom in Michigan?
On March 18, the Republican-controlled Michigan House voted 56-48 on legislation that would completely ban the sale of kratom products in Michigan. All 46 Democrats and two Republicans opposed the legislation.
Democrats cited a lack of any committee hearings on the legislation.
“There is no question of the growing concern around this product, and no one is saying, with this vote or otherwise, that the concern isn’t justified,” the House Democratic caucus said in a statement. “What we are saying is an outright ban, without any testimony or dialogue, is not the solution.”
The bill moved to the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, assigned it to her Government Operations Committee.
Some kratom industry interests and individual users have advocated for a ban on just the 7-OH synthetic form of kratom.
Sen. Kevin Hertel, the St. Clair Shores Democrat who chairs the Senate Health Policy Committee, said the House’s passage of a total ban on kratom has changed the debate toward prohibition, which he favors until the FDA can further study the substance and its impact on the human body.
clivengood@detroitnews.com
Staff Writers Anne Snabes and Beth LeBlanc contributed.
For much of April, showers and melting snow has swamped Michigan, flooding homes, businesses, cottages, roadways; threatening and destroying infrastructure, including dams, and forcing what is likely hundreds of Michiganders to evacuate.
The unusual weather put the entire state under a flood watch.
It’s not over.
To help, the state’s Emergency Operations Center — which was activated on April 10, along with the governor’s state of emergency declaration — created a digital map identifying shelters and damaged areas.
There also is a livestream of the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex.
As of Monday morning, the water level at the dam had dropped slightly, and was less than 8 inches below the top, which is still a threat to both the community in the event of a spillover — or structural failure.
The map, which the emergency center is calling a dashboard, shows warming and cooling centers and where people can get food. It tracks where the tornadoes touched down, and the roadways that are under water, were eroded away and are completely washed out.
The emergency center also is providing more information on its website on how to ask for help, what state and federal assistance might be available, and how to get emergency email alerts from the State Police.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com
Detroit — Michigan Democrats rallied their largest group of delegates in the party’s history at a state convention Sunday, even as they attempted to mend divisions that emerged during the Israel-Gaza war.
Delegates to the Michigan Democratic Party’s endorsement on Sunday elected a slate of largely progressive candidates, picking Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II as their nominee for secretary of state, Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit as the nominee for attorney general and unseating University of Michigan incumbent Regent Jordan Acker in favor of Dearborn attorney Amir Makled.
Gilchrist will face off in November against the Republican nominee, Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, while Savit will compete against the GOP nominee for attorney general, Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, as well as a handful of third-party candidates.
About 7,252 delegates participated in Sunday’s convention at Huntington Place in Detroit, a record for the party, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Curtis Hertel said.
The state Democratic Party declined Sunday to disclose the vote totals for its nominees at the convention, which is held every four years for party activists to pick nominees for every statewide office except governor and U.S. Senate in lieu of a primary election.
The chosen nominees come as the state approaches massive midterm elections, in which every statewide seat is up for grabs in the November election, as well as the 148 seats in the state House and Senate, where Democrats hope to capture a majority.
In caucus rooms at Huntington Place, Democratic leaders urged unity behind messages of affordable health care, accessible housing, opposition to President Donald Trump’s executive actions and a commitment to sweeping statewide seats in November. There was also recognition, in some meeting rooms on Sunday, of the issues that divided the party in 2024 amid protests of the Biden administration’s support of Israel in the Israel-Gaza war, and the need to fully mend those divisions in advance of the Nov. 3 election.
During the convention program on Sunday, the Israel-Gaza conflict appeared to remain a sensitive issue among some convention-goers. Protesters shouted repeatedly for a point of order, with one holding a sign that said: “Put the Palestine human rights resolution back on the agenda.” And the loudest booing, by far, occurred when U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and Acker, both pro-Israel candidates, were announced on stage in their respective U.S. Senate and Board of Regents races.
Malinda Salameh was among those booing at Huntington Place, in part to protest candidates’ support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The 31-year-old UM alumnus registered too late to be a delegate on Sunday, but attended as a guest and intends to vote in the U.S. Senate primary. Stevens has long been aligned with AIPAC, while her two Democratic primary rivals, physician Abdul El-Sayed and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, have sworn off AIPAC’s campaign cash.
“Unfortunately, they need to understand that we as people cannot stand for this anymore,” Salameh said. “We don’t want any foreign interests messing with our politics. We want money out of politics. And I think that people are sad because they’re not being heard.”
During Acker’s nomination speech, as crowds booed, Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch warned that delegates were not learning from the party’s 2024 electoral losses.
“There’s one thing that November 2024 should have taught us, is that the enemy is not in this room,” Kinloch said.
In caucuses, Democrats reckon with a divide
Abbas Alawieh, a cofounder of the Uncommitted National Movement, active in the 2024 election, told delegates, while campaigning for a state Senate seat Sunday morning, that he remained determined to ensure Arab American and Downriver communities are represented within the party.
He told The Detroit News Sunday that the party had done a good job over the past two years in making more room for all members. The record attendance, he said, is proof the Michigan Democratic Party is “trying to be the big tent party and we’ve got to continue growing that.”
“It’s clear that anti-war voters of all stripes, including Arab Americans in Michigan, are going to be critical to our path forward as Democrats,” Alawieh said. “As Democrats, we have to be proactive about reaching out to disaffected voters and voters that we’ve lost to the Republican party.”
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, pushed delegates to ask candidates seeking their vote real questions about actions to combat neighborhood pollution or their stances on federal actions in the Middle East. Pushing for those discussions among candidates will ultimately help improve the party, she said.
“We’re not anti-Democratic Party,” Tlaib said. “We’re trying to make the Democratic Party better.”
El-Sayed, a Muslim Democrat running for U.S. Senate, told members of the party’s Jewish Caucus that he would focus on issues affecting all communities, including allying against “anti-religious bigotry.”
“A lot of folks want us to pay attention to things that we might disagree on happening 6,000 miles away rather than reminding us about the things we agree on happening right here in our state,” El-Sayed said.
Regent candidates debate ‘elephant in the room’
Earlier in the day, the state party’s Jewish Caucus also heard from candidates who expressed a commitment to maintaining a place within the party for Jewish candidates and voters.
Acker, a Jewish Democrat fighting to retain his seat on the University of Michigan Board of Regents, and his fellow incumbent Paul Brown argued Acker had been targeted in his role as regent and in the nomination race. Brown called it the “elephant in the room”
Acker and Brown were running to retain their seats against Makled, a Dearborn attorney who represented several students who faced charges after protests calling on UM to divest from weapons manufacturing and Israel.
Brown argued that Acker had borne the brunt of attacks during the campus unrest and the nomination campaign.
“There’s one difference between Jordan and I,” Brown told members of the Jewish Caucus, “and that is, Jordan is Jewish, and I am not.”
Acker, a personal injury lawyer, said he wouldn’t be cowed by efforts to oust him from the board and credited Jewish Democrats with being significant leaders in civil rights fights over the decades.
“We have a message that we can send today, that we will not be pushed out of this coalition,” Acker said.
Makled, for his part, encouraged members of the Arab American Caucus also to hold their ground within the party.
“We want to make sure this electorate, this convention is giving an image of unity to the Democratic Party, that we’re collectively trying to push the better foot forward, but we’re also not afraid to stand up and speak for our issues as Arab Americans,” Makled said.
The contest between Makled and Acker was particularly heated.
Makled was criticized for reposting, and later deleting, praise for Hezbollah and antisemitic remarks on his social media account, deleted posts.
And The Guardian on Friday reported that Acker appeared to have made obscene sexual comments about a Democratic party strategist and lewd comments about a female U-M student in Slack messages.
When asked Simday about the messages by The News, Acker said the allegations were “ridiculous” and “fake.”
Acker’s attorney, Ethan Holtz, later sent a statement to The News alleging Acker “has never been on Slack” and that the messages contained elements that appeared to be “doctored.”
eleblanc@detroitnews.com
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