RetroFed
Zohran Mamdani rebukes Trumpism with pro-immigrant speech for US’s 250th birthday
MicroWavehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/03/zohran-mamdani-america-250-new-york
New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, exalted the city’s legacy of immigrants on Friday in a historically laden, ideological counterpoint to a US semiquincentennial address that was expected later in the day from Donald Trump – who has sought to deport immigrants en masse throughout his second presidency.
Speaking from behind a desk at New York’s city hall that belonged to the US’s first president, George Washington, and which itself is a century older than the Resolute desk in the White House, Mamdani was surrounded by naturalized citizens like himself as he listed the waves of immigrants who shaped the city.
“Hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants arrived with stomachs aching from a famine manufactured by imperial cruelty,” Mamdani said. “Chinese sailors settled in what is today Chinatown. Millions more traveled under the Statue of Liberty and through Ellis Island. Jewish people escaping pogroms, Italians fleeing poverty. Syrians seeking economic opportunity.
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“My fellow Americans” Mamdani knows the context of this phrase. Not my fellow New Yorkers.
I see comments from people all over the world who say Mamdani is their mayor, too ❤️🔥 Certainly hope more Americans outside of NYC can feel the same.
He’s turning into an amazing Mayor… Here’s hoping he can carry it off. The part the conservatives are most afraid of is that his plans will work…because they will (are already to an extent) work and serve as a template for other cities and states if they do.
They talk about “mini mamdanis” like it’s a bad thing lol
I want a maxi-mamdani.. Like 3 or 4 of them in one candidate. ;-)
MASTODON
I will vote as far left int he primaries as I can..
But in the general, I will vote as far left as I can. Don’t care who it is.
He will also make a amazing governor
I think so too…but that’s a much harder fight… NY state isn’t as left leaning as NYC….
It’s still possible, he can still become governor
He can…but he’d have to get western new York onboard…and western new York is much more conservative…
He held it in front of recently naturalized immigrants. One line I’ll paraphrase I found interesting when he referred to them: they didn’t see themselves not just as New Yorkers, but American too, just like he did some 10 years ago.
This tells immigrants in New York that they may not be American (yet), but they are New Yorkers. Very beautiful notion.
I’m done he knows when he says that, he means it
However, refreshing to vote for a politician, who doesn’t have to lie
Pro immigrant speech for 4th of july is way more appropriate than anything trump says ever
possibly my favorite gif in the last 5 years, maybe ever
My face when they say taxing billionaires will make them leave the state.
Mfw they say the DSA is taking over the Democratic party.
“Oh no! The people who aren’t paying taxes are going to leave? Whatever will we do!?!”
I watched the whole speech. It’s about 15 minutes long but really good. About the best I could have hoped for from a political America 250 speech.
It’s the best kind of patriotic speech, talking about the things that make America great (diversity and community and opportunity) and acknowledging faults past and present. And throwing shade at Trump and white nationalists.
He gives me so much hope. I know better, but it still happens.
Hope changes the world…even if it’s a little bit at a time.
I expect him to have a way bigger audience than Trump.
A moderately well baked potato would have a way bigger audience than Trump.
Whow! hold up, are you saying you would not show up for a baked potato? At least the baked potato shares your views on butter!
Props for telling the truth about the Irish Famine.
Shit, props for mentioning it at all
I think it’s a good way to attempt to provoke empathy in Irish descendants by drawing parallels between shared immigrant experiences.
He’s new in politics and he’s already acting like a president. Could we see a new FDR in our lifetime? Both are New Yorkers after all.
He’s not eligible because he isn’t a natural born citizen. That said I’d totally vote for him
And yet America is about to crown a 3rd term President. Interesting indeed.
Go Zohran! 🇺🇸🗽
This is the one issue progressives lose on by the way.