Why Voting Any Blue will do…unless the name is Zohran Mamdani…and the candidate could become Mayor of New York City
The exception preferred by Zionists…including Benjamin Netanyahu, revolves around the position one holds on the current actions of Israel in regard to the Palestinian people.
If you are on the same side of the Mamdani for Mayor issue as Benjamin Netanyahu, and you oppose the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, you may want to take a closer look at the position you hold. As a Green, this article is somewhat difficult for me to write, because voting for Democrats is not something I want to do, but I also do not support campaigning on false issues, as some of the Democrats have been wont to do, or stooping to inappropriate stereotypes to advance others’ campaigns and try to disparage the campaign of a candidate who could become New York City’s first Muslim mayor. It is sickening to see both Trump and Netanyahu talking about Mamdani’s victory as a victory for “communism” and something that should terrify all New Yorkers. I hope this rhetoric backfires and that those of us calling for change in the way politics is done in the U.S. can learn some lessons from what transpired here.
In addition, also as a Green, I have seen too many hypocrites in U.S. politics, so I feel a responsibility to call it out especially when it’s so obvious and when it’s caused primarily by one issue and one issue only, that of “loyalty” to Israel. I’ve also been victimized by the same type of rhetoric when I ran for governor of New Jersey in 2021. While not nearly as popular as Mamdani, it was painfully obvious to me that people running to set the state of New Jersey’s agenda spent all together too much time trying to outdo one another to show their “loyalty” to Israel. While I was uncomfortable about that in 2021 because of many of Israel’s policies then, I am even more uncomfortable today, given the on-going brutal genocide taking place in an occupied and apartheid state of occupied Palestine and current articulated plans by both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump to ethnically cleanse the strip, to annex the occupied West Bank and to find “willing partners” to take in Palestinian refugees, Palestinians who don’t want to leave their homeland.
The victory of Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic Party primaries in New York City last month (June 24th) sparked much praise and much controversy from within the Democratic Party. Yes, some people don’t like the fact that he is not already a part of the Democratic Party elite. And some have even blown the cover off their mantra of “Vote Blue, No Matter Who”, with their criticisms of the Mamdani campaign.
It’s not just that he is a democratic socialist, with the word “socialism” still making some people nervous. It’s also because he hasn’t shown sufficient acquiescence to the agenda of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Many have argued that AIPAC should be registered as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) because it can be seen as lobbying on behalf of a foreign government, Israel. But, according to an article in Common Dreams by Jake Johnson on August 28th, 2024, AIPAC had already spent more than $100 million on the U.S. elections. The exact figure after the November 7th was tough to find, but it was at least $125 million.
According to the OpenSecrets.org website, U.S. Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand, received more money from AIPAC and individuals who are part of AIPAC than any other lobbying organization. When Mamdani won the primary, her voice was one of the first and loudest voices criticizing him. However, she was compelled to apologize after distorting his position about “globalizing the intifada.”
These very same criticisms continue to be made by others today as the Hill from July 9th, 2025 quotes Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) using some of the very same arguments. She adds that at a time of “rising anti-Semitism” he would be a “dangerous voice” as New York City mayor. She also criticizes him for favoring the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement (BDS) and for not hesitating to call Israel an apartheid state.
Mamdani’s position is one that resonates with a lot of young voters today, voters who understand that not criticizing Israel’s policies is part of what has led to the genocide of Palestinians we see today. But Democrats like Schultz in Florida, and Gillibrand in New York, whose largest funding block is AIPAC, continue to warn about Mamdani’s positions and his impact on New York City should he be elected mayor. Clearly, though, if one follows the money, for both Gillibrand and for Schultz, it leads back to the powerful AIPAC lobby, continuing its efforts to not only influence, but dictate U.S. politics.
It would seem that, in today’s polarized world, it is incumbent for candidates to learn how to talk to their constituents and to reflect back what their constituents want. Understanding the concerns of both Jewish people and Muslims in New York City would be key in bringing New York City together. It remains to be seen, of course, if Mamdani could cut through all the stereotypes and the fear fostered by AIPAC and others. But it would be refreshing to see him try.
Even more importantly, Mamdani’s platform (remember those?), at least in rhetoric, seems to address the needs of working people, not AIPAC. He talks about affordable rents, free public transportation, city-owned grocery stores, protecting the immigrant community and more issues that would benefit the working class. He actually took the time to talk to people throughout the city.
Perhaps that frightens the establishment elites even more than Mamdani’s position on the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. His position is one held by millions of people around the world. It’s time that our politicians begin to show that they understand that and stop acting like only billionaires matter.
