Miracles are rare things. But this summer, at a local Panera Bread, I was part of one.
We sat down for an hour with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California). When I say “we,” I mean a group of seven New Hampshire advocates working tirelessly to end the violence in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran and the greater West Asia region. That single hour was not just a meeting; it was a reminder of what democratic engagement should look like — and how far we have fallen from that ideal.
To understand why this felt miraculous, you must understand the baseline. Over the last two years, I have traveled to Washington D.C. at least five times. In none of those trips was I granted an in-person meeting with my own member of Congress. Nor do my members generally hold town halls when they are back in New Hampshire. The usual experience for New Hampshire constituents who care about ending war and violence, in West Asia especially, is avoidance by our members.
Rep. Khanna offered something entirely different. He spoke openly about his recent visit to Palestine, sharing observations that upend AIPAC and other donor talking points. He expressed gratitude for our advocacy work. Perhaps most strikingly, he did not shy away from the truth. He called the situation in Gaza what international law and every major human rights organization has defined it: genocide.
This stands in sharp contrast to Rep. Chris Pappas and other New Hampshire members of Congress who rarely, if ever, hold court in my state. Too often, they parrot AIPAC and related donor talking points or remain silent. They speak of humanitarian aid while continuing to fund war — sending billions in bombs and bullets while ignoring the root cause: the denial of self-determination for the Palestinian people.
Throughout our one-hour meeting, Rep. Khanna did not sound like a typical politician. He sounded like a human being committed to pragmatism and moral clarity. He asked a lot of questions and responded to our inquiries, requests and suggestions. It was a two-way conversation.
Now, I am aware that no politician is perfect. I am still getting to know Rep. Khanna, and his broader legislative record. Democracy requires scrutiny, not blind loyalty. Yet, I cannot overlook the significant bipartisan work he has undertaken alongside Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Together, they have fought for transparency regarding the Epstein files, pushed back against unchecked military spending in the National Defense Authorization Act, and worked to stop both the flow of U.S. taxpayer funded military aid to and the merging of our military industrial complex with that of Israel.
Most importantly, Rep. Khanna has used his platform to highlight realities that many prefer to ignore. His willingness to speak about his recent experiences in the West Bank mirrors the daily reality faced by all Palestinians.
Going forward, as Rep. Khanna continues to speak about his experience in Palestine, I intend to amplify his words in support of ending the ongoing and worsening nightmare across West Asia.
This experience reinforced a fundamental belief: democracy is not a spectator sport. It is an everyday act.
I live in New Hampshire, a state historically renowned for citizen engagement. This reputation and our first in the nation primary draws politicians here, giving us a unique opportunity to talk face-to-face, to demand accountability and to remind them who holds the power.
But this privilege comes with responsibility. We need to be more engaged, not less. We need to work harder for a better future, demanding leaders who listen rather than lecture, who engage not avoid, who seek truth rather than comfort and who prioritize humanity over special interests.
That’s what this is all about. After an hour of real conversation, I felt a glimmer of hope that it might be possible.
Thank you to Rep. Ro Khanna for showing up, for listening and for demonstrating that democracy can mean something when we refuse to accept the status quo.
Karina Quintans is a marketing and communications specialist living in Portsmouth.