Standing in line for the “New York Is Not for Sale” rally at Forest Hills Stadium Sunday night meant coping with a gauntlet of Revolutionary Communists of America reps hawking their newspaper. The headline? “Sick of Capitalism: Gen Z Desires Revolution — Time to Arrange.”
It felt like Elaine Benes’ communist boyfriend Ned Isakoff had deliberate the festivities.
And whereas the rhetoric on stage wasn’t as explicitly commie, the occasion headlined by Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mamdani was a verbal bonfire of the wealthy. An admonishment of capitalism.
By no means thoughts that two of the featured audio system criss-cross the nation in personal jets. Nor that Mamdani himself is wealthy.
The largest bogeymen for this crowd had been two of the borough’s most distinguished sons: President Donald Trump and Mamdani’s mayoral rival Andrew Cuomo.
Any point out of them, or the phrase “billionaire,” and the place went wild — booing, hissing and chanting, “Tax the wealthy.“
“Saturday Night time Dwell” comic Sarah Sherman served as MC, and she or he cracked jokes in between introducing union leaders, together with a Starbucks barista who railed in opposition to that firm’s CEO, Brian Niccol: “His wealth comes on the expense of staff like me.”
Democratic Socialists of America members, together with State Senator Julia Salazar and Rep. Claire Valdez, urged viewers members to affix their ranks.
“Zohran didn’t come from nowhere — he got here from our motion,” mentioned Valdez, giving us a chilling reminder that Mamdani is a Malicious program ushering in all types of far, far left DSA insurance policies.
Then the “Resistance Revival Refrain” took the stage to sing their banger “Which Facet Are You On?” They had been joined by Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander who, sadly, danced alongside them like nobody was watching.
I immediately knew which aspect I used to be on — the one which doesn’t enable that goofy boob to affix the refrain.
AOC drew huge applause when she mentioned town was constructed by Irish folks fleeing famine, Italians escaping fascism, Jews searching for shelter after the Holocaust, and blacks escaping Jim Crow legal guidelines.
However there was no discuss of the good issues these folks achieved in New York Metropolis. Nothing concerning the Massive Apple being a spot the place ingenuity and grit are rewarded and nurtured.
The truth is, there was nothing about progress. Solely hitting the wealthy of their financial institution accounts.
Recent off revealing that his hijab-wearing aunt was the actual sufferer of 9/11 as a result of she allegedly acquired some soiled appears on the subway (although it’s not clear if he really had a hijab-wearing aunt within the metropolis), Mamdani took the stage to the kind of applause a rock star receives.
He frequently invoked the cash that others are spending in opposition to his marketing campaign.
Fortunately, the group was much more attention-grabbing. I met a father-daughter duo from Queens who had been attending their first rally. John, a retired federal agent, is a Republican fed up with MAGA and beginning to transfer within the course of his lefty daughter Rebecca, an actuary. I discovered their household outing charming, even when I disagree with their politics.
Social employee Grace Downs got here out due to considerations about affordability and healthcare. She informed me that “Zohran is charismatic and represents millennials.”
Lobbyist Andrea Benites confirmed up in a DIY model of AOC’s 2021 Met Gala gown, with “Tax the Wealthy” scrawled throughout the again.
I share a lot of their considerations about affordability. However neither socialism nor letting a novice nepo child run town is the answer.
Sanders primarily admitted as a lot in his speech, saying his younger acolyte “received’t have all of the solutions” — including that Mamdani would “want your assist each single day” if elected.
“Please do every part you may to work with Zohran to make him and his administration one of the best within the historical past of New York,” Bernie mentioned.
However isn’t that why we should always elect somebody who has expertise and understands the best way to make the machine of metropolis authorities hum? New Yorkers don’t must get up and take into consideration serving to a hapless socialist mayor. We now have sufficient to fret about.
We should elect somebody who is definitely prepared on Day One. Not a theater child who has been enjoying one throughout his marketing campaign.
