Why not just translate the whole thing to English? No reasonable person will have a negative reaction to “globalize the resistance”. Most Americans associate the word “intifada” with the suicide bombing tactics of the second intifada, it’s not a betrayal of Palestine to recognize the cultural context of Americans that creates a negative connotation to that word, even if fully educated comrades recognize the actual meaning of the term “intifada” is very different. If Mamdani’s stance is purely the discouragement of the specific wording, without being opposed to the true meaning of the phrase itself, then this stance is perfectly acceptable. Based on the totality of his statements on Zionism and the genocide, I believe this to be the case.
I’m spitballing about the title to an article I just saw a jpeg of, so I’m no expert (AND IMPORTANTLY BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF THE MEANING OF INTIFADA). I imagine if I rose to prominence doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and all around me nerds are always chanting “heel hook their legs off!” I’d eventually make a statement like he did. They’d be all “Oh, WDYMP prefers the IBJJF’s watered down ruleset…” but maybe the slogan reflects poorly on the way I see the sport. “Twist their legs off” wouldn’t stop me from being embarrassed by nerds.
If he does something like this he might see his goal as mayor to be more focused and less general. He really wants to make good on his promise of affordability and if he himself generalized his message it might muddy the waters, open him to criticism, and risk getting nothing done. He’s also a demsucc so I could just as easily be wrong.
Why not just translate the whole thing to English? No reasonable person will have a negative reaction to “globalize the resistance”. Most Americans associate the word “intifada” with the suicide bombing tactics of the second intifada, it’s not a betrayal of Palestine to recognize the cultural context of Americans that creates a negative connotation to that word, even if fully educated comrades recognize the actual meaning of the term “intifada” is very different. If Mamdani’s stance is purely the discouragement of the specific wording, without being opposed to the true meaning of the phrase itself, then this stance is perfectly acceptable. Based on the totality of his statements on Zionism and the genocide, I believe this to be the case.
I’m spitballing about the title to an article I just saw a jpeg of, so I’m no expert (AND IMPORTANTLY BLISSFULLY UNAWARE OF THE MEANING OF INTIFADA). I imagine if I rose to prominence doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and all around me nerds are always chanting “heel hook their legs off!” I’d eventually make a statement like he did. They’d be all “Oh, WDYMP prefers the IBJJF’s watered down ruleset…” but maybe the slogan reflects poorly on the way I see the sport. “Twist their legs off” wouldn’t stop me from being embarrassed by nerds.
If he does something like this he might see his goal as mayor to be more focused and less general. He really wants to make good on his promise of affordability and if he himself generalized his message it might muddy the waters, open him to criticism, and risk getting nothing done. He’s also a demsucc so I could just as easily be wrong.