This hit hard. The “nervous breakdown” isn’t just at the top, it’s trickling down into everyday families like mine, where recovery, poverty, and digital exploitation collide. I am building StormSide Chronicles, a real life memoir and creative recovery project to expose how powerlessness gets manufactured, and how we fight our way back. Honored to see voices like yours speaking truth. If you ever want a raw perspective from the ground floor, our fire’s still burning:
"Do the Dems object to Mamdani because he proposes to make city government work for people, to help them deal with basic necessities like transportation, housing, child care, jobs, and education? Is this what Democrats think is “radical” in 2025? Are they afraid of Mamdani because he can do what they cannot: engage with and energize voters who are sick and tired of surviving off the scraps left by the Billionaire Class? When did an effort to make people’s lives better become a political sin?"
Mamdani also included Jews. He is playing with a full hand: very smart and very open, aware of the practical thing that matters, affordability...and without the need to manage the odor of prior corrupt behavior. The folks that need to win after abject failure (Democrat party leaders) are afraid again of the charismatic candidate who is unelectable. Unelectable because of a reason that is hard to speak fully about: intertwined prejudices. The "xenophobia" included, last time, the trouble with being a woman.
I think it's a mistake to view this as "white supremacy." It's prejudice, and xenophobia. When people like the two of you complain about "white supremacy," it becomes easier to dismiss you as unworthy victims, who are simply complaining about how you're treated. (You, Mamdani, or anyone else.)
It's a weird quirk in this country that every immigrant group -- Irish, German, Italian, and any of them -- are all similarly mistreated at first. They're demeaned as lazy, dirty, and criminals. Until the dominant group gets tired of inventing complaints, or finds someone else about whom to complain.
If your complaint is that this is "white supremacy," then you have to justify yourselves. You have to argue that you're just as good and worthy as are "white" people. And every demographic or cultural or immigrant group has to do that. It's the wrong solution to the wrong problem.
The fact is that every person in this country, or his or her forebears, except the Native Americans, is an immigrant. That's not our problem. It's our solution. We called ourselves a "melting pot." We accepted from France the Statue of Liberty, and we affixed to it a poem urging the inclusion of the world's tired, and poor, and huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.
Xenophobia is common human nature. We have to recognize it for the quirky disease it is, and not try to dismantle one example after another. That approach is endless.
Thank you both for the facts about the issues. Most people are annoyed but still at a level that think trump's Bill and Party and having his own army is NOT going to affect them. It is going to! I also worry about Zoran and you too Qasim because even though we have our homegrown right-wingers here at least they don't own guns! I'm an old woman living in the UK who is now hoping that Jeremy Corbyn will start his own party to counteract the terrible way Labour has turned on those who voted Labour! Not so much different than how the so-called Democratic Party has turned on their voters. Please be careful you guys because the entire world is proud of your bravery.
I also was shocked to see that article about Mamdani in the NYTimes, and wasn't able to respond in the comments section so I emailed them: When I applied to UCLA the box that I checked was "Jewish". Yes, that was one of the boxes and it made me uncomfortable to check that box. Now there's no "Jewish", just "white". But I'm not really white! I'm kind of olive-skinned, with a reddish flush to my face, caused, I believe, by the large amount of Neanderthal DNA that I have.
Oh, and, by the way, if you had read all the way down in the article, you'd find that the category wasn't "African American", but "Black, or African American."
Qasim…….you look so exhausted. Please get some rest, re-charge and take some time for yourself. We will be here when you return!! Take care of yourself!
Seems to me that the Democratic Party specifically many of the politicians have become republican lite. (Perhaps even moderate) I feel it’s time for a big change. We need to back up and coming knowledgeable people to run in hometown races, state races and federal races. I no longer have any respect for the so called Democratic Party.
Informative podcast-I detest what they’re doing to Zoltan but expected it after all he’s a person of color. We need new policies bcause what we’ve had for a long time is not working. Makes no difference what label it has
Ordinary folks?
This hit hard. The “nervous breakdown” isn’t just at the top, it’s trickling down into everyday families like mine, where recovery, poverty, and digital exploitation collide. I am building StormSide Chronicles, a real life memoir and creative recovery project to expose how powerlessness gets manufactured, and how we fight our way back. Honored to see voices like yours speaking truth. If you ever want a raw perspective from the ground floor, our fire’s still burning:
https://stormside.substack.com
https://ko-fi.com/stormside
When I read the op-ed by Stephens in the NYT, it was the same as the hapless argument he presented about Harris. There is a pattern.
That's exactly what I thought: His own Gestapo is exactly what is going to happen.
My white, Jewish self is all in for Mamdani. AIPAC GO FUCK YOURSELVES!
"Do the Dems object to Mamdani because he proposes to make city government work for people, to help them deal with basic necessities like transportation, housing, child care, jobs, and education? Is this what Democrats think is “radical” in 2025? Are they afraid of Mamdani because he can do what they cannot: engage with and energize voters who are sick and tired of surviving off the scraps left by the Billionaire Class? When did an effort to make people’s lives better become a political sin?"
https://open.substack.com/pub/briantanguay/p/no-checks-no-balances?r=adj3d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Mamdani also included Jews. He is playing with a full hand: very smart and very open, aware of the practical thing that matters, affordability...and without the need to manage the odor of prior corrupt behavior. The folks that need to win after abject failure (Democrat party leaders) are afraid again of the charismatic candidate who is unelectable. Unelectable because of a reason that is hard to speak fully about: intertwined prejudices. The "xenophobia" included, last time, the trouble with being a woman.
I think it's a mistake to view this as "white supremacy." It's prejudice, and xenophobia. When people like the two of you complain about "white supremacy," it becomes easier to dismiss you as unworthy victims, who are simply complaining about how you're treated. (You, Mamdani, or anyone else.)
It's a weird quirk in this country that every immigrant group -- Irish, German, Italian, and any of them -- are all similarly mistreated at first. They're demeaned as lazy, dirty, and criminals. Until the dominant group gets tired of inventing complaints, or finds someone else about whom to complain.
If your complaint is that this is "white supremacy," then you have to justify yourselves. You have to argue that you're just as good and worthy as are "white" people. And every demographic or cultural or immigrant group has to do that. It's the wrong solution to the wrong problem.
The fact is that every person in this country, or his or her forebears, except the Native Americans, is an immigrant. That's not our problem. It's our solution. We called ourselves a "melting pot." We accepted from France the Statue of Liberty, and we affixed to it a poem urging the inclusion of the world's tired, and poor, and huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.
Xenophobia is common human nature. We have to recognize it for the quirky disease it is, and not try to dismantle one example after another. That approach is endless.
💙💙🇺🇸
Keep fighting for Democracy👊🏽💪🏽👏🏽🇺🇸
Thank you both for the facts about the issues. Most people are annoyed but still at a level that think trump's Bill and Party and having his own army is NOT going to affect them. It is going to! I also worry about Zoran and you too Qasim because even though we have our homegrown right-wingers here at least they don't own guns! I'm an old woman living in the UK who is now hoping that Jeremy Corbyn will start his own party to counteract the terrible way Labour has turned on those who voted Labour! Not so much different than how the so-called Democratic Party has turned on their voters. Please be careful you guys because the entire world is proud of your bravery.
I also was shocked to see that article about Mamdani in the NYTimes, and wasn't able to respond in the comments section so I emailed them: When I applied to UCLA the box that I checked was "Jewish". Yes, that was one of the boxes and it made me uncomfortable to check that box. Now there's no "Jewish", just "white". But I'm not really white! I'm kind of olive-skinned, with a reddish flush to my face, caused, I believe, by the large amount of Neanderthal DNA that I have.
Oh, and, by the way, if you had read all the way down in the article, you'd find that the category wasn't "African American", but "Black, or African American."
Can we just check "Other"?
I’m concerned Mamdani will be be the next Alexei Navalny.
Qasim…….you look so exhausted. Please get some rest, re-charge and take some time for yourself. We will be here when you return!! Take care of yourself!
Seems to me that the Democratic Party specifically many of the politicians have become republican lite. (Perhaps even moderate) I feel it’s time for a big change. We need to back up and coming knowledgeable people to run in hometown races, state races and federal races. I no longer have any respect for the so called Democratic Party.
Informative podcast-I detest what they’re doing to Zoltan but expected it after all he’s a person of color. We need new policies bcause what we’ve had for a long time is not working. Makes no difference what label it has