Zohran Mamdani Shows Democrats How Not to Take the Bait
Zohran Mamdani Shows Democrats How Not to Take the Bait
By refusing to capitulate on "globalize the intifada," Mamdani rejected a long tradition of demonizing Arabic language.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/32988812
Yousef Munayyer
July 10 2025, 6:30 a.m[excellent article, with very interesting background on the word "initifada"]
"In the days before the primary, Mamdani was asked repeatedly about the slogan “globalize the intifada” on the assumption that because he has spoken out against Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, he should have to answer for the protest cry. He said that he had not used it himself, but he didn’t cede rhetorical territory to the political establishment by condemning the phrase. Rather than take the bait, Mamdani made clear that many take “globalize the intifada” as a call to demand Palestinian equal rights, and that he doesn’t see it as his role to police speech. "
As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s - when intifada meant angry people in checkered scarfs with RPGs - I have come to realize that the intifada is not against Jews but against colonialism.
Intifada - انتفاضة simply is the Arabic word for rebellion or uprising.
The uprising of the Jews against the Nazis in the Warsaw ghetto is the انتفاضة غيتو وارسو romanized (roughly): intifada ghytow warsaw