Condemning “death to America” slogans should be easy. Not for Michigan’s liberal governor, Whitmer.

Our culture is easily offensive, and as such, it has become common for politicians to condemn comments or actions they deem inappropriate. When these same officials remain silent while something truly horrible is said, the silence is shocking.

A recent example: In Dearborn, Michigan, not far from my home in metro Detroit, a group called Al-Quds Committee Detroit held a rally on April 5 in support of the Palestinians. Israel and Hamas – the terrorist group that controls Gaza – remain engaged in battle following Hamas’ brutal surprise attack on Israel more than six months ago.

During the rally, cries of “death to America” erupted, as well as cries of “death to Israel.”

I find that damn offensive.

According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), activist Tarek Bazzi began the event in Dearborn by asking the crowd to pray for “the victory of the resistance” and called Israel a “satanic and unholy cancer.”

Dearborn was not the only place where this anti-American rhetoric was trumpeted. Similar ugly protests took place across the country on April 5, including in New York and several cities in Texas.

I want to focus on Dearborn, however, because of the political forces at play. Michigan’s governor. Gretchen Whitmer is a rising Democratic star who many view as future White House material. His own ambitions are obvious. A new memoir released this summer (“True Gretch”) will help set the stage for a greater national presence.

That’s why it’s remarkable that Whitmer remained silent on the “Death to America” ​​slogans at the Dearborn protest. More than a week after the event, she said nothing about it.

She took the time to mark the end of Ramadan with this tweet to Michigan Muslims on Tuesday: “Eid Mubarak, Michigan. I hope you and your families had a good Ramadan. May you all have a blessed Eid and come together to celebrate all that makes our communities strong and our state even stronger.

Why has Whitmer remained silent about the high-profile comments made in her state — comments so clearly unacceptable that even the White House condemned them? Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment on her position.

Anti-Arab hatred is bad, just like anti-American hatred.

In February, Whitmer had no problem weighing shortly afterward, the Wall Street Journal published an opinion column with a headline claiming that Dearborn was “America’s Jihad Capital.”

She, like President Joe Biden, was quick to condemn the opinion piece calling it Islamophobic and hateful.

Why can’t Whitmer express herself the same way now? Admittedly, the mayor of Dearborn and other Arab American leaders have spoken out against these chants.

Biden faces protests: Biden tries to shed the epithet ‘Genocide Joe,’ but that may be the problem that’s sinking him

But Whitmer isn’t the only high-profile politician remaining silent in the face of scandals happening in her own backyard.

So is U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat. It is not a surprise. Tlaib was censured by her House colleagues for her anti-Israel rhetoric after the October 7 terrorist attacks launched from Gaza against Israel.

The recent rally in Dearborn went viral after the Middle East Media Research Institute posted a video last weekend on X, formerly Twitter. It was the executive director of that organization who wrote the Journal op-ed that Whitmer and other Democrats found so offensive.

It’s all about the presidential election

What’s really happening here is focused on the November presidential election. As vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, Whitmer is committed to delivering Michigan to Biden (although I think she’d rather be the one running).

Biden is in deep trouble among many Democrats because of his support for Israel. This is especially true for Arab Americans in Michigan.

Gaza is redefining the Christian vote. Biden and Trump better listen.

It’s to the point that chants of “Genocide Joe” have haunted Biden during numerous campaign appearances.

Grassroots campaigning ahead of Michigan’s Democratic primary in February encouraged Democrats to vote “no strings attached” rather than for Biden. In Dearborn and several other cities, uncommitted candidates received more votes than Biden. Statewide, the uncommitted effort received 13.2 percent of the vote, or more than 101,000 votes.

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In a battleground state like Michigan, that number could easily determine the outcome of the conflict in November. So Whitmer needs to tread carefully with these voters.

But come on.

It is scandalous to hear chants of “death to America” in our own country. If Whitmer truly has White House ambitions, she should prove she has the strength to stand up for what’s right, even if it costs her party votes.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques

You can read various opinions from our committee of contributors and other authors on the front page of Opinion, on Twitter. @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan protesters chanted ‘Death to America.’ Why is Whitmer silent?