Sure. That explains why someone might care more about the opinion of the mayor of New York more than the mayor of Albuquerque. But it doesn't explain why anyone should care at all.
Sure. That explains why someone might care more about the opinion of the mayor of New York more than the mayor of Albuquerque. But it doesn't explain why anyone should care at all.
I guess it depends what you mean by “anyone.” New York Jews care a great deal. Nationally, I think a lot of people are alarmed at the perception (right or wrong) that an anti-Semite might become the leader of the most powerful city in the country.
If Mamdani were an anti-Semite, that would indeed disqualify him from being the leader of a city with a million and a half Jews — or even just one. Is he though? If he were not Muslim, if he were some generic white liberal saying the same things, would anyone who isn't crazy think that he's anti-Semitic in any way that could remotely impact New Yorkers? Isn't it actually pretty anti-Semitic to associate all Jews, even those who live thousands of miles away across an ocean, with the current leaders of Israel?
To be clear, I am not saying that is my personal opinion. There were some very strong reactions to him referencing a “global intifada” in his conversation with Tim, with some seeing that as a clear antisemitic dog whistle.
I don’t have enough knowledge about the historical context for the first and second intifada to have an opinion either way. I’m just explaining what I’ve seen expressed elsewhere.
As for your question about associating Jews in New York with Israel, it sounds like you are not from New York. There are sizable orthodox and Hasidic Jewish communities in New York that do indeed have strong ties and affinities with Israel. Even more liberal Jews might not feel comfortable with a candidate who they think is speaking in antisemitic dog whistles.
I do think legitimate criticism of Israel or sympathy for Palestinians is often hard to tease apart from veiled antisemitism, and the same is true for Islamophobia disguised as pro-Israel rhetoric. Unfortunately it makes both sides less willing to give the benefit of the doubt to each other.
I understand where you're coming from. I'm not from New York, but I grew up in a town even more Jewish than New York (by percentage). I have known lots of Jews with close ties to Israel — including many Israelis. But that part about the conflation of criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism is kind of an aside, even though I really wonder how it would come across if he were, say, a Hispanic woman from the Bronx who used to be a bartender, rather than Muslim of Indian ancestry born in Uganda.
Because even if you were to decide that Mamdani thinks Israel shouldn't exist — something he has specifically refuted, but something I have heard very reasonable Muslims from the Middle East say to me, personally — then maybe that's bad, maybe it's anti-Semitism, but I do wonder what relevance it has to the role of New York mayor in particular.
Sure. That explains why someone might care more about the opinion of the mayor of New York more than the mayor of Albuquerque. But it doesn't explain why anyone should care at all.
I guess it depends what you mean by “anyone.” New York Jews care a great deal. Nationally, I think a lot of people are alarmed at the perception (right or wrong) that an anti-Semite might become the leader of the most powerful city in the country.
If Mamdani were an anti-Semite, that would indeed disqualify him from being the leader of a city with a million and a half Jews — or even just one. Is he though? If he were not Muslim, if he were some generic white liberal saying the same things, would anyone who isn't crazy think that he's anti-Semitic in any way that could remotely impact New Yorkers? Isn't it actually pretty anti-Semitic to associate all Jews, even those who live thousands of miles away across an ocean, with the current leaders of Israel?
To be clear, I am not saying that is my personal opinion. There were some very strong reactions to him referencing a “global intifada” in his conversation with Tim, with some seeing that as a clear antisemitic dog whistle.
I don’t have enough knowledge about the historical context for the first and second intifada to have an opinion either way. I’m just explaining what I’ve seen expressed elsewhere.
As for your question about associating Jews in New York with Israel, it sounds like you are not from New York. There are sizable orthodox and Hasidic Jewish communities in New York that do indeed have strong ties and affinities with Israel. Even more liberal Jews might not feel comfortable with a candidate who they think is speaking in antisemitic dog whistles.
I do think legitimate criticism of Israel or sympathy for Palestinians is often hard to tease apart from veiled antisemitism, and the same is true for Islamophobia disguised as pro-Israel rhetoric. Unfortunately it makes both sides less willing to give the benefit of the doubt to each other.
I understand where you're coming from. I'm not from New York, but I grew up in a town even more Jewish than New York (by percentage). I have known lots of Jews with close ties to Israel — including many Israelis. But that part about the conflation of criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism is kind of an aside, even though I really wonder how it would come across if he were, say, a Hispanic woman from the Bronx who used to be a bartender, rather than Muslim of Indian ancestry born in Uganda.
Because even if you were to decide that Mamdani thinks Israel shouldn't exist — something he has specifically refuted, but something I have heard very reasonable Muslims from the Middle East say to me, personally — then maybe that's bad, maybe it's anti-Semitism, but I do wonder what relevance it has to the role of New York mayor in particular.