Last week, a New York Times report on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s pointed criticism of Israel included this curious clarification: “Izzy Gardon, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom, said that the governor ‘believes in Israel’s right to exist—and its right to defend itself.’” Given this statement, I feel it is appropriate to affirm that I believe that Gavin Newsom also has the right to exist, and I further believe that California itself has the right to exist. And the right to defend itself,