New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani argued that a true celebration of patriotism should confront both the nation’s ideals and its flaws, in a speech on the eve of America’s 250th birthday. The speech, meant to contrast President Donald Trump’s planned remarks at Mount Rushmore, was centered on immigration as its primary theme.
Immigration and Patriotism
Mamdani, a naturalized citizen born in Uganda to parents of Indian-origin, sat behind a desk used by George Washington, with naturalized immigrants standing around him holding American flags. He made several references to “powerful” interests he argued believe the fruit of America should only be reaped by few.
“America, if you ask them, becomes less the more people it welcomes,” Mamdani said. “America, they will tell you, belongs only to those with the right accent or the right shade of skin. The rest of us, they insist, should be grateful for merely being allowed to visit.”
Mamdani also noted seeing the Statue of Liberty from an airplane when he immigrated to the US with his family. He criticized the treatment of illegal immigrants, saying, “We see masked agents terrorizing our streets, eating food cooked by our illegal immigrant neighbors before spiriting them away in unmarked vans.”
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
