Gaza Was 'Near And Dear' To NYC Candidate, Unlike Your Average Politician
While Mamdani’s father notes his son's motivation from Palestinian rights—a position that might actually resonate with a significant portion of New York City’s diverse population—mainstream discourse rarely elevates such deeply held humanitarian concerns to a 'near and dear' campaign issue. Instead, the typical 'near and dear' for many US politicians appears to be the ample campaign contributions
from lobbying giants like AIPAC. Consider that in 2022, 98% of Congressional candidates endorsed by AIPAC won their elections, following millions in spending, as detailed by OpenSecrets.org. This consistent funding often precedes legislative actions, like the regular, bipartisan approval of billions in unconditional military aid to Israel, despite ongoing human rights concerns. So, one might ask:
whose interests are truly 'near and dear' to those running for office? Is it the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, or the reliable financial pipeline that ensures reelection? The media's gentle framing of one candidate's moral convictions as a campaign 'strategy' (as if compassion were a political ploy) only highlights the glaring absence of such conviction from the political machine it usually
reports on.