Readers sound off on Jews for Mamdani, genocide scholars and shutdown apathy
Mamdani’s Jewish supporters are misinformed
Stony Brook, LI: There is a bitter irony in seeing “Jews for Mamdani” like Brad Lander rally behind a politician whose agenda trivializes Jewish concerns about Israel and anti-Semitism. These supporters – well-educated, ambitious, left-wing, often detached from Jewish life – think they are on the right side of history. This is not the case.
History has seen this performance before. In the 1930s, Jewish figures like Walter Lippmann and Arthur Hays Sulzberger were convinced that their adherence to moral universalism protected them from anti-Semitism. They confused social status with security, and allegiance with acceptance. Oh, how wrong they were. Today’s “good Jews”, eager to prove their universalism and sophistication, repeat the error. They consider themselves enlightened people who will not let ethnic identity cloud their judgment. When Zohran Mamdani calls Jewish fear a “moral panic,” they applaud his nuance. But nuance has its limits. Slogans like “From the river to the sea” are not metaphors for coexistence, but calls for erasure.
The mechanism is always the same: Jewish participation is welcomed, then Jewish concerns are dismissed as particularistic distractions. Eventually, the Jews themselves become suspect, their very identity marking them as obstacles to the cause. They ignore these warnings because recognizing them would require admitting that their sophisticated worldview offers no protection against ancient hatreds in modern clothing. Supporters will call this alarmist. Their predecessors said the same thing.
History has already conducted this experiment. The results were catastrophic. The intellectual vanity that mistakes detachment for virtue has never offered protection. Intellectuals and the Jewish elite of the 1930s could plead ignorance. Their successors cannot. Todd Pittinsky
A school case
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Many prominent opponents of Mamdani’s candidacy say he falsely accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza. However, Israeli Holocaust and genocide scholars Amos Goldberg, Omer Bartov, Daniel Blatman, Raz Segal, and Shmuel Lederman have all identified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Goldberg states: “What is happening in Gaza is genocide because the level and pace of indiscriminate killing, destruction, mass expulsions, displacement, starvation, executions, annihilation of cultural and religious institutions…and widespread dehumanization of Palestinians – create an overall picture of genocide, a deliberate and conscious crushing of Palestinian existence in Gaza. Other genocide scholars who have reached this conclusion include Martin Shaw, author of the book “What is Genocide?” », Melanie O’Brien, president of the International Association of Genocide Specialists; and Dirk Moses, editor of the Journal of Genocide Research. By rejecting credible evidence of genocide, the United States is betraying its promise of “never again.” Terry Hansen
Proven leader
Mineola, LI: Unless Andrew Cuomo makes a Trumanian comeback on November 4, Mamdani is poised to become Gotham’s 111th mayor. In addition to monopolizing the NYPD and eviscerating the private sector, the neophyte congressman will fan the flames of anti-Semitism with his incendiary rhetoric toward Israel. Mamdani was influenced by his parents’ anti-American ideology. Cuomo embraces and defends our history, from Christopher Columbus to Abraham Lincoln to Fiorello LaGuardia. The former governor may not be everyone’s cup of cappuccino, but Sheriff Andy is the only candidate who has the leadership abilities, administrative skills and political savvy to govern millions of his fellow New Yorkers. Although he lacks his father’s Ciceronian oratory, Cuomo is well versed in the art and practice of governance. Moreover, as a pugnacious and effective politician, he is imbued with much of Machiavelli’s virtue. Rosario A. Iaconis
Siphon votes
Manhattan: In 2000, Ralph Nader had no chance of winning the presidency with the Green Party candidacy. He nevertheless remained in the race until the end against Al Gore and George W. Bush. The election was held in Florida, where Nader received 97,421 votes. Without those votes, Gore lost to Bush by 537 votes, won that state’s 25 electoral votes, and became our 43rd president. Curtis Sliwa is poised to become the new Nader in New York City’s mayoral election this week. The ego is back in the saddle. If he stays in the race, which he has no chance of winning, he will likely deny Cuomo enough votes to beat Mamdani. Mamdani’s policies on public safety, Israel and taxes are beyond the purview of most New York voters. I hope Sliwa pulls through. Cary Goodman
Privileged victim
Bronx: Why is there an anti-Semitism law and no “anti” law for any other group? Why are they treated with this special designation? Others were also mistreated. This special treatment leads to more resentment towards them. Edwin Garcia
Go high-tech
Troy, NY: I think the solution to New York’s horse-drawn carriage problem is for the horse-drawn carriage industry to start using robotic/animatronic horse machines. I am convinced that cinema effects specialists can create realistic riding robots. No poop, no power (except electricity to recharge it) and easy boarding. Timothy affair
Money works
Hauppauge, LI: In response to spokesman Fred A. Stock and his Christian nationalist views from the land of religious ignorance (Florida) on the draining of the Washington DC swamps, he is right. With the pardon of crypto-criminal Binance who is in bed with the orange fascist’s own crypto company, we no longer have a Washington DC swamp – we have a sewer. Greg Arnold
A better future
East Meadow, LI: After President Trump finally admitted that, based on our Constitution, he would not be allowed to run in 2028, I can now hope to no longer see his smug face every day on the news. It’s always nice to have things to look forward to. Jeff Tuck
Prepare to fight
Rochdale Village: I just read SE Cupp’s article (“Donald Trump is not kidding about a third term”, October 31 column) and to be quite frank, I am scared to death. Thinking that we might have to endure a third Trump term makes me seriously want to consider leaving this country altogether. Mind you, this is not something I thought about lightly. Despite what you think, I love this country, but my love does not include blind obedience, as some factions of the Republican Party would like. If we are to thwart Trump in November 2028, now is the time to come together as a nation – one voice, one message united behind any candidate. In baseball, it’s three strikes and you’re out. Please don’t let the same thing happen to our great country. Carlos R. Edwards
Living above us
Bronx: Government shutdowns are painful under any circumstances, but lawmakers who are currently on vacation are paid by us, the taxpayers, while those in essential jobs are working without pay. And those who are on leave live without pay and risk being fired. Where have we arrived? I often wish I had a magic wand that would turn these politicians into poor and lower middle class people so that they could experience what ordinary people experience on a daily basis. Maybe they could start to understand what real life is like and think twice before pulling the stop lever. I’m grateful that food pantries exist, but in a country as wealthy as the United States, why would anyone go hungry? Or be homeless? Claudette Mobley
Eat their hearts
Manhattan: Trump gorges himself while denying SNAP benefits to hungry Americans. Junior dictator JD Vance smugly indulges his well-fed children while furloughed federal workers and DOGE rely on overflowing pantries. House Speaker Mike Johnson and his Republican Party aides are playing games with the government shutdown while their own constituents suffer. Every Republican and Democratic leader across the country should be asked, “What are you eating tonight?” » Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, “How was your breakfast today?” Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, chairman of the Agriculture Committee, and Minority Speaker Sen. Amy Klobuchar, “How many dishes will you serve for Thanksgiving?” » Every American can ask their representatives these questions, donate to their local food banks, and support local farms to feed our hungry brothers and sisters. To the rest of you: while you get drunk, may you vomit over the lies you tell yourselves. Susan Kain
