In this special episode of ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’, we’re at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, around the corner from the United Center, at the Palestinian-American owned OUD Coffee and Cafe. Mehdi is joined in this exclusive interview with prominent voices from the Uncommitted Movement – and just moments after it was revealed that the DNC would not be allowing a Palestinian to speak at the convention.

Joining ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ are co-chair of the Uncommitted Movement Layla Elabed, who briefly spoke with Vice President Harris recently; former U.S. Representative from Michigan Andy Levin, a progressive, Jewish critic of Israel; and Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman, the first Muslim-American woman, and first Palestinian-American to be elected to the state’s House of Representatives.

Just minutes before this recording began, the panel got word that the DNC officially confirmed a Palestinian speaker would not be brought to speak on stage at the convention on Thursday, despite officials suggesting to the movement earlier that it could happen. The DNC had gone so far as shortlisting potential speakers, according to unnamed members of the movement who spoke to Zeteo.

Adam Serwer writes:

Pro-Palestinian speech is heavily censored in the United States relative to other kinds of political advocacy. At least 38 states ban participation in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel. Student groups have been banned by colleges and universities, and students suspended, for pro-Palestinian advocacy and rhetoric. American politicians frequently characterize any pro-Palestinian speech as anti-Semitic, regardless of whether it can be fairly categorized as such.

That has left little space for the Palestinian version of the story, which by nature will be different when told by actual Palestinians. Yet it is precisely that version of the story that has the most potential to show Palestinians as real human beings, as your friends and fellow citizens, rather than as crude stereotypes or casualty numbers tallied in a distant war.

Political conventions are celebrations of the candidates, yes. But they are also meant to celebrate the coalitions that come together in support of the party. The diversity of the convention’s speakers and events was a way to show rank-and-file Democrats that they are seen, that they are represented, that they matter. What are Palestinian American Democrats to take from their exclusion except that, as far as their party is concerned, they do not?