đ„ BREAKING: AOC OBLITERATES MAGA Congressman After He Smears NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani as a âTerroristâ for Speaking Arabic
In a moment that starkly reveals the fault lines of American politics, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) delivered a powerful rebuke to a racist smear from MAGA Congressman Brandon Gill, who disgustingly tried to paint NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as an âIslamic terroristâ simply because he spoke Arabic in a campaign video.

The incident began when Mamdani, a leading candidate for New York City mayor, released a video speaking in Arabic to connect with Arab votersâa vital and vibrant part of the cityâs multicultural fabric. Rather than celebrating this display of inclusivity, Gill took to X (formerly Twitter), writing:
âJust a couple decades after 9/11, the leading candidate for NYC mayor is campaigning in Arabic. The humiliation is the point.â
Gillâs comments, echoing the worst kind of post-9/11 Islamophobia, werenât just an attack on Mamdaniâthey were an insult to New Yorkâs immigrant communities and the very idea of American diversity.
AOCâs Response: âThatâs On Youâ
AOC, never one to let bigotry slide, responded forcefully:
âOver 100 languages are spoken in our great city and itâs actually a pretty amazing part of being an American. If you are humiliated by America and the diversity that powers our nationâs Nobel Prizes, Olympic Gold Medals, and breakthrough innovations and culture, thatâs on you.â
Her words cut through the noise, reminding Americans that our strength lies in our diversityânot in exclusion or hate. In a city built by immigrants, the ability to campaign in Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, or any other language is not a weaknessâitâs a celebration of what makes America truly great.
Democrats vs. Republicans: A Stark Divide
This exchange is a microcosm of the broader struggle between the two parties. While rising Democratic stars like AOC and Mamdani champion policies that make life better for ordinary peopleâaffordable housing, expanded healthcare, and opportunity for allâRepublicans like Gill have resorted to petty racism and divisive culture war tactics.
Unable to offer real solutions to the challenges facing working families, the GOP increasingly relies on distraction and fear-mongering, hoping to rally their base by demonizing the very diversity that powers Americaâs success.

The Real New York: Multicultural, Proud, Unbowed
New York City is home to speakers of more than 100 languages, a testament to the cityâs role as a global crossroads. This multiculturalism has fueled world-changing innovations, artistic achievements, and economic dynamism. To attack a candidate for speaking Arabic is not just ignorantâitâs fundamentally un-American.
Mamdaniâs outreach to Arab voters is emblematic of a new generation of leaders who understand that representation matters, and that every community deserves a seat at the table. His campaign is a celebration of the cityâs true spiritâone that welcomes, rather than divides.
Moving Forward: Rejecting Hate, Embracing Hope
As America confronts rising hate and division, leaders like AOC and Mamdani offer a hopeful alternative: a vision of a country where everyone belongs, where diversity is cherished, and where hate is called out for what it is.
Republicans may try to distract with bigotry and culture wars, but New Yorkersâand Americansâare ready for something better. They know that the future belongs to those who build bridges, not walls.

In the end, itâs not speaking Arabic that should humiliate usâitâs the attempt to weaponize language and identity for cheap political gain. And as AOC made clear, that shame is on those who peddle hate, not those who celebrate Americaâs greatest strength: its people.