New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has faced accusations of antisemitism since his mayoral campaign, was never going to please everyone with his plan to "combat antisemitism."
asserted
who → face → antisemitism
On Tuesday, when he unveiled the city's Strategy to Combat Antisemitism, the plan predictably drew criticism.
asserted
plan → unveil → criticism
As Josh Appel wrote in UnHerd, Mamdani's plan failed some of his supporters' "anti-Zionism purity test."
asserted
plan → write → test
As Appel noted, the pro-Palestinian influencer Guy Christensen wrote that "Zohran has exposed his Zionism in full the past week" by not arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meeting with Alex Soros and "launch[ing] 'the first municipal effort to combat antisemitism' that relies on 50% Zionist pro-Israel sources."
asserted
that → note → sources
Meanwhile, others like New York City council member Eric Dinowitz said the plan was insufficient because it does not address "anti-Zionism."
asserted
it → say → Zionism
"If you want to address antisemitism, you have to talk about how anti-Zionism expresses itself as antisemitism," Dinowitz said, according to ABC7 Eyewitness News.
uncertain
Dinowitz → want → News
While some debate whether the plan is too Zionist or not Zionist enough, or whether Mamdani is too critical of Israel or not critical enough, the plan should be scrutinized by all taxpayers for another reason: It allocates millions of taxpayer dollars to New York City's sprawling, anti-hate nonprofit complex.
asserted
It → debate → complex
In addition to investing $1 million in security for houses of worship, the plan sets aside $6.4 million in Partners Against the Hate (P.A.T.H.) grants, "doubling last year's funding to community organizations such as the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)."
asserted
plan → invest → Council
According to the executive director of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC), the core P.A.T.H. partners also include the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, as well as "the New York City Anti-Violence Project, the Arab American Association of New York, the Asian American Federation, and the Hispanic Federation."
uncertain
partners → accord → York
These groups collaborate "to combat antisemitism, anti-LGBTQ+ hate, Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, anti-Arab hate, anti-Black racism, and other forms of bias while fostering inclusion, solidarity, and safety for all New Yorkers."
asserted
groups → collaborate → Yorkers
P.A.T.H. grants are administered through the OPHC, which was established in 2019.
asserted
which → administer → 2019
The office "strives to fulfill New York City's strong commitment to diversity and respect for all" through education, laws and enforcement, and community relations.
asserted
office → strive → education
While the office's mission sounds noble, one must wonder: How can the "hate" motivating crimes be rooted out by the government?
asserted
crimes → sound → government
Any effort to eliminate something as vague as "hate" should be scrutinized.
asserted
effort → eliminate → hate
The OPHC also invites New York nonprofits and individuals to apply for Community Project Grants of up to $10,000 to prevent hate violence, address bias-motivated incidents, and strengthen respect and inclusion across New York City.
asserted
OPHC → invite → City
FY 2027's winners include "an arts-based storytelling and healing initiative for immigrant English-language learners" and a community storytelling initiative in Brooklyn which focuses on "migration, identity, stereotypes, and belonging," reports Harlem World.
asserted
World → include → migration
While the city may insist that these projects change attitudes at the grassroots level, it is doubtful that bigots and criminals (and bigoted criminals) would voluntarily attend these events.
uncertain
bigots → insist → events
Furthermore, is it the city's responsibility to change the "hate" or "bigotry" in people's hearts?
asserted
it → change → hearts
In 2021, the anti-hate crimes office also gave out a series of "Innovation" grants for projects to combat hate crimes by a June 2022 deadline.
asserted
office → give → deadline
But in November of 2022, The City Reporter said that the office "divulged nothing about where the money went or who received it."
asserted
who → say → it
Despite these issues with the OPHC, the city appears determined to send more money its way.
asserted
city → appear → money
During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani repeatedly said he would increase anti-hate crime funding initiatives, and his proposal for the Department of Community Safety stated that his administration would increase funding "for hate violence programs from $3 million currently to approximately $26 million—an over 800 percent increase."
asserted
administration → say → million
In May, Jacob Kornbluh of Forward reported that Mamdani's administration announced a ninefold increase in funding for the OPHC, fulfilling his campaign promise.
uncertain
administration → report → promise
Kornbluh also reported that Mamdani would roll out the city's combatting antisemitism program in the fall.
asserted
Mamdani → report → fall
Mamdani's zeal for anti-hate crime funding is unsurprising given New York City's history of attempting to stamp out hate by funding a web of nonprofits and activist groups.
asserted
zeal → give → nonprofits
He is throwing money at nonprofits that have an interest in claiming hate exists, giving them a raison d'être.
asserted
hate → throw → d'être
The mayor can and should focus on protecting New Yorkers from crimes, and he has a responsibility to keep New Yorkers of all creeds physically safe.
asserted
he → focus → creeds
But those insisting that the mayor use taxpayer funds to actively combat another "ism" by subsidizing the city's nonprofits are likely to be disappointed.
asserted
mayor → insist → nonprofits
The Aporia
