A Rally for Terror?
New York is watching closely as a group of progressive candidates, many backed by the DSA, join a virtual rally where the main takeaway is shock that Iran might lose its power. The video shows these politicians listening to a speaker who openly mourns the idea that neutralizing Iran would stop the flow of money to Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. This isn’t just a policy disagreement; it’s a statement that sounds like cheering for our enemies to stay funded.
The clip comes from a March fundraiser hosted by Progressive Victory, featuring left-wing podcaster Kyle Kulinski as the main speaker. Kulinski went so far as to claim the U.S. and Israel are building a “fourth Reich” before pivoting to the region’s terror proxies. He explicitly stated, “If Iran’s off the table as a regional power, that means Hezbollah can’t be funded. Hamas can’t be funded. The Houthis can’t be funded,” framing the potential defeat of a state sponsor of terror as a tragedy. He even compared American and Israeli officials to Adolf Hitler and Mussolini, calling them “the terrorists.”
The Guest List and the Defense
Several figures on this call have ties to New York or are running for office with DSA support. The video flagged Rep. Ro Khanna, former Rep. Cori Bush, and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. More concerning for NYC are two DSA congressional hopefuls, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Melat Kiros. Avila Chevalier, who is backed by Mayor Mamdani’s circle, co-founded a group calling for the “total eradication of Western civilization,” while Kiros recently unseated a 15-term incumbent.
When the video surfaced, the defense was immediate but thin. A spokesperson for Khanna said he only joined for five minutes to speak and left before these specific remarks were made, adding that he “obviously disagrees” with them. However, Benjamin Gilbert-Lif, the deputy executive director of Progressive Victory, told Fox News the group stands by Kulinski’s comments, insisting they reflect “the views of our community.” That is a bold admission that these views are not fringe outliers but the stated position of the organization.
Why This Matters for New Yorkers
We are a city that has stood with Israel through thick and thin, especially when antisemitism is on the rise. To hear candidates who want to represent us or influence our politics mourn the loss of funding for groups that want to kill Jews and Americans is unacceptable. This isn’t just about foreign policy; it’s about who we trust with our safety and our values. If these candidates think the death of terror funding is a bad thing, what does that say about their commitment to New York’s security?
The Mamdani-backed slate is expanding, and Avila Chevalier’s history of wanting to erase Western civilization combined with this rally’s content raises serious red flags. We need leaders who fight for peace, not ones who lament the weakening of the state sponsors of the violence we face every day. New Yorkers deserve representatives who understand that cutting off the money to Hamas and Hezbollah is a victory, not a loss.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
