El director del Instituto Cervantes (IC), Luis García Montero, y el director del Instituto Cervantes de Tokio, Víctor Andresco, durante la visita del primero a la capital japonesa. EFE/ Edurne Morillo
Tokio.- El director del Instituto Cervantes, Luis García Montero, afirmó este lunes que el español «debe ocupar un lugar importante» en la transformación digital para evitar sesgos en contra de este idioma en tecnologías como la inteligencia artificial (IA), en una entrevista a EFE durante su visita a Japón.
García Montero destacó la necesidad de colaborar a nivel académico con Estados Unidos y con las comunidades hispanohablantes de la primera economía mundial y de otros países que son potencias tecnológicas, como Japón, para lograr que el prestigio con el que ya cuenta el español a nivel cultural se mantenga también en los ámbitos científico y digital.
«El Cervantes no tiene ninguna voluntad tradicionalista, de que lo viejo sea solo lo importante. Hay que abrir los ojos, y ver cómo se le da un sentido poético, literario y humano a todas las transformaciones que se están dando en nuestro siglo», dijo el escritor y director de la institución, con motivo de su visita al Instituto Cervantes de Tokio.
El castellano en la transformación digital
En este sentido, la modernización, la cultura digital o los videojuegos forman ya parte del programa cultural del Cervantes de Tokio, junto a actividades de colaboración con hispanistas y traductores o de promoción de la literatura hispanohablante.
El director del Cervantes subrayó la importancia de «defender la utilidad del español» a través de la tecnología, y también advirtió del riesgo de que las máquinas «puedan crear sesgos» por el hecho de ser programadas por seres humanos.
«Esos sesgos pueden ser machistas, racistas… Pero pueden ser también sesgos que potencien la calidad cultural y humana de un idioma, y hacer que el español sea una lengua marginal o de pobres», señaló.
El valor de la traducción humana frente a la IA
En cuanto a la aplicación de la IA a la traducción, García Montero ensalzó el valor que aporta el trabajo de especialistas humanos en ese campo, sin querer menoscabar la utilidad de las nuevas herramientas tecnológicas.
«La traducción en literatura tiene que estar hecha por unos profesionales que conozcan bien la cultura, y que sepan que una traducción responde a un idioma, y que un idioma es una comunidad, mucho más que un conjunto de palabras», opinó.
Al mismo tiempo, dijo que sería un «cretino» si despreciara las posibilidades que ofrece la tecnología a la hora, por ejemplo, de traducir de forma automática el menú de un restaurante en japonés mediante una aplicación de móvil.
«Pero me parece muy peligroso creer que ahí se acaba la comunicación, porque hay otro tipo de reto que tenemos más profundo», reflexionó.
El castellano en Japón y en Asia
Uno de los compromisos del Cervantes en Japón es incrementar precisamente el número de traducciones literarias del español al japonés, que actualmente se sitúan en unos 15 o 20 libros al año, según García Montero.
Para ello, se busca apoyar las traducciones de «jóvenes autores» además de «los Cervantes, Borges, García Márquez y otros clásicos o contemporáneos más conocidos», y potenciar los vínculos que existen entre las culturas nipona y latinoamericana.
Un buen exponente de ello es el exitoso escritor nipón Haruki Murakami, Premio Princesa de Asturias de las Letras 2023 y cuya obra contiene influencias del realismo mágico latinoamericano. García Montero visitó hoy una biblioteca dedicada a Murakami en la Universidad tokiota de Waseda en el marco de su viaje a Japón.
Otras expresiones culturales que generan un enorme interés hacia el español en el caso concreto de Japón y a nivel más amplio en Asia son el flamenco, el fútbol, la música contemporánea y las series o películas, destacó García Montero, quien dijo que el Cervantes «no solo trabaja con la alta cultura, sino también con la cultura popular».
El responsable del Cervantes señaló que esta institución ha aumentado su presencia en Asia con la apertura reciente de un centro propio en Shanghái (China) o la puesta en marcha de otro en Seúl en 2022, cuya inauguración oficial está prevista para los primeros meses del próximo año.
A la expansión internacional de la institución se han sumado también en los últimos años otros nuevos centros en Los Ángeles (Estados Unidos) y Dakar, y las próximas aperturas previstas en Miami (EE. UU.) y en Mauritania, explicó García Montero.
Washington.- Las elecciones de EE. UU. podrían decidirse en una inesperada batalla por atraer al votante masculino de la generación Z, donde Donald Trump ha erosionado el dominio demócrata sobre los jóvenes mientras Kamala Harris ofrece un nuevo modelo de masculinidad, más cercano a la empatía y la igualdad.
El expresidente republicano (2017-2021) corteja a esos votantes apareciendo en podcasts populares entre la generación Z (nacidos a partir de 1997), mientras que la vicepresidenta demócrata intenta posicionarse como una líder fuerte, apoyándose en un nuevo modelo de masculinidad abanderado por su compañero de fórmula, el gobernador de Minesota, Tim Walz.
Esta batalla revela un debate más profundo entre las distintas concepciones de masculinidad que prevalecen en los partidos demócrata y republicano y en cómo estas resuenan entre los jóvenes.
La hipermasculinidad de Trump
La campaña de Trump abraza una suerte de hipermasculinidad que alcanzó su máxima expresión en la convención republicana en Milwaukee, donde el exluchador Hulk Hogan se arrancó la camiseta en directo y el propio expresidente salió al escenario al ritmo de ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World’ de James Brown.
En cada mitin, Trump proyecta la imagen de un líder duro. Cuando en julio en Pensilvania un hombre intentó asesinarlo, se levantó tras unos minutos agachado y, con el rostro ensangrentado, alzó el puño frente a la bandera estadounidense, gritando «¡Luchen, luchen, luchen!».
Su objetivo, explica a EFE el profesor de la Universidad de Míchigan Aaron Kall, es seducir a votantes jóvenes sin estudios universitarios y que sienten menos afinidad con las ideas demócratas que generaciones anteriores.
Por ello, Trump ha elegido como compañero de fórmula al senador de Ohio, J.D. Vance, el primer miembro de la generación ‘milenial’ (nacidos entre 1981 y 1996) en formar parte de la apuesta de un gran partido por la Casa Blanca.
Sin embargo, en su afán por atraer al electorado masculino, ambos están alejando a las mujeres, entusiasmadas ante la posibilidad de que una mujer llegue por primera vez a la Casa Blanca.
Durante años, Trump ha sido acusado de abusos por decenas de mujeres y este mismo año un jurado le declaró culpable de abusar de la columnista E. Jean Carroll en 1996. Tampoco le ayudan unos comentarios que Vance hizo en 2021, cuando se refirió a las mujeres sin hijos como «señoras solteronas con gatos».
La propuesta de Harris: una nueva masculinidad
Harris está haciendo todo posible para movilizar el voto femenino con la promesa de proteger el derecho al aborto, legal durante medio siglo hasta que en junio de 2022 el Tribunal Supremo anuló el fallo ‘Roe vs Wade’.
Además, para contrarrestar esa narrativa del «hombre fuerte» de Trump, la campaña de Harris ha presentado su propia alternativa de masculinidad: hombres capaces de liderar con empatía y cómodos en un segundo plano junto a una mujer poderosa.
Esta imagen la encarnan el segundo caballero Doug Emhoff, quien dejó su trabajo como abogado cuando Harris se convirtió en vicepresidenta, y especialmente Walz, quien representa esa masculinidad renovada, según explica a EFE el profesor de Georgetown Michael Cornfield.
Apodado «entrenador Walz» por su experiencia en el fútbol americano, Walz cuenta con 24 años de servicio en la Guardia Nacional y proyecta la imagen de un hombre sencillo del crucial medio oeste, apareciendo en mítines con camisa de franela y botas de montaña.
En su debut electoral junto a Harris, el 6 de agosto, Walz saludó a la vicepresidenta con un gesto namasté con las manos juntas enfrente del pecho, mostrando una deferencia que realzó el aura de liderazgo de Harris.
«Walz es la puerta de entrada para aquellos hombres que se sienten incómodos aceptando la posibilidad de que una mujer pueda ser comandante en jefe. Muestra que los hombres de verdad pueden ocupar un segundo plano junto a mujeres fuertes y capaces», explica Cornfield.
La mayor brecha de género de la historia
Según Lanae Erickson, exasesora de Barack Obama (2009-2017), esas diferencias entre los candidatos anticipan que en las elecciones del 5 de noviembre se producirá la mayor «brecha de género» de la historia reciente de Estados Unidos, es decir, la mayor diferencia jamás registrada entre el porcentaje de mujeres y hombres que votan por uno u otro aspirante.
«Hay un entusiasmo sin precedentes por Harris entre las mujeres. En cambio, los hombres, sobre todo los jóvenes que votan por primera vez, están volcándose hacia Trump», afirma Erickson.
Un reciente sondeo de ABC e Ipsos revela que la brecha de género podría alcanzar los 18 puntos, superando los 12 puntos de 2020 y los 11 de 2016.
Concretamente, Harris aventaja a Trump en 13 puntos entre las mujeres, mientras que Trump supera a Harris en 5 puntos entre los hombres, un fenómeno inédito en la política estadounidense.
Let’s Talk Innovation: Elevating Latina Entrepreneurs in Business
Final Stop of the 8680 LATINA Style Business Series Set for October 89 at the Community College of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA – The LATINA.Style Business Series (LSBS), the nation’s premier business development program for Latina entrepreneurs, will host its final stop of the 2024 tour on October 23 at the Community College of Philadelphia. This dynamic event brings together business leaders, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs for a day of education, inspiration, and networking—all aimed at empowering Latina business owners to thrive.
Since its launch in 1998, the LATINA Style Business Series has impacted more than 40,000 Latinaentrepreneurs across 150 cities, providing the tools, strategies, and support necessary to drivesuccess. This year’s event in Philadelphia promises to deliver a powerful experience with a varietyof opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.
Event Details:
October 23, 2024, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Registration: Free and open to the public. [Register Here]
Networking Breakfast & Exhibit Area: Start the day by engaging with local and national businesses, exploring resources, and making meaningful connections.
Powerful Sessions & Panels: Led by top industry leaders, workshops and panel discussions will focus on entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and strategies for growth.
Latina Entrepreneur Award Ceremony: Celebrate the achievements of Latina entrepreneurs who have made significant contributions to their communities and industries.
Keynote Luncheon: A highlight of the event featuring an inspiring keynote address from Candy Calderón, Wellness Expert, Brain Health Professional, and Founder of CEO Wellness Club.
Tiffany Tavarez, Senior Vice President of Diverse Segments,Representation & Inclusion at Wells Fargo, will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies.
Nominees for the 2024 Latina Entrepreneur of the Year Award include:
Angie A. Millan, Co-Founder, Dominican American Chamber of Commerce
Diana Rio Jasso, CEO & Founder, Jarabe Gourmet Pops
Dr. Paola Bukovcan, General Dentist/Owner Harmony Dental Health & Sleek Smile Studio
Nationwide, the Presenting Sponsor for over thirteen years, has been a pivotal partner in driving the program’s success.
LATINA Style is also proud to continue its collaboration with Wells Fargo as a Gold Sponsor, reflecting their unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses and Latina entrepreneurs nationwide. We are proud to announce Impacto Media as our Host City Media Sponsor and Google as our Supporting City Sponsor. With a legacy of empowering Latina entrepreneurs nationwide, the LATINA Style Business Series continues to provide the resources and connections necessary to elevate Latina-owned businesses.
The Philadelphia event will build upon this foundation by fostering a sense of community and opportunity for Latina business owners in the region.
LATINA Style, Inc. is the premier company addressing the needs of professional Latinas in the United States. LATINA Style Business Series is the most successful business development program aimed at Latina business owners across the country.
LATINA Style.Inc. 4508 Colleyville |Colleyville|TX|76034 Phone:(214)357-2186 www.latinastyle.com
For additional information about the event, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Vanessa Warfield (Vanessa.W@Latinastyle.com or 214-357-2186).
This combination of photos shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Photo: AP/Alex Brandon/File)
Voters remain largely divided over whether they prefer Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris to handle key economic issues, although Harris earns slightly better marks on elements such as taxes for the middle class, according to a new poll.
But the findings reaffirm that Trump has lost what had been an advantage on the economy, which many voters say is the most important issue this election season above abortion, immigration, crime and foreign affairs.
“Do I trust Trump on the economy? No. I trust that he’ll give tax cuts to his buddies like Elon Musk,” said poll respondent Janice Tosto, a 59-year-old Philadelphia woman and self-described independent.
An AP-NORC poll conducted in September found neither Harris nor Trump had a clear advantage on handling “the economy and jobs.” But this poll asked more specific questions about whether voters trusted Trump or Harris to do a better job handling the cost of housing, jobs and unemployment, taxes on the middle class, the cost of groceries and gas, and tariffs.
The poll found that 46% of voters prefer Harris on middle-class taxes, compared to 35% for Trump. Harris also has a slight advantage on the cost of housing. Voters are about evenly divided on whether Trump or Harris is better on prices for everyday essentials like groceries and gas, and neither candidate has an edge on jobs and unemployment.
Voters, meanwhile, are slightly more likely to prefer Trump on the issue of tariffs, which were defined in the poll as taxes on imported goods.
Poll respondent Amber Moody, 36, from Halifax, Virginia, said she trusts Trump — and Republicans in general — much more on economic matters.
“It seems to me that in my lifetime, every time a Democrat holds office, the economy suffers,” she said. “Prices go up, taxes go up and the national debt goes up. While I don’t approve of everything Donald Trump says and does, I do believe he is the better choice.”
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump watches a video on a screen with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris as he speaks during a campaign event, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024 in Detroit. (Photo: AP/Evan Vucci)
Voters see Harris more favorably than Trump
Voters’ impressions of Harris and Trump have remained steady over the last month.
About half of voters have a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Harris, while 46% see her unfavorably. Meanwhile, about 4 in 10 voters have a positive view of Trump and about 6 in 10 have an unfavorable view. Trump’s favorability ratings have been remarkably consistent over the last few months, even after two assassination attempts and a felony conviction.
Compared to last month, views of the candidates are stable among Black and Hispanic voters, as well as among men and women. Black voters’ views of Harris are overwhelmingly positive — about three-quarters have a favorable view of the Democratic candidate — and their views of Trump are negative, with about 2 in 10 holding a favorable view. Hispanic voters also view Harris more favorably than Trump, although the gap is narrower: About 6 in 10 Hispanic voters have a favorable view of Harris and about 4 in 10 have an favorable view of Trump.
The poll also shows a gender gap in views of the candidates heading into the final days of the election.
About half of women voters have a favorable impression of Harris, while only around one-third see Trump favorably. Among men, about half have a favorable view of Harris and a similar share have a positive opinion of Trump.
Voters are pessimistic about the economy and the country
Overall, voters remain pessimistic about the state of the economy and the general direction of the country.
About half of voters describe the nation’s economy as very or somewhat poor. Republicans and independents are more likely than Democrats to express that view. There are modest signs of improvement, however, compared to an AP-NORC poll from October 2023, when about 7 in 10 U.S. adults thought the U.S. economy was in bad shape. The number was even worse in October 2022, when close to 8 in 10 Americans described the economy as poor.
About two-thirds of voters also say the country is headed in the wrong direction, while roughly one-third say things are moving in the right direction. Pessimism on that question has been fairly consistent over the last three years, although closer to 8 in 10 Americans thought the U.S. was heading in the wrong direction a year ago. U.S. adults were similarly gloomy just before the last presidential election, according to an AP-NORC poll from October 2020 when roughly 7 in 10 Americans felt the country was headed in the wrong direction.
Jeffrey Trimble, a 62-year-old Democrat from Hermitage, Pennsylvania, said he’s increasingly optimistic about the direction of the nation after “four years of hell” during Trump’s first term.
“We have some really good people at the top of our government who have a vision, they’re kind, they’re trying to get us back on track,” Trimble said.
Overall, the new poll highlights signs of trouble for both candidates as they work to assemble winning coalitions.
Younger voters are considerably more pessimistic about the health of the economy than older voters, and that’s not good news for Harris, whose party has long relied on strong support from voters of color and young people.
Voters under the age of 45 are also slightly less likely than voters over 45 to trust Harris to handle the cost of housing or the cost of groceries and gas, although that doesn’t mean they prefer Trump. Sizable shares of younger voters — about one-quarter on both issues — trust neither candidate or both equally.
Trump’s strongest issue remains immigration
On other issues, meanwhile, Trump’s most consistent advantage continues to be immigration.
Forty-five percent of voters say he’s the better candidate to handle immigration issues, compared to about 4 in 10 who prefer Harris. About half of white voters trust Trump more on the issue of immigration, while about one-third say this about Harris. Hispanic voters are split on which candidate they prefer to handle immigration.
Harris’ strongest issues are abortion policy, with about half of voters saying she’d be better on that issue compared to about 3 in 10 for Trump; climate change, where about half prefer her leadership and about 2 in 10 prefer Trump’s; and election integrity, where about half prefer Harris and about 3 in 10 prefer Trump.
The candidates are about even on the issue of crime. Foreign policy is also a key issue this fall, although neither candidate has a clear advantage on the situation in the Middle East. There are some signs of weakness on the issue for Harris within her own party, however. Only about two-thirds of Democratic voters say Harris would be the better candidate to handle the situation in the Middle East. Among Republicans, about 8 in 10 say Trump would be better.
Diana Campbell Williams, a 72-year-old Democrat who lives in Auburn, Michigan, cites foreign affairs as her top issue.
She says she’s concerned about Russia, Iran and North Korea. She doesn’t like Trump’s questioning of NATO and his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I trust Harris more,” Williams said. “I feel she knows more about what’s going on, and I prefer the type of people she’d be surrounded by after the election.”
Rona Kaufman, a self-described progressive who is conflicted over who she will vote for in the presidential election, poses for a portrait in Squirrel Hill, a heavily Jewish neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Photo: AP/Rebecca Droke)
HARRISBURG, Pa— For Rona Kaufman, the signs are everywhere that more Jews feel abandoned by the Democratic Party and may vote for Republican Donald Trump.
It’s in her Facebook feed. It’s in the discomfort she observed during a question-and-answer at a recent Democratic Party campaign event in Pittsburgh. It’s in her own family.
“The family that is my generation and older generations, I don’t think anybody is voting for Harris, and we’ve never voted Republican, ever,» Kaufman, 49, said, referring to Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. “My sister has a Trump sign outside her house, and that is a huge shift.”
How big a shift? Surveys continue to find that most Jewish voters still support the Democratic ticket, and Kaufman acknowledges that she’s an exception.
Still, any shift could have enormous implications in Pennsylvania, where tens of thousands of votes decided the past two presidential elections. Many Jewish voters say the 2024 presidential election is like no other in memory, coming amid the growing fallout from Hamas’ brutal attack on Israelis last year.
This is the signage on the dormant landmark Tree of Life synagogue is pictured in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar/File)
Jews represent a sliver of the voting-age population in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the so-called blue wall of states that Democrats have come to rely on in recent presidential elections. In a close election, they are a big enough constituency that the campaigns of Harris and Trump see the potential for any slippage to swing a close contest.
That has forced Harris to walk a line between traditional Democratic constituencies with strong feelings about the war in Gaza, both Jews and Arab Americans — balancing support for Israel with outrage over the deaths of Israeli and Palestinian civilians and destruction in the region. The Biden administration has been pressuring Israel to end its attacks, which continued last week with the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israeli troops.
Trump has looked to exploit the opening among Jewish voters especially, saying Harris “ doesn’t like ” Jewish people, Jews who don’t vote for him “need their head examined ” and that he’ll be the “ best friend Jewish Americans have ever had in the White House.”
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff gives remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tree of Life complex in Pittsburgh, June 23, 2024. (Photo: AP/Rebecca Droke/File)
In the past, surveys have shown that Jews overwhelmingly vote Democratic. A Pew Research Center poll released last month found that about two-thirds of Jewish voters back Harris. In 2020, about 7 in 10 Jewish voters supported President Joe Biden, according to AP VoteCast.
The question is whether that has changed, as Jews now see Israel’s survival in a new light as its war with Hamas widens to Hezbollah and possibly Iran.
That has put a new focus on the relationship between Israel and the U.S., which continues to provide military aid. And many Jews say rising acts of antisemitism in the United States and anti-Israel protests sweeping across cities and college campuses — including in Philadelphia — have made them feel unsafe.
First lady Melania Trump, accompanied by President Donald Trump, puts down a white flower at a memorial for those killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Oct. 30, 2018. (Photo: AP/Andrew Harnik/File)
In Pennsylvania, still fresh in many minds is a gunman absorbed by white supremacist ideology murdering 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018, the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history.
As Pennsylvania plays a central role in the election, many say they’ve never seen such outreach from campaigns as they have now.
From Trump on down, Republicans are attempting to win over Jewish voters by highlighting a Democratic Party torn between its traditional and unconditional support for Israel and a growing faction that has accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza, called for Israel to unconditionally stop attacking Hamas, and demanded that the U.S. end its military support for Israel.
For some Jews who typically vote Democratic, that has resonated.
“I think that there are folks who are reluctant Trump voters who feel scared as Jews in this country,” said Jeremy Kazzaz, a Pittsburgh resident and Harris supporter.
Kazzaz, however, said Harris has a long record of fighting antisemitism that is relatively unknown to many voters.
He pointed out that the Biden administration tapped her husband, Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, to lead a task force to develop a strategy to fight antisemitism well before Hamas attacked Israel. Emhoff has been a key surrogate, campaigning in front of Jewish audiences in the Philadelphia suburbs and speaking at the groundbreaking of a new complex replacing Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff from left, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Carole Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life, Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., D-Pa., Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and others listen during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tree of Life complex in Pittsburgh, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Photo: AP/Rebecca Droke)
Still, where Harris’ supporters see strong support of Israel — for instance, the Biden administration sent a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to Israel, along with the troops needed to operate it — others see conditional support.
That includes Biden urging Israel not to hit Iran’s nuclear program or oil fields. At the same time, Biden has stressed his administration’s support for Israel and, in her remarks on the anniversary of Hamas’ attack, Harris said she’ll “always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and that I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish people here and around the world.”
Steve Rosenberg, of Philadelphia, who voted for Trump in 2016 and then Biden in 2020, will vote for Trump in 2024. In large part, Rosenberg sees Biden’s lifting of Trump-era sanctions on Iran as providing the cash for the Islamic Republic to finance a war against Israel. Trump imposed the sanctions after voiding a treaty the Obama administration had reached to slow Iran’s progress toward nuclear weapons, which he called a bad deal.
“The question is, ‘Who is better off today than four years ago?’” Rosenberg said. “And the answer is Iran and the mullahs and their proxies, and it’s because Biden and Kamala Harris have capitulated to Iran.”
Kaufman, a self-described progressive who lives in Pittsburgh’s heavily Jewish Squirrel Hill neighborhood, never thought she would vote for Trump.
But now, she expects Trump will continue a hardline stance against Iran — which she calls an imminent threat to democracy, human rights and western civilization — and worries that Harris will appease Iran and pander to the party’s left wing.
Mark and Suzan Lopatin gather with other supportes of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in a Sukkot before going door to door to canvass Jewish voters Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Photo: AP/Laurence Kesterson)
Jews with very strong connections to Israel — her parents were born there and her daughter just finished a two-year eight-month mandatory service with the Israeli army — are similarly conflicted over supporting Harris, Kaufman said. “I’m saying it out loud everywhere, but most people aren’t saying it out loud.”
Many Jews who support Harris, however, say they see Trump as a threat to democracy.
That’s important, they say, because minorities — including Jews — have reason to fear persecution under dictators.
They can unfurl a list of comments by Trump that they see as threatening: using the military against domestic enemies, peddling dual-loyalty tropes about Jews, setting up Jews as scapegoats if he loses and, in the days after Hamas’ attack, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while praising Hezbollah as “very smart.”
Adam Chaikof from Arlington, Va meets with other Kamala Harris supporters in a Sukkot in Bala Cynwyd, Pa on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (Photo: AP/Laurence Kesterson)
Emhoff called Trump a “known antisemite.”
Some see Trump’s efforts on Jan. 6, 2021, to stay in power as a threat. Many are wary of his affinity for dictators, and bring up his dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort with far-right activist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye, two men known for spewing antisemitic rhetoric.
«That’s the conversation that I’m having with Jews,» said Rabbi Beth Janus of Philadelphia.
Janus said Jews she knows are excited that a woman could be president and that she’s married to a Jewish man. Conversely, Trump’s support for Israel is transactional, she said.
“When it serves his needs, his objectives, he supports Israel,” Janus said. “But if it didn’t, then he wouldn’t support Israel.”
Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen meets members of the media at his compound in Saylorsburg, Pa. in July 2016. (Photo: AP/Chris Post/File)
SAYLORSBURG, Pa. — Fethullah Gülen, a reclusive U.S.-based Islamic cleric who inspired a global social movement while facing accusations he masterminded a failed 2016 coup in his native Turkey, has died.
Abdullah Bozkurt, the former editor of the Gulen-linked Today’s Zaman newspaper, who is now in exile in Sweden, said Monday that he spoke to Gulen’s nephew, Kemal Gulen, who confirmed the death. Fethullah Gülen was in his eighties and had long been in ill health.
The state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish Foreign Ministry Hakan Fidan as saying the death has been confirmed by Turkish intelligence sources.
Gülen spent the last decades of his life in self-exile, living on a gated compound in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains from where he continued to wield influence among his millions of followers in Turkey and throughout the world. He espoused a philosophy that blended Sufism — a mystical form of Islam — with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue.
Gülen began as an ally of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but became a foe. He called Erdogan an authoritarian bent on accumulating power and crushing dissent. Erdogan cast Gülen as a terrorist, accusing him of orchestrating the attempted military coup on the night of July 15, 2016, when factions within the military used tanks, warplanes and helicopters to try to overthrow Erdogan’s government.
Heeding a call from the president, thousands took to the streets to oppose the takeover attempt. The coup-plotters fired at crowds and bombed parliament and other government buildings. A total of 251 people were killed and around 2,200 others were wounded. Around 35 alleged coup plotters were also killed.
Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen speaks to members of the media at his compound in Saylorsburg, Pa. in July 2016. (Photo: AP/Chris Post/File)
Gülen adamantly denied involvement, and his supporters dismissed the charges as ridiculous and politically motivated. Turkey put Gülen on its most-wanted list and demanded his extradition, but the United States showed little inclination to send him back, saying it needed more evidence. Gülen was never charged with a crime in the U.S., and he consistently denounced terrorism as well as the coup plotters.
In Turkey, Gülen’s movement — sometimes known as Hizmet, Turkish for “service” — was subjected to a broad crackdown. The government arrested tens of thousands of people for their alleged link to the coup plot, sacked more than 130,000 suspected supporters from civil service jobs and more than 23,000 from the military, and shuttered hundreds of businesses, schools and media organizations tied to Gülen.
Gülen called the crackdown a witch hunt and denounced Turkey’s leaders as “tyrants.”
“The last year has taken a toll on me as hundreds of thousands of innocent Turkish citizens are being punished simply because the government decides they are somehow ‘connected’ to me or the Hizmet movement and treats that alleged connection as a crime,” he said on the one-year anniversary of the failed coup.
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan said Monday that Gülen’s death “will not make us complacent. Our nation and state will continue to fight against this organization, as they do against all terrorist organizations.”
Fethullah Gülen was born in Erzurum, in eastern Turkey. His official birth date was April 27, 1941, but that has long been in dispute. Y. Alp Aslandogan, who leads a New York-based group that promotes Gülen’s ideas and work, said Gülen was actually born sometime in 1938.
Trained as an imam, or prayer leader, Gülen gained notice in Turkey some 50 years ago. He preached tolerance and dialogue between faiths, and he believed religion and science could go hand in hand. His belief in merging Islam with Western values and Turkish nationalism struck a chord with Turks, earning him millions of followers.
Gülen’s acolytes built a loosely affiliated global network of charitable foundations, professional associations, businesses and schools in more than 100 countries, including 150 taxpayer-funded charter schools throughout the United States. In Turkey, supporters ran universities, hospitals, charities, a bank and a large media empire with newspapers and radio and TV stations.
But Gülen was viewed with suspicion by some in his homeland, a deeply polarized country split between those loyal to its fiercely secular traditions and supporters of the Islamic-based party associated with Erdogan that came to power in 2002.
Gülen had long refrained from openly supporting any political party, but his movement forged a de facto alliance with Erdogan against the country’s old guard of staunch, military-backed secularists, and Gülen’s media empire threw its weight behind Erdogan’s Islamic-oriented government.
Gülenists helped the governing party win multiple elections. But the Erdogan-Gulen alliance began to crumble after the movement criticized government policy and exposed alleged corruption among Erdogan’s inner circle. Erdogan, who denied the allegations, grew weary of the growing influence of Gülen’s movement.
The Turkish leader accused Gülen’s followers of infiltrating the country’s police and judiciary and setting up a parallel state, and began agitating for Gülen’s extradition to Turkey even before the failed 2016 coup.
The cleric had lived in the United States since 1999, when he came to seek medical treatment.
In 2000, with Gülen still in the U.S, Turkish authorities charged him with leading an Islamist plot to overthrow the country’s secular form of government and establish a religious state.
Some of the accusations against him were based on a tape recording on which Gülen was alleged to have told supporters of an Islamic state to bide their time: “If they come out too early, the world will quash their heads.” Gülen said his comments were taken out of context.
The cleric was tried in absentia and acquitted, but he never returned to his homeland. He won a lengthy legal battle against the administration of then-President George W. Bush to obtain permanent residency in the U.S.
Rarely seen in public, Gülen lived quietly on the grounds of an Islamic retreat center in the Poconos. He occupied a small apartment on the sprawling compound and left mostly only to see doctors for ailments that included heart disease and diabetes, spending much of his time in prayer and meditation and receiving visitors from around the world.
Gülen never married and did not have children. It is not known who, if anyone, will lead the movement.
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia City Commissioners remind city residents that Monday, October 21st is the last day to register to vote for the Presidential General Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
The Commissioners, who lead the city’s Board of Elections, are committed to ensuring that the 2024 election is conducted safely, securely, and accurately – and that every eligible voter has the opportunity to make their voice heard.
“As we approach the October 21st registration deadline, I urge all eligible Philadelphians to take action now. Voting is more than a right—it’s a responsibility,” said Chairman Omar Sabir. “Every vote shapes the future of our city and our nation, and we need your voice in this crucial election. Register today and make sure you’re part of the process.”
“Voting is an essential part of shaping the future of not just our nation, but our city, and our neighborhoods,” said Vice-Chair Lisa Deeley. “But the first step to voting is registering, so make sure you are registered and that your information is up to date before next week’s deadline.”
“Registering to vote has never been easier—whether online, by mail, or in person at one of our Satellite Election Offices,» said Commissioner Seth Bluestein. «We’re committed to ensuring that every block and every voice in Philadelphia is counted. Get registered, and let your voice be heard on Election Day.”
How can I register?
Eligible citizens can register online, in person, or by mail. For a full list of registration options, visit vote.phila.gov/register.
Register to Vote Online: You can register to vote using the PA State Department’s online application. The online application is available here.
Register to Vote in Person:
The Philadelphia County Board of Elections Office, located in Room 140 of City Hall. Visitors can access this office from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors should enter through the South Portal of City Hall.
The Voter Registration Office, located at 520 N Columbus Blvd, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19123. This office is open from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.
Satellite Election Offices (SEOs) across Philadelphia are also open, providing voter registration and in-person mail ballot services. These offices operate from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday. A full list of Satellite Election Office locations is available at vote.phila.gov/seos.
Register to Vote by Mail: Download an application and mail it to: Voter Registration Office, 520 N Columbus Blvd, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19123. Applications are available in multiple languages on the PA Department of State website. Applications must be received by October 21st.
Eligibility:
To register to vote in Philadelphia, you must be:
A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next election.
A resident of Philadelphia and your election district for at least 30 days before the next election.
At least 18 years old by the date of the next election.
Eligible citizens must submit a voter registration application to get registered. By law, these applications must be received by the City Commissioners Office no later than 15 days before the next election.
Key Dates for the 2024 Presidential General Election:
The deadline to register to vote is 11:59 P.M. on Monday, October 21, 2024. Voters can register online, in person, or by mail. For more information, visit vote.phila.gov/register.
The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Voters can apply in person or by mail. Visit vote.phila.gov/votebymail for more information. Visit vote.phila.gov/seos to find a Satellite Election Office near you – you can apply for, be issued, complete, and return a mail ballot all in one visit!
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Polls are open from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Voters in line by 8:00 P.M. must be allowed to vote. Mail ballots must be received (not postmarked) by 8:00 P.M. on Election Day. Mail ballots cannot be returned at your polling place on Election Day. Voters may use one of our 34 convenient drop boxes. Visit vote.phila.gov/ballot-drop-off to find the closest box to you.
About the Philadelphia City Commissioners:
The Philadelphia City Commissioners are a three-member, bipartisan board of elected officials who make up the Philadelphia County Board of Elections, which is responsible for administering elections in Philadelphia. Their mission is to ensure safe, secure, and accessible elections.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, left, is greeted by former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., during a campaign event at Ripon College in Ripon, Wis., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Photo: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
PHILADELPHIA.— Democrat Kamala Harris is out to win over suburban voters uneasy about Republican Donald Trump as she touches down in three Midwestern battleground states on Monday to hold moderated conversations with Republican Liz Cheney.
The vice president will make appearances in three suburban counties won by Republican Nikki Haley before she dropped out of the race for the GOP nomination: Chester County, Pennsylvania; Oakland County, Michigan; and Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
Harris’ travel companion, Cheney, is a former GOP congresswoman from Wyoming and a fierce critic of Trump. Their conversations will be moderated by a conservative radio host and a GOP strategist.
With just over two weeks to go before the presidential election and the race a dead heat, the Democratic nominee is looking for support from every possible voter. Her campaign is hoping to persuade those who haven’t made up their minds, mobilize any Democrats considering sitting this one out, and pick off voters in areas where support for Trump may be fading.
A few votes here and there could add up to an overall win. In Waukesha County, for example, Haley won more than 9,000 primary votes even after she dropped out of the race. Overall, Wisconsin was decided for President Joe Biden in 2020 by just 20,000 votes. In-person early voting in the state starts Tuesday.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a church service and early vote event at Divine Faith Ministries International, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Jonesboro, Ga. (Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Cheney and Harris will be joined at the events by Charles Sykes, a conservative radio host and editor-in-chief of the website The Bulwark, and GOP strategist Sarah Longwell.
Cheney has endorsed Harris because of her concerns about Trump. She lost her House seat after she co-chaired a congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. That’s when a violent mob of Trump supporters broke into the building and beat and bloodied law enforcement in a failed effort to stop the certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential win.
Cheney is not the only Republican to back Harris. More than 100 former GOP officeholders and officials joined Harris last week in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, not far from where Gen. George Washington led hundreds of troops across the Delaware River to a major victory in the Revolutionary War.
At a rally there, she told GOP voters the patriotic choice was to vote for the Democrats.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, and former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speak to a reporter during a campaign event at Ripon College in Ripon, Wis., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (Photo: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
As the election draws near, the vice president has increasingly focused on Trump’s lies around the 2020 election and his role in the violent mob’s failed efforts. She says Trump is “unstable” and “unhinged” and would eviscerate democratic norms if given a second White House term.
“I do believe that Donald Trump is an unserious man,” she says at her rallies, «and the consequences of him ever getting back into the White House are brutally serious.”
Trump has been trying to minimize the violent Jan. 6 confrontation as he campaigns, claiming it was «a day of love from the standpoint of the millions.”
Harris will be back in Pennsylvania on Wednesday for a CNN town hall in Delaware County, where she will take voter questions.
La candidata presidencial demócrata y vicepresidenta Kamala Harris escucha a Stevie Wonder interpretar "Redemption Song" durante un servicio religioso y evento de votación anticipada en Divine Faith Ministries International, el domingo 20 de octubre de 2024, en Jonesboro, Georgia. (Foto: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
Kamala Harris convocó el domingo a feligreses negros a acudir a las urnas y recibió una gran ayuda de la leyenda de la música Stevie Wonder, quien reunió a los feligreses con una interpretación de “Redemption Song” de Bob Marley.
Harris visitó dos iglesias del área de Atlanta como parte de una campaña nacional conocida como “almas a las urnas”. Es un esfuerzo de movilización liderado por la Junta Asesora Nacional de Líderes Religiosos Negros, que está enviando representantes a todos los estados en disputa para alentar la votación anticipada.
Después de los servicios, los autobuses llevaron a los feligreses directamente a los centros de votación anticipada.
En ambas iglesias, Harris ofreció un mensaje sobre la bondad y sobre animar a las personas en lugar de insultarlas, tratando de establecer un contraste implícito con el estilo descarado del republicano Donald Trump. Cuando faltan sólo 16 días para el día de las elecciones, a Harris se le está acabando el tiempo para transmitir su mensaje a un público que apenas la está conociendo después de una campaña truncada.
La candidata demócrata a la presidencia, vicepresidenta Kamala Harris, habla en un servicio religioso en la Iglesia Bautista New Birth Church en Stonecrest, Georgia, el domingo 20 de octubre de 2024. (Foto: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
“Hay mucho en juego en este momento”, dijo en Divine Faith Ministries International en Jonesboro. “Nuestra fuerza no se basa en a quién derrotamos, como algunos intentarían sugerir. Nuestra fuerza se basa en a quién alentamos. Y ese espíritu está muy en juego en estos próximos 16 días”.
Wonder dirigió a la multitud a cantar su versión de “Feliz cumpleaños” a la vicepresidenta, quien cumplió 60 años el domingo. Cuando terminó, ella pareció ahogarse y dijo: “Te amo mucho”.
Wonder sonrió y dijo “no llores” antes de decirle a la multitud lo importante que era que la gente saliera y votara.
“Vamos a marcar la diferencia entre ayer y mañana”, afirmó.
«Almas a las urnas” como idea se remonta al Movimiento por los Derechos Civiles. El reverendo George Lee, un empresario negro de Mississippi, fue asesinado por supremacistas blancos en 1955 después de ayudar a casi 100 residentes negros a registrarse para votar en la ciudad de Belzoni. El cementerio donde está enterrado Lee ha sido usado como centro de votación.
Las congregaciones de iglesias negras de todo el país han emprendido campañas para conseguir el voto durante años. En parte para contrarrestar las tácticas de supresión de votantes que se remontan a la era de Jim Crow, la votación anticipada en la comunidad negra recibe tanta atención desde los púlpitos como entre los candidatos.
En Georgia, la votación anticipada comenzó el martes y más de 310.000 personas votaron ese día, más del doble del total del primer día en 2020. Un récord de 5 millones de personas votaron en las elecciones presidenciales de 2020 en Georgia.
Un empleado entrega una orden al candidato presidencial republicano, el expresidente Donald Trump, durante una visita a un McDonald's, el domingo 20 de octubre de 2024, en Feasterville-Trevose, Pensilvania. (Photo: AP/Doug Mills/The New York Times)
FEASTERVILLE-TREVOSE, Pensilvania, EE. UU. — El candidato presidencial republicano Donald Trump estuvo a cargo el domingo de la freidora en un McDonald’s de Pensilvania antes de realizar una conferencia de prensa improvisada, en la que respondió a preguntas a través de la ventanilla del servicio al automóvil.
Ante la mirada de periodistas y colaboradores, un empleado le enseñó al expresidente como colocar las canastillas de papas fritas en el aceite, a saltear las papas y colocarlas en las cajas con una pala. Trump, un entusiasta de la comida rápida y reconocido germofóbico, quedó sorprendido de que no tuviera que tocar las papas con sus manos.
“Se requiere de un gran conocimiento para hacerlo bien y hacerlo rápido”, dijo Trump con una sonrisa, dejando de lado el saco de su traje y colocándose un delantal sobre su camisa y corbata.
La visita se produjo mientras trataba a de refutar los relatos de la candidata demócrata Kamala Harris, quien durante sus eventos de campaña aseguró que trabajó en la cadena de comida rápida mientras estudiaba en la universidad. Trump ha dicho, sin presentar evidencia, que eso nunca pasó.
Una enorme multitud se formó fuera del restaurant de Feasterville-Trevose, cuyo condado de Bucks es una de las zonas sin clara preferencia política en el norte de Filadelfia. El establecimiento estuvo cerrado al público para la visita de Trump. El expresidente se presentó más tarde en un evento en Lancaster y estuvo presente en el partido de NFL en el que los Steelers de Pittsburgh derrotaron a los Jets de Nueva York.
Después de entregar varios pedidos a través de la ventanilla de servicio directo al auto, Trump —aún con delantal— se asomó para recibir preguntas de la prensa reunida en el exterior. El republicano, quien ha promovido constantemente falsedades sobre su derrota electoral de 2020, dijo que respetaría los resultados de los comicios del próximo mes “si es una elección justa”.
Bromeó sobre servirle un cono de helado a un reportero y cuando otro preguntó si tenía algún mensaje para Harris, quien el domingo cumplía 60 años, Trump respondió: “Le diría ‘Feliz cumpleaños, Kamala’”, y añadió. “Creo que le mandaré flores”.
