"Two weeks ago, while I was canvassing for Zohran Mamdani in Brooklyn, a Jewish woman opened the door, saw my campaign flyers, pointed at the Mezuzah attached to her doorframe, and closed the door. If she had only given me a minute, I would have told her that I, too, am Jewish, and that I was born and raised in Israel. I would have explained why I support Mamdani, and why some of the things she has read about him aren't true."
"Yet, since Mamdani's decisive win in the June primary elections, the media and political establishment have fixated on one thing: his supposed antisemitism. Even now, when the campaign is almost over, journalists are badgering Mamdani about Israel. Rabbis are warning that New York will no longer be safe for Jews. Republicans and Democrats alike accuse him of " supporting global jihad" and " calling for violence against Jewish people." Some, like Mamdani's main opponent, Andrew Cuomo, have even insinuated that Mamdani would celebrate another 9/11."
"Earlier this summer, Democrats like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand were forced to apologize after it became obvious that they were, undoubtedly, lying about Mamdani's views. But the ease with which public figures jump to make up stories about Mamdani, while fully knowing that they're lying to the public, is concerning. Make no mistake-they're relying on people being so scared of a Muslim man that they'll happily believe all allegations of terrorism without any need for proof."
A Jewish canvasser born and raised in Israel was turned away by a voter after the voter saw campaign flyers and a mezuzah. Many Jewish residents support Zohran Mamdani for policies such as free childcare, rent freezes, free bus rides, and cheaper groceries. These policies respond to a rising affordability crisis similar to that in Tel Aviv. Media and political figures have focused on allegations of antisemitism and ties to violence, repeatedly questioning Mamdani about Israel. Prominent politicians falsely accused Mamdani and later apologized. Public figures exploit fear of a Muslim candidate, spreading Islamophobic lies without evidence.
Read at The Nation
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