025 - Do not come-dani: Islamophobia hits the California legislature, plus Zohran's win

The Drain

Today, we're discussing a vile piece of Islamophobic legislation wending its way through the California legislature designed to muzzle the state's public school teachers who want to discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

But FIRST, we get to spike the football on Zohran Mamdani’s historic win in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary. The youth vote mobilized for this campaign, unfazed by the rampant anti-Muslim rhetoric oozing from the mainstream media and national Democratic leadership.

You may have heard House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spouting their nonsense on why they haven't yet endorsed the race's Democratic nominee, who is a Muslim democratic socialist. It's no surprise.

Over the course of their careers, Jeffries has taken some $1,742,000 from the Israeli lobby. Gillibrand has taken nearly $1,000,000.

But they are fast learning that there is a seismic, generational shift in Democratic voter sentiment on Israel's war crimes. Take the 2024 Pew survey that found more Americans aged 18-29 supported Palestine at 33%, compared to Israel with 14%. For Democratic youth? It was 47% in support of Palestine and just 7% for Israel.

Don’t forget, Millennials now outnumber Boomers, and Gen Z--possibly more leftist than their Gen Y elders--is coming out in droves to do direct action and mutual aid, and even voting.

In a much more recent (June 11) Quinnipiac poll, just 12% of Democrats say their support lies with Israelis, while 60% back Palestinians. This issue is fast becoming partisan.

Here in our back yard, Democratic legislators are working hard to silence the youth outcry against Israel's genocide. They were forced to withdraw legislation that would silence discourse on the Israel-Palestine conflict in public schools in AB 1468, but they're back with AB 715, which has emerged as a new threat to civil rights under the guise of fighting antisemitism.

We also discuss the potential for Nancy Pelosi, who is 85 and broke her hip last December, declining to run for the House again. There are some interesting folks running against her, but they've got some issues. We talk Saikat Chakrabarti and Scott Wiener, who are both eyeing her seat.

Don't forget to like, rate, and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms.

Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at [email protected].

And subscribe to our Patreon for premium Friday episodes of The Plug :)

Oh, and we're on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social