New York Mayor Mamdani emphasizes immigrants in US 250th anniversary speech

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke to the press from his office at New York City Hall, seated at a writing desk that belonged to the first US President, George Washington, as part of the 250th anniversary of US independence. In his speech, Mamdani evaluated the country's democratic journey from its past to the present.

Touching on New York's central role in American history, Mamdani stated that the country's strength stems from the will of people from diverse backgrounds to build a shared future. Noting the US's quarter-millennium history, Mamdani stated that the 250th-anniversary celebrations are not just an anniversary, but also offer an important opportunity for the country to confront its own values. "We are faced with a rare opportunity for more than 340 million people to turn to each other and to themselves to evaluate who we are as a nation," Mamdani said.

"Independence was saved in New York"

Devoting a significant portion of his speech to the role New York played during the American Revolution, Mamdani recalled the 1776 conflict in Brooklyn, which is considered the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. Emphasizing that one of the critical moments of the American struggle for independence took place in New York, Mamdani said, "Independence may have been declared in Philadelphia, but it was saved in New York."

Reminding that George Washington was the last person to withdraw from Brooklyn, Mamdani said that New York has become a symbol of hope and new beginnings for millions of people throughout history.

"Immigrants played a decisive role in shaping the US"

Giving extensive space to the place of immigrants in the country's history in his speech, Mamdani stated that millions of immigrants played a decisive role in shaping the US. Stating that different communities, from the Irish to the Italians, and from Jews to Syrians, came to New York to build new lives, Mamdani noted that immigrants made great contributions to the country's development despite the discrimination they faced.

Explaining that his own family also immigrated to New York when he was a child, Mamdani said, "I felt what you felt. I experienced the joy of being not just a New Yorker, but also an American."

"American exceptionalism is based on change, not power"

In his assessment of the concept of "American exceptionalism," Mamdani argued that the country's greatness does not stem from its military or economic power, but from its capacity for constant change and renewal. Mamdani stated, "We were told that the reason America is exceptional is because we are richer, stronger, and more powerful than everyone else. The truth is that America is exceptional because nothing here is fixed," expressing that the ideals of freedom and equality involved in the country's founding are still an unfinished project.

Addressed the Trump administration's immigration policies

Criticizing the recent immigration policies of the Donald Trump administration without naming him directly in his speech, Mamdani reacted to the practices targeting undocumented immigrants. Stating that the US has historically been a sanctuary for people fleeing persecution, Mamdani said, "We see security officers eating the food cooked by our undocumented neighbors and then whisking them away in unmarked vans."

Drawing attention to income inequality in the country, Mamdani called for economic justice, stating that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small segment at a time when children are going to bed hungry. Mamdani also gave striking messages regarding the concept of patriotism. Criticizing the "love it or leave it" mentality, Mamdani said that true patriotism is seeing the country's shortcomings and trying to fix them.

Mamdani said, "Patriotism has never been about acting as if our nation is perfect. Patriotism is every act of righteous dissent. It is every march. It is every protest. We will not abandon this country precisely because we love it."

"America's task is to try to be better every day"

Emphasizing that the 250th anniversary of the US brings with it the responsibility of shaping the future beyond commemorating the past, Mamdani said, "America's task is to strive, to improve, and to reach for perfection. It is a great privilege to live in a nation that each of us can shape. It is in all of our hands to bring America a little closer to that greatness that people have seen when they looked at these shores for centuries. God bless America, God bless New York City, and happy 4th of July."

News Source: 12punto