Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism for a city map that allegedly omits Italian representation, sparking accusations of ethnic bias.
The critique suggests that Mamdani's actions are not isolated incidents but are rooted in his "cultural Marxist" worldview, which the author interprets as dividing society into "oppressor versus oppressed" based on race rather than class. This perspective, the author argues, leads to a dismissal of the historical experiences of groups like Italian Americans and Jewish people.
The article posits that Mamdani's views are influenced by his academic background in Africana Studies and his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a professor known for his work on critical theory. This ideology, according to the critique, frames the Italian American experience as a "lie" and overlooks their historical struggles and eventual assimilation and prosperity in New York City.
Specific examples cited include mayoral appointees making controversial statements. One appointee reportedly described homeownership as a "weapon of white supremacy," while another, the chief equity officer, allegedly expressed disdain for white liberal women and suggested government taxation. Furthermore, the mayor's wife is mentioned as having referred to the Oct. 7 events as a "mass rape hoax," and the mayor himself has not disavowed the slogan "globalize the intifada."
The author contrasts this with the historical experience of Italian immigrants who arrived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from impoverished regions of Southern Italy. These immigrants, often not considered "white" at the time and lacking welfare support, built communities and prospered through hard work. The article cites the example of baseball legend Yogi Berra, whose family settled in an Italian enclave in St. Louis known as "Dago Hill," and notes that early labor advertisements paid Italians less than white or Black workers.
The piece argues that Italian Americans, through their own efforts, achieved upward mobility, with family members contributing to city infrastructure and eventually entering professional fields. This narrative of self-reliance and assimilation is presented as being at odds with the "collectivism" championed by Mamdani, who is quoted as favoring "the warmth of collectivism" over "the frigidity of rugged individualism."
This historical narrative, the author contends, is being erased by those who adhere to a worldview that seeks to rewrite history and "cleanse their story from the history books" to construct a new narrative.