From Hope to Hate: The Reaction to Zohran Mamdani
After Mr. Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo, right-wing media's reaction has been a mix of fear and prejudice. It is a disgusting display.
Islamophobic propaganda is spreading yet again. This time targeting the victor of the New York Democratic Mayoral Primary, Zohran Mamdani. Such a disgusting current of prejudice is not only unacceptable, but it is dangerous. It must be opposed and called out if we are to have an egalitarian and peaceful future.
Bigotry Incoming
While Islamophobia is nothing new in the United States, it is disheartening to see how far it spreads and how blatant it is. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted an image of the Statue of Liberty with a burqa over it, captioned, "This hits hard." Nor was she the only one posting such nonsense. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Tex) posted a video in which he critiqued Mamdani's eating style, saying, "Civilized people in America don’t eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World."
I doubt I need to say this, but telling a Muslim man to go back to where he came from and using such terms as "the Third World" to do so is bigoted, especially for such a ridiculous 'crime' of eating with hands. However, ridiculous and bigoted have become the standard for Republican operatives.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) went even further, attacking Mr. Mamdani's right to be in the country at all. In a post, Rep. Ogles referred to Mr. Mandani as "little Muhammad" and called him "an antisemitic, socialist, communist" who would destroy New York City before saying he should be deported. Mr. Mamdani is a U.S. citizen and has been a legal resident since he was 7 years old. In essence, Rep. Ogles is calling for the denaturalization and deportation of an American citizen based on prejudice and his fear of so-called communism; it is a blatant and racist attack on Mr. Mamdani's right to free speech by a member of Congress.
Nobody should be surprised by the racist and conspiratorial rhetoric; it has been a longstanding component of right-wing rhetoric. As Dr.
explained in his recent piece on these Islamophobic attacks:"Such malicious rhetoric should hardly come as a surprise given the reality that the current Republican Party is led by a commander-in-chief who has referred to immigrants as “animals,” claimed that “they’re poisoning the blood of our country,” and remarked to a radio host that they commit murder because “it’s in their genes.”"
The influencers and leadership of the right wing have no qualms whatsoever about imposing scientific racism into the conversation, much less following a man who, for the last decade, has appealed to the worst impulses of the body politic. Theirs is a politics of degradation and dehumanization.
Why it Matters
The right wing has no interest in focusing on the merits of Mamdani's policy platform because appealing to prejudice is far easier. Whether or not you agree with Mr. Mamdani is irrelevant. What matters is that the right is seeking to use the power of the state to enact controls on people's speech and is using fear and hatred to justify it. They are more than willing to undermine the public good, reinforce age-old lies about Muslims, and scare the American people, even as it contradicts their so-called love of free speech.
Let this be a reminder that no matter what, its fear of outsiders completely and utterly consumes the right, the Constitution be damned. Under no circumstances should we allow the GOP to tell us who they are. Rather, we should let them show us through their actions, and they certainly have done so here.
Bibliography
Congressman Brandon Gill [@RepBrandonGill]. “Civilized People in America Don’t Eat like This. If You Refuse to Adopt Western Customs, Go Back to the Third World.” Tweet. Twitter, June 30, 2025. https://x.com/RepBrandonGill/status/1939489434983883116.
Kelly, Conor. “Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo: A Blow to the Establishment.” Substack Newsletter. The Progressive American Report (blog), September 21, 2023. https://www.progressiveamerican.net/p/zohran-mamdani-beats-cuomo-a-blow.
Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 [@mtgreenee]. “This Hits Hard. Https://T.Co/YUrNTZW5lq.” Tweet. Twitter, June 25, 2025. https://x.com/mtgreenee/status/1937851484567195954.
Rep. Andy Ogles [@RepOgles]. “Zohran ‘Little Muhammad’ Mamdani Is an Antisemitic, Socialist, Communist Who Will Destroy the Great City of New York. He Needs to Be DEPORTED. Which Is Why I Am Calling for Him to Be Subject to Denaturalization Proceedings. Attached Is My Letter to @AGPamBondi. Https://T.Co/RWCZm67VOr.” Tweet. Twitter, June 26, 2025. https://x.com/RepOgles/status/1938301392416084150.
Saltonstall, Gus. “Before Zohran Mamdani Made Waves in NYC’s Mayoral Race, He Was A Kid Growing Up On the UWS.” News article. West Side Rag (blog), March 26, 2025. https://www.westsiderag.com/2025/03/26/before-zohran-mamdani-made-waves-in-nycs-mayoral-race-he-was-a-kid-growing-up-on-the-uws.
Watson, Elwood. “Zohran Mamdani.” Substack newsletter. Elwood’s Kitchen: Always Sizzling (blog), June 29, 2025.
Whisnant, Gabe, and Sonam Sheth. “House Republican Wants Zohran Mamdani Deported.” Newsweek, June 26, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/house-republican-wants-zohran-mamdani-deported-2091362.