Dershowitz: Why I Registered as a Republican

I'm a consistently boring person.

Since my high school years, my politics, my principles, ideology and values have been the same.

I'm a traditional liberal, civil libertarian, and civil rights advocate. I support equality, meritocracy, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and intellectual diversity.

I have not changed.

But the world around me has changed dramatically, requiring me to switch from being a Democrat critical of the Democrats to becoming a Republican.

Even as recently as 10 years ago I couldn’t have imagine myself uttering the words "I am a Republican."

But recent events have pushed me away from the Democratic party and toward what I regard as the lesser of two evils – the deeply flawed but far better Republican Party

I still support much of the Democratic platform, especially with regard to domestic and social issues, such as abortion, immigration, separation of church from state and fair taxation.

But I cannot abide the dramatic shift of the Democratic leadership and much of its base away from its support for Israel and other critical foreign policy issues.

So if I could put an asterisk next to my registration form for the Republican party, it would say "foreign policy Republican."

But registration forms require selection of one party over the other.

After I announced I was leaving the Democratic Party in 2024, for a short time, I became an independent.

But I soon realized that it was something of a cop out.

Moreover as an independent I had no influence over either party.

As a registered Republican and contributing to its candidates, I hope to be able to exercise some influence over some of its policies with which I disagree.

This is a question of priorities – for me and for our country.

The Democratic party has become the most anti-Israel party in modern history.

It openly embraces antisemitism.

And this comes at a time when Jews are the most discriminated against and attacked group around the world.

Accordingly, anyone who regards themselves as a liberal, civil libertarian and civil rights advocate must prioritize opposition to anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

You cannot join the crowds shouting anti-Israel and anti-Semitic slogans -- nor can you stand by in silence as these thugs gain more power within the Democratic Party.

Good people must prioritize support for Jews and their nation-state at this time.

That is why I have decided to register as a Republican, ending my long association with the Democratic party and no longer describing myself as an independent.

At this time of increasing attacks on one group and one nation, staying “independent” is not an option for me.

I will lose even more friends than I did for defending President Trump’s constitutional rights.

Already I am getting emails, texts and calls from people urging me to reconsider my affiliation with a party that advocates many positions with which I disagree.

But I have made a choice – a difficult but necessary one.

Until the Democrat’s gain their sanity, I will do everything in my power to try to prevent the current Democratic party from taking control of the House, the Senate and the Presidency.

And I will choose to join the Republican Party because today it stands strong on some of the gravest issues facing America and the world. 

Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter professor of law emeritus at Harvard Law School and the author most recently of "Could President Trump Serve a Third Term?" Read more Alan Dershowitz Insider articles — Click Here Now.

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