Something is rotten in the state of California (I'm sorry but Gov. Newsom won't save us)
Gavin Newsom, you motherfucker. I voted for you.
The latest bill the governor signed would censor schools from teaching about the genocide in Palestine, under the guise of preventing antisemitism, which most news outlets are reporting at face value. Of course I’m not ok with antisemitism, but criticizing Israel’s actions is not antisemitic. It’s basic human decency to look at what’s going on in Gaza and say this needs to stop.
The Sacramento Bee reports “The bill itself does not define antisemitism, but points to The United States National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, written by the Biden administration in 2023, which points to a controversial ‘working definition’ from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). That definition includes examples related to Israel that could be considered antisemitic, including ‘claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor;’ or ‘applying double standards by requiring of (Israel) a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.’”
I read the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism, and one more part stuck out to me. “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.”
I specifically disagree with this point because shouldn’t we be able to call fascism as we see it? What about the Holocaust survivors who have come out against the genocide in Gaza? Are they being antisemitic? By comparing current events to their personal experience? Because IHRA’s definition would have you believe that. And that’s the definition this new law is based on.
The bill passed unanimously in both legislatures of California. Not a single elected official voted no, though some (not my representative!) did abstain. But associations of teachers opposed it across the board.
This is not the only bullshit Newsom has pulled recently. He vetoed a bipartisan bill to increase firefighters’ pay and a bill that would allow K-8 teachers to teach what Republicans call “controversial gender theory” which is, as far as I’m concerned, just teaching the indisputable fact that trans people exist. He’s never been on trans people’s side, ever since he went on Charlie Kirk’s podcast and said trans women in sports is unfair. (I vehemently refute this, but that’s a whole other essay.)
I don’t know who I’ll be voting for in the 2028 Democratic primary, but it won’t be him. Oh, he definitely wants to run for president. But I don’t trust him. He’s shown his willingness to throw vulnerable groups under the bus. Sure, I like reading his sassy tweets mocking Trump, but he can’t even take credit for those. That’s all Camille Zapata.
I was just getting on board with Newsom and the Democrats’ gerrymandering plan. I’m still voting yes on Prop 50 in the special election we’re going to have to add more Democratic districts. I do think it’s unfair, but we begged our officials to do something against Trump, and now they have. They’re playing by his book, but at least they’re playing.
And now the leading candidate in the 2026 California governor’s race (Newsom is term-limited) is a Republican. When Trump was elected, I prayed my state would protect me. With who's in charge, I don't feel so protected.