TULSA, Okla. — A letter penned by 79 Tulsa-area Democratic Party supporters drew into the state's history in urging the state chapter to adopt language to withdraw support for Israel's war in Gaza.
They sent the letter as delegates from Tulsa County Democratic Party headed to Chicago for the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago with high hopes this election season.
For one, the chapter has two leading candidates in the race for Tulsa Mayor Aug. 27. And nationally, VP Kamala Harris leads in several polls for president.
But there's also been a vocal minority of voters slamming the party for what they call turning a blind eye to those in the Palestinian and Muslim communities amid the war.
"Us being in Oklahoma, where Native Americans were obviously moved to experiencing genocide, ethnic cleansing. And then also being from Tulsa, having the largest national race massacre happening," Amira Al-Jiboori told 2 News Aug. 25.
Al-Jiboori said 77 other Tulsa voters from different backgrounds signed on within 48 hours.
"We're trying to say this is a similar story line," she added. "We understand what this is and we don't need to be seeing this played out with our tax dollars."
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"A lot of genocide scholars were sounding the alarm," Pamela Olson said. "And by now I think there's no doubt about it. It's a genocide."
Olson spent two years in Palestine as a journalist and writer and published her memoirs upon returning to her hometown of Tulsa.
Olson said the last ten months of Israeli bombing in the region – killing tens of thousands of both civilian adults and children - has been heartbreaking for her and other Oklahomans who usually vote blue.
"It just makes good sense if the democrats want to win, to stop supporting this horrible slaughter," Olson added.
TCDCP Chair Bruce Niemi, who returned from the national convention over the weekend, confirmed he and state party leadership received and passed on the letter.
"The convention adopted a platform that included a Palestine plank which is basically asking for a ceasefire and a two-state solution in the future. Other than that there was no demonstration," Niemi told 2 News. "Actually, any demonstration was suppressed. And I found that unfortunate, but that's just my own personal opinion."
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That suppression, these two women argue, could lead to tens of thousands of Sooner state Muslims and Palestinian-Americans alike refusing to vote even in local elections.
"We need more than words. We need actions," Olson said.
"What we said in the letter is, 'Make us proud to vote Democrat. Please change policy and make us proud to vote Democrat,'" Al-Jiboori said. "And yes, I do believe the apathy could be a problem in the long run."
Niemi said he hopes the criticism, which sparked large protests outside the DNC in Chicago, can dissipate - at least at the local level - by November.
"I hope we can settle this matter before it gets out of hand," Niemi said.
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