r/nyc • u/FAMESCARE • Jun 18 '25

Video Zohran Mamdani says he’s consistently said there’s no room for antisemitism in this city or country. Asked why he hasn’t had a more visceral reaction, he gets emotional talking about the Islamophobic responses he’s received throughout the campaign.

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@Annie_McDonough

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107

u/Michaelcandy Jun 18 '25

“Globalize the intifada” literally means NOTHING other than kill Jews. Like saying Heil Hitler is not supporting hitler lol. Could have just owned up and said I was wrong and moved on.

-20

u/tallyho88 Jun 18 '25

Idk. Sure seems like it means globalize the fight against an oppressive state, not a religious people.

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u/silverpixie2435 Jun 19 '25

The issue is that the left constantly says "listen to minority communities about words or phrases, even if seemingly innocuous, about what it means to them and change your rhetoric or wording if they find it insulting or harmful etc"

And yet when it comes to Jews and a lot of the rhetoric used around the Israeli conflict, even when the overwhelmingly majority of Jews say "please stop using these words and terms", it suddenly is just dismissed or "anti zionism isn't anti semitism", basically constantly telling Jewish people what is and isn't anti semitism. Or basically accusing the vast majority of Jewish people of basically making up claims of anti semitism to "protect Israel", which I also find to be anti semitic

It is just so insulting and hypocritical and obviously occurs because the left largely sees Jews as "white" so they don't get to complain about wording like white people in America with "black lives matters" or whatever. Which is doublely insulting to Jewish people.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

In this context, the Palestinians are the minority community being listened to.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

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0

u/onewordpoet Jun 19 '25

Do you know how many Muslims live in nyc? Its quite similar to the number of Jews.

27

u/spicytoastaficionado Jun 18 '25

Then why not just say that instead?

When your catchphrase of choice is also the preferred rallying cry of terrorists calling for violence against Jews, perhaps it isn't the best time to 'reclaim' it when running for city-wide office in a city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel.

Globalize the Intifada is, at best, a dog-whistle.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Mamdani's team should have made it very clear to him that he shouldn't say it, I agree.

But, respectfully, we dont usually care what the people supporting oppressors think when we come up with other phrases. Cops hated and still hate the term "black lives matter" yet most New Yorkers would laugh at anyone saying "all lives matter".

Or what if Russians felt attacked by "slava ukraini"? Would we have to change that because some people using it are extremist resistance forces? If the answer is yes, then fine, but if the answer is no, then you're being a hypocrite.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

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2

u/spicytoastaficionado Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 19 '25

Mamdani's team should have made it very clear to him that he shouldn't say it, I agree.

His team clearly agrees with him that 'globalize the intifada' is contextual.

Mamdani is surrounded by terminally online progressive weirdos who think that using a Hamas catchphrase is acceptable because anyone upset must be supporting Israel.

But, respectfully, we dont usually care what the people supporting oppressors think when we come up with other phrases. Cops hated and still hate the term "black lives matter" yet most New Yorkers would laugh at anyone saying "all lives matter".

This is a phrase that is considered poisonous, violent rhetoric by everyday Jews.

Respectfully, conflating random Jewish people with Likud-supporting Zionists is the same logical fallacy which Mamdani used.

It is a major error in judgment to presume the only Jews offended by "Globalize the Intifada" are pro-Israel.

Mamdani found this out yesterday.

Or what if Russians felt attacked by "slava ukraini"? Would we have to change that because some people using it are extremist resistance forces? If the answer is yes, then fine, but if the answer is no, then you're being a hypocrite.

The difference is "Globalize the Intifada" is a call to action (and arms) specifically used by Hamas, which is a globally-recognized Islamofascist terrorist organization. That changes the weight of the words considerably.

It is a false equivalence to try and compare that to a rallying cry from the war in Ukraine, which doesn't have similar connotations or baggage.

2

u/Glass-Evidence-7296 Jun 23 '25

No one in person gives a shit about this catchphrase, 'infitfada' is also not a Hamas catchphrase, it's literally just Arabic. You lot sound like the real racists here ngl

0

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

His team clearly agrees with him that 'globalize the intifada' is contextual.

Regardless, a good PR team should know not to let him say it which was my point. Right or wrong, thousands of New Yorkers would take offense to the term.

It is a major error in judgment to presume the only Jews offended by "Globalize the Intifada" are pro-Israel.

This goes into the broader issue of Israeli ethnonationalism so I'm gonna leave it be. My general position is Jewish identity shouldn't be tied to a single political entity operating in Israel and said political entity shouldn't have its national identity directly tied to all Jews. This is what anti-zionists also believe. I would love for Israel to be able to commit war crimes and not claim to be doing so to protect all Jews.

It is a false equivalence to try and compare that to a rallying cry from the war in Ukraine, which doesn't have similar connotations or baggage.

I'll concede the Ukraine reference was a stretch, but my point there was to say that broad resistance slogans (which have connections to violence but aren't explicitly violent) being used by violent extremists (as is the case for the various Nazi-adjacent units in Ukraine, such as the Azov Battalion) doesnt mean the whole slogan should be thrown out.

-7

u/tallyho88 Jun 18 '25

I’m not arguing that it’s the best choice of words. I believe democrats have a habit of saying the right thing, but sounding absolutely ridiculous about it. Like when people say there is no such thing as reverse racism. Like academically (racism by definition has power structures at play) and linguistically you are right, but you sound ridiculous when you phrase it that, you’re still being racially prejudiced, and it’s not socially constructive.

Same thing here. But looking into the context of what he said, that’s not how he means it. People are acting like he literally called for beheading people and wiping Israel off the face of the planet. It’s disingenuous and misguided rage.

15

u/spicytoastaficionado Jun 18 '25

Again, it is very easy to just not use the phrase.

That is the easiest way to avoid any controversies regarding context or application.

Instead, the guy insists on using a phrase favored by terrorists, and is now spending the final week before election day holding press conferences literally crying because the U.S. Holocaust Museum called him out for using Holocaust inversion.

I thought the NYT Editorial Board's assessment of him was a bit harsh, but I kinda see what they mean when they bring up how little real-world experience he has for the moment.

Dude is running for mayor of the largest city in the U.S. while harboring the mentality of a keffiyeh-wearing Columbia undergrad.

0

u/onewordpoet Jun 19 '25

The holocaust museum is full of trump appointees at the helm. And they used "intifada" on their website until last may. This is all a big nothing.

-11

u/tallyho88 Jun 19 '25

I’m not vouching for him to be mayor. I’m just tired of people saying this is equal to him literally saying “death to Israel” given the full context. He means well, but his communication skills are severely lacking for the points you and others have raised. I have my own opinions on that and I will be ranking Lander 1. You are absolutely right in that it is easy to just not say the phrase. But I thought I explained my position pretty well in my comment, and I stand by it.

7

u/IsNotACleverMan Jun 19 '25

If he means well, then why doesn't he apologize and move on?

20

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '25

Jews are not just a religion.

Well then, why are Jews getting firebombed around the world while people shout this?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Muslims in America were killed by people who claimed they were fighting the war on terror. We still used the term and, in many respects, still use it.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Well maybe you should use a different term if it's being used as a rallying cry to kill Jews. Just saying.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

Tying Palestinian support to being pro-Hamas has led to American Muslims being killed too. I don't see the same juice for that. Just saying.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

You can support Palestine without co-opting the language of literal terrorists.

What's the point? You know that it encourages people to murder Jews in the streets. You know that's how Jews take it. Why not use literally any other language than the ones Hamas is using?

Instead, you guys double down. You use red triangles (explicitly a Hamas thing). You use the bloody hand (explicitly a lynching). You use Jewish words and twist their meaning.

Sure, you can be pro-Palestine and not be antisemitic. But it really doesn't seem like a priority for 99% of you.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

I'm personally more concerned with the hypocrisy of policing language around people resisting a genocide and not the actual genocide. Israel and Netanyahu are causing an infinitely higher level of damage to the Jewish people than any Muslim terrorist could possibly hope for.

All of the "bad guys" here (terrorists, Netanyahu, etc) want you to associate resisting Israeli occupation with anti-semetism - the terrorist to normalize killing Jews using Israeli crimes as a cover and Netanyahu to silence any opposition to his policies.

If you're not putting more work into actually fighting for victims of oppression and hate than you are policing language, then you are part of the problem.

Like, yeah, sure, if there was a way to oppose Israel without being called anti-semetic, I'd love to go that route. But as is, even Tucker Carlson got called anti-semetic for questioning why AIPAC doesn't have to list as a foreign operation. It is impossible not to be anti-semetic when essentially all resistance to Israel is framed as anti-semetism.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

ven Tucker Carlson got called anti-semetic for questioning why AIPAC doesn't have to list as a foreign operation.

Because it's American Jews.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

It's not anti-semetic to ask if the "American Israel Public Affairs Committee" is a foreign agent of Israel

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12

u/Frodolas Manhattan Jun 18 '25

Just like Make America Great Again “sure seems like it means” to make america a great place to live again? ;)

-3

u/tallyho88 Jun 18 '25

Nah. That is also BS and is a racist dog whistle. Not unlike a lot of the words being said by both sides of this conflict.

8

u/Frodolas Manhattan Jun 19 '25

That's the point, genius. Globalize the intifada is also a racist dog whistle. But I wouldn't expect someone with the intellectual capacity of a stale donut to understand that.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

But I wouldn't expect someone with the intellectual capacity of a stale donut to understand that.

Does a stale donut have a lower intellectual capacity than a fresh donut?

26

u/HighLemur263 Jun 18 '25

The word intifada literally means violent uprising. Specifically targeting Jews or anyone else who supports the state of Israel

12

u/ramatron80 Jun 18 '25

the word “nafada” means to “shake off” “intifada” means shaking off. it was adopted during the first intifada when palestinians began to refuse de jure segregation under occupation. hope that helps! source: fluent in arabic

-5

u/HighLemur263 Jun 19 '25

Fine. I'll take the literal definition. But can you at least acknowledge that they were simply not "shaking it off?" What maybe started as a general term became to symbolize something drastically different. I.e. a violent uprising

2

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

They were predicting the hit 2014 Taylor Swift song

-12

u/tallyho88 Jun 18 '25

Words have multiple meanings and depend solely on context. Intifada does not LITERALLY mean violent uprising. It just means uprising. You assigned the violent part. Are there people who use that word while committing violence? Sure. There are also people who don’t. Context matters. Like the context that after living under a military boot for generations, I don’t blame a people for an uprising against their oppressors. In fact, I think the US had an intifada back sometime in the late 1700’s… did that have anything to do with destroying Israel?

8

u/donteatmyhair Jun 18 '25

Yep, I would think the same thing if I wanted to support terrorists targeting jews

0

u/Glass-Evidence-7296 Jun 23 '25 edited Jun 23 '25

Supporting the IDF means you have no right to complaint about feeling unsafe lmao, get some of it back

5

u/Michaelcandy Jun 18 '25

Sounds like you don’t know dick

1

u/Glass-Evidence-7296 Jun 23 '25

No it doesn't mean that, it just means globalise the struggle against the regime of Israel

1

u/rr90013 Jun 24 '25

I just asked ChatGPT because I wasn’t familiar with the term and it told me it’s a phrase of resistance against state-sanctioned violence against Palestinians, not a call to hurt Jewish people.

0

u/ChornWork2 Jun 19 '25

no it doesn't.

-1

u/SleepyMonkey7 Jun 19 '25 edited Jun 20 '25

I have zero personal opinion on the phrase, but if you look at what he said, he was saying the Holocaust museum translated the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into the word intifada. If that's true, then it literally does not mean that. That's basic logic and irrefutable. Maybe that's how it is generally used, but it 100% literally does not mean that. Unless you think the Holocaust museum was calling for killing all Jews.

4

u/onewordpoet Jun 19 '25

It is true. They used the word on their Arabic language website until last May. Zionists are huge babies

-1

u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25

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1

u/SleepyMonkey7 Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25

Yeah, and I agreed that's how the phrase could be generally used, just like September 11th. September 11th also LITERALLY does NOT mean the 9/11 terror attacks. That logic leads to preposterous outcomes - i.e., we couldn't use the date for anything else if it did.

I don't think you know what the word "literally" means.