Off The Record

Programming Alert: Don't miss Georgia Pelligrini Thursday night on 'The Glenn Beck Program'

Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson Potter

Over the last several months, Glenn has emphasized the importance of bringing together individuals who share the same goals and unifying principles so that we can learn from one another. GlennBeck.com is working to fulfill that goal by sitting down with some of the most interesting minds to give you an inside look at who they are and what they are working on.

From the conference rooms of Lehman Brothers to the kitchens of Michelin Star restaurants, to the backwoods of the United States, chef and entrepreneur Georgia Pellegrini has been on a fascinating journey. She spoke to GlennBeck.com assistant editor Meg Storm about why she left Wall Street for culinary school, how she developed her passion for hunting, and the ‘pioneering’ skills every American should have… oh, and there might be a delicious recipe or two along the way. Enjoy!

Below is a transcript of the interview:

You have had a very interesting career path from working on Wall Street to cooking in Michelin Star restaurants to hunting the Great Plains. Can you talk about that transformation?

After college I took the path of least resistance at the time, which was investment banking. A lot of people just went into consulting or banking or graduate school. I got an offer from Lehman Brothers. It was a lot of money for a college student, so I took it.

I got to the point where I felt like it had crushed my soul. I just realized how unhappy I was, and I thought to myself, ‘Well, what am I doing when I am at my happiest?’ I think the silver lining is: When you are doing something that doesn’t make you happy, it forces you to think about what you’re doing when you’re happiest. For me, it was always food and cooking.

I had this longing to get back to my roots. I come from upstate New York. I grew up on the same land my great grandfather lived on. I grew up living off the land – growing food and keeping chickens and honeybees. I used to fish trout and eat it for breakfast. I just wanted to find a way to get back to that.

I decided to enroll in culinary school [French Culinary Institute], and it was definitely a leap of faith for me – and definitely a pay cut!

(Laughs)

But I realized pretty quickly that even though I was working the same crazy hours and making below minimum wage with no benefits, it didn’t feel like work in the same way to me. It felt fun, and I knew that it was the right thing for me.

So I slaved away in kitchens in New York [Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill at Stone Barn], and I also went to cook in a restaurant in the south of France [La Chassagnette]. Interestingly, I was in the south of France when Lehman Brothers collapsed, so I knew I had made the right decision.

In that moment, I started to think about what else I wanted to do in the food space. Someone forwarded something I had written to a literary agent in New York, and she asked if she could talk to me. I took a bus to the nearest town and got in the phone booth and called New York. That is how my first book, Food Heroes: Sixteen Culinary Artisans Preserving Tradition, was born.

That’s amazing.

It happened totally serendipitously.

I read that it was the act of having to actually kill and prepare a turkey at one of the restaurants you worked in that made you really start to think more about where ingredients come from. What was so eye opening about that experience?

During my time as a chef, I became much more interactive with my ingredients. I believe food should be experiential. I am a big proponent of interacting with your ingredients in some way. When I was in New York, I had to kill some turkeys for a restaurant I was working in.

That was a watershed moment for me. I knew that I would always eat meat, and I loved to eat meat. I was good at butchering animals and fileting fish. I grew up getting dirt under my fingernails. But I had never really faced the casual way in which nature treats life and death and paid the full karmic price of a meal. I had never had the opportunity to treat the animal with integrity all the way to the plate and step outside of our factory farm food system. I decided, in that moment, I wanted to learn how to hunt my own food.

I set out on this journey to learn how to hunt, and that was sort of the story of my second book, Girl Hunter: Revolutionizing the Way We Eat, One Hunt at a Time, which was the journey over field and stream in search of the main course. It focuses on all the crazy characters you meet along the way – the people who took me under their wing and taught me how to live off the land. It was a wild journey, but it felt right to me because, for the first time, it felt like I had really tapped into that natural human instinct that we all have deep down. I knew that I wanted to have that experience of heightened senses – seeing differently, hearing differently, smelling differently. I vowed, in that moment, to live a life more connected to my roots and where I come from – where we all come from.

Long story short, I have been able to make a career out of it.

You touched on this a little bit, but why do you believe it is so important for people to understand where their food comes from?

I think it makes us better human beings. I think it makes us better to one another. I think it makes us better stewards of the world and the land.

At some point, I realized I had all these vulnerabilities. Even though I had lived off the land, there were so many things I didn’t know how to do. I had gone to college, but I didn’t know how to fix my own toilet. I think having these vulnerabilities and shaking them is a very important thing.

Knowing where your food comes from is a very similar concept. We have these factory farms, and animals are suffering. I realized we are all kind of proxy executioners, but I think there is something very powerful about doing it yourself. I think when you know what has had to happen for food to get to your plate, you appreciate it more. It tastes better. There are more memories associated with the meal. If food is such a transactional experience, it loses its joy. It loses its meaning. And it loses all the memories. I have so many food memories, and I know most people do. Beyond basic sustenance, it is your job as a chef or someone who is cooking for others to bring people together and give people pleasure and happiness.

To not care or know the source of anything is to have an anonymous relationship with food. It is not the relationship human beings were meant to have. You go to the grocery store and buy a boneless, skinless chicken breast wrapped in plastic with no sign it was ever a living thing. No one knows how to quarter a whole chicken anymore. People see a whole chicken and don’t know what to do with it or how to roast it. I think that is too bad, and I don’t think we are our best selves as human beings when we live that way.

Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson PotterI’ve looked at your website – and even your book cover for Girl Hunter – and there is a lot of gun imagery. Do you ever face any backlash for being so open about your passion for hunting?

I have been surprised at how little backlash I have experienced, and I think it is for two reasons.

One is that I see everything through the lens of food. I am a chef first, and everyone needs to eat. Most people love food. Food is a connector. It is one of those great unifiers. People can disagree on so many things, but they can break bread and there is that union. I think I have a very specific, philosophical approach to why I hunt. The editor who bought my book was a vegetarian. The only different between us was that she realized she wanted to break out of the industrial food system the way I did, but she couldn’t pull the trigger and kill the animal. I could.

For me, I think it is just about being a conscious and participating in the cycle of life. I always say: We eat animals and plants, and animals eat plants, and plants eat from the dirt. It is this beautiful cycle. I think because I can tell that story, I have gotten less backlash.

The second reason is that I don’t fit the profile of the typical American hunter. I think people have these stereotypes, and the reality is: There is no reason that we all can’t be hunters. I am very feminine, and I maintain that femininity while doing this thing that is associated with a very masculine culture. So I think – to some degree – I have changed the face of what hunting is and changed the discussion of why I do it. That has helped.

You now organize ‘Adventure Getaways’, which, from what I have seen, look really fun and interesting. How did those come about?

When my book came out, I hosted a bunch of female writers on a weekend with me. It was to teach them some of these skills. We did some clay shooting and fly-fishing and s’mores around the campfire. They wrote about that experience, and I got so many inquiries from women around the country who were sharing their stories with me. A lot of them were going through difficult things in their life, and they were sharing their vulnerabilities with me.

I realized that what I was doing was resonating with women and empowering them. I received a lot of requests from women asking if they could go on these adventures with me, but I had never planned to do another one. Because of these inquiries, I decided to plan another one as an experiment. It sold out and had a waiting list.

It has really snowballed from there. I do several a year now, and they sell out quickly. It really is a magical experience. A lot of women describe it as their ‘unraveling’. Some of them are busy moms who are devoting everything to their children and husbands, and this is their chance to do things that scare them or do things they have never done before. It is a chance to experience life more viscerally and to step outside their comfort zone. It is an emotional experience, but it changes them. They get this Amazonian look in their eyes, and they bond for life. These women have reunions long after, and a lot of them choose to come back year after year.

I think it very unexpected but totally magical, and it is a gift that I get to do it.

Editor’s Note: Georgia has two upcoming Adventure Getaways. Learn more about them HERE.

Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson Potter
Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson Potter  All photographs copyright © Georgia Pellegrini 2014.

Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson Potter

That is wonderful. What is a typical itinerary like for one of these weekends?

I have two in Montana this fall. Basically, the weekend includes a whole range of pioneer skills. We teach people how to clay shoot. A lot of people will be using a gun for the first time. Some are more experienced. We try to break people up based on their experience level. In this case, we teach them how to hunt birds. I teach them how to clean the birds and cook the birds they hunted. And then they eat them.

We also do fly-fishing, which is a wonderful experience because it requires a certain technique in learning to tie flies and casting. We are in the streams of Montana, and it is really beautiful. We go horseback riding through the fields, which is scary for a lot of women. But they also love it. We do ATV rides 10,000 feet in the mountains to see wildlife and these unbelievable panoramic views. We do falconry, which is awesome. You watch these falcons do the hunting for you. It is a pretty spectacular sight.

And then there is just wonderful girl bonding – lots of laughing and s’mores around the fire with great wine, five-star food, and luxurious accommodations. It is that wonderful balance of creature comforts and getting that dust and wind in your hair.

What is the number one thing you hope women take away from one of your Adventure Getaways?

I hope women surprise themselves and feel more fearless after the weekend. I think most women are perfectionists, and we are our own worst critics. I want women to try new things with abandon, be okay with failing, laugh at themselves, and support and encourage each other.

Life is hard. Being a woman has so many challenges. And I think it is really wonderful when you can face those vulnerabilities and challenges with a sense of fearlessness and an idea in your mind of, ‘Maybe I can do this. Maybe I’ll surprise myself.’ That’s the feeling of exhilaration and empowerment you get when you achieve something you didn’t think you could. It’s totally special and addictive. Once you experience it, you just keep wanting to. So that is my goal for them all.

In a similar realm, your latest book, Modern Pioneering: More Than 150 Recipes, Projects, and Skills for a Self-Sufficient Life, offers a really interesting array of tips aimed at self-sufficiency.

Yes, my third book just came out, and it teaches people ‘manual literacy’. It’s the idea of learning those skills our grandparent’s generation had – that we should still have – but we have all lost touch with because we have become so specialized in our knowledge and so much of lives are technology driven now.

It gives people the access to those skills in a fun way. I don’t expect everyone to have hours on end to do this kind of stuff, but it’s something you can do in 15, 30 minutes – things that you can up cycle. I want to help people be more self-sufficient, even if they live in a small urban space.

So what are the three ‘pioneering’ skills people should have?

1. I think people should know how to change their own tire. I think it is really great if you are able to figure it out when you are stuck on the side of the road.

2. I think people should know how to find their way with or without a compass. You should be able to use nature to find your direction.

3. And I always encourage people to learn how to grow something. Even if you have no land whatsoever, you can still grow 25 pounds of potatoes in a garbage pail on your fire escape. Just the idea of finding ways to interact with nature – even if you don’t have a lot of land around you – is really fun.

If you don’t mind putting on your chef’s hat for a minute –

Of course!

Now that fall is just around the corner, what are some ingredients people should begin incorporating into their recipes?

As fall rolls around and the temperature starts to get colder, root vegetables become really wonderfully sweet. Parsnips are really wonderful roasted or pureed into soup. I love kale in the colder months – it starts to taste a little better. And there are so many wonderful squashes that come out – acorn squash, buttercup squash, and butternut squash. I just love all those gourds that pop up this time of year. So I would focus on root vegetables and some of those greens that do well in the cold.


Download this recipe in PDF format
 


Download this recipe in PDF format
 


Download this recipe in PDF format
 

Do you have any other projects you’d like to talk about?

I have my line of apparel that came out that has been really fun and popular. The website is ShopByGeorgia.com. It is all made in America. We do custom cuts, custom fabrics, all made in LA. It is totally designed by me.

People are loving them. They are a little bit edgy and have funny sayings on them that are a little in your face. I always get stopped when I wear one of them by people wanting to know where I got it. It is fun to wear.

There is a little bit of a trend starting with people taking pictures of themselves in the shirts, so we started an Instagram feed with all these people. My lawyer just sent me picture of him wearing one at his law office. It’s really fun. The Instagram feed is starting to get colorful.

That is such a great conversation starter! So before we wrap up I have a few ‘lightening round’ questions for you – one word answers will suffice.

Great.

What’s your favorite food to eat?

Probably avocados. I love everything, but if I had to choose one thing right now, it would be avocados.

What’s your favorite food to cook?

Meat of any kind.

Who do you most admire?

I would say the older women of my family. They have an amazing knowhow and instinct and wisdom that I always look up to. I feel like I am a sponge when I am around them trying to gain their knowledge.

What’s your favorite place to visit?

The land that has been in my family for 100 years. It’s called Tulipwood. I just love visiting it. The land has so much history for my family.

 

This transcript has been edited and condensed.

Photos Reprinted from Modern Pioneering, courtesy of Clarkson Potter
All photographs copyright © Georgia Pellegrini 2014.
 

Is the U.N. plotting to control 30% of U.S. land by 2030?

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

A reliable conservative senator faces cancellation for listening to voters. But the real threat to public lands comes from the last president’s backdoor globalist agenda.

Something ugly is unfolding on social media, and most people aren’t seeing it clearly. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) — one of the most constitutionally grounded conservatives in Washington — is under fire for a housing provision he first proposed in 2022.

You wouldn’t know that from scrolling through X. According to the latest online frenzy, Lee wants to sell off national parks, bulldoze public lands, gut hunting and fishing rights, and hand America’s wilderness to Amazon, BlackRock, and the Chinese Communist Party. None of that is true.

Lee’s bill would have protected against the massive land-grab that’s already under way — courtesy of the Biden administration.

I covered this last month. Since then, the backlash has grown into something like a political witch hunt — not just from the left but from the right. Even Donald Trump Jr., someone I typically agree with, has attacked Lee’s proposal. He’s not alone.

Time to look at the facts the media refuses to cover about Lee’s federal land plan.

What Lee actually proposed

Over the weekend, Lee announced that he would withdraw the federal land sale provision from his housing bill. He said the decision was in response to “a tremendous amount of misinformation — and in some cases, outright lies,” but also acknowledged that many Americans brought forward sincere, thoughtful concerns.

Because of the strict rules surrounding the budget reconciliation process, Lee couldn’t secure legally enforceable protections to ensure that the land would be made available “only to American families — not to China, not to BlackRock, and not to any foreign interests.” Without those safeguards, he chose to walk it back.

That’s not selling out. That’s leadership.

It's what the legislative process is supposed to look like: A senator proposes a bill, the people respond, and the lawmaker listens. That was once known as representative democracy. These days, it gets you labeled a globalist sellout.

The Biden land-grab

To many Americans, “public land” brings to mind open spaces for hunting, fishing, hiking, and recreation. But that’s not what Sen. Mike Lee’s bill targeted.

His proposal would have protected against the real land-grab already under way — the one pushed by the Biden administration.

In 2021, Biden launched a plan to “conserve” 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030. This effort follows the United Nations-backed “30 by 30” initiative, which seeks to place one-third of all land and water under government control.

Ask yourself: Is the U.N. focused on preserving your right to hunt and fish? Or are radical environmentalists exploiting climate fears to restrict your access to American land?

  Smith Collection/Gado / Contributor | Getty Images

As it stands, the federal government already owns 640 million acres — nearly one-third of the entire country. At this rate, the government will hit that 30% benchmark with ease. But it doesn’t end there. The next phase is already in play: the “50 by 50” agenda.

That brings me to a piece of legislation most Americans haven’t even heard of: the Sustains Act.

Passed in 2023, the law allows the federal government to accept private funding from organizations, such as BlackRock or the Bill Gates Foundation, to support “conservation programs.” In practice, the law enables wealthy elites to buy influence over how American land is used and managed.

Moreover, the government doesn’t even need the landowner’s permission to declare that your property contributes to “pollination,” or “photosynthesis,” or “air quality” — and then regulate it accordingly. You could wake up one morning and find out that the land you own no longer belongs to you in any meaningful sense.

Where was the outrage then? Where were the online crusaders when private capital and federal bureaucrats teamed up to quietly erode private property rights across America?

American families pay the price

The real danger isn’t in Mike Lee’s attempt to offer more housing near population centers — land that would be limited, clarified, and safeguarded in the final bill. The real threat is the creeping partnership between unelected global elites and our own government, a partnership designed to consolidate land, control rural development, and keep Americans penned in so-called “15-minute cities.”

BlackRock buying entire neighborhoods and pricing out regular families isn’t by accident. It’s part of a larger strategy to centralize populations into manageable zones, where cars are unnecessary, rural living is unaffordable, and every facet of life is tracked, regulated, and optimized.

That’s the real agenda. And it’s already happening , and Mike Lee’s bill would have been an effort to ensure that you — not BlackRock, not China — get first dibs.

I live in a town of 451 people. Even here, in the middle of nowhere, housing is unaffordable. The American dream of owning a patch of land is slipping away, not because of one proposal from a constitutional conservative, but because global powers and their political allies are already devouring it.

Divide and conquer

This controversy isn’t really about Mike Lee. It’s about whether we, as a nation, are still capable of having honest debates about public policy — or whether the online mob now controls the narrative. It’s about whether conservatives will focus on facts or fall into the trap of friendly fire and circular firing squads.

More importantly, it’s about whether we’ll recognize the real land-grab happening in our country — and have the courage to fight back before it’s too late.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

URGENT: FIVE steps to CONTROL AI before it's too late!

MANAURE QUINTERO / Contributor | Getty Images

By now, many of us are familiar with AI and its potential benefits and threats. However, unless you're a tech tycoon, it can feel like you have little influence over the future of artificial intelligence.

For years, Glenn has warned about the dangers of rapidly developing AI technologies that have taken the world by storm.

He acknowledges their significant benefits but emphasizes the need to establish proper boundaries and ethics now, while we still have control. But since most people aren’t Silicon Valley tech leaders making the decisions, how can they help keep AI in check?

Recently, Glenn interviewed Tristan Harris, a tech ethicist deeply concerned about the potential harm of unchecked AI, to discuss its societal implications. Harris highlighted a concerning new piece of legislation proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz. This legislation proposes a state-level moratorium on AI regulation, meaning only the federal government could regulate AI. Harris noted that there’s currently no Federal plan for regulating AI. Until the federal government establishes a plan, tech companies would have nearly free rein with their AI. And we all know how slowly the federal government moves.

  

This is where you come in. Tristan Harris shared with Glenn the top five actions you should urge your representatives to take regarding AI, including opposing the moratorium until a concrete plan is in place. Now is your chance to influence the future of AI. Contact your senator and congressman today and share these five crucial steps they must take to keep AI in check:

Ban engagement-optimized AI companions for kids

Create legislation that will prevent AI from being designed to maximize addiction, sexualization, flattery, and attachment disorders, and to protect young people’s mental health and ability to form real-life friendships.

Establish basic liability laws

Companies need to be held accountable when their products cause real-world harm.

Pass increased whistleblower protections

Protect concerned technologists working inside the AI labs from facing untenable pressures and threats that prevent them from warning the public when the AI rollout is unsafe or crosses dangerous red lines.

Prevent AI from having legal rights

Enact laws so AIs don’t have protected speech or have their own bank accounts, making sure our legal system works for human interests over AI interests.

Oppose the state moratorium on AI 

Call your congressman or Senator Cruz’s office, and demand they oppose the state moratorium on AI without a plan for how we will set guardrails for this technology.

Glenn: Only Trump dared to deliver on decades of empty promises

Tasos Katopodis / Stringer | Getty Images

The Islamic regime has been killing Americans since 1979. Now Trump’s response proves we’re no longer playing defense — we’re finally hitting back.

The United States has taken direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Whatever you think of the strike, it’s over. It’s happened. And now, we have to predict what happens next. I want to help you understand the gravity of this situation: what happened, what it means, and what might come next. To that end, we need to begin with a little history.

Since 1979, Iran has been at war with us — even if we refused to call it that.

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell.

It began with the hostage crisis, when 66 Americans were seized and 52 were held for over a year by the radical Islamic regime. Four years later, 17 more Americans were murdered in the U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut, followed by 241 Marines in the Beirut barracks bombing.

Then came the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, which killed 19 more U.S. airmen. Iran had its fingerprints all over it.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, Iranian-backed proxies killed hundreds of American soldiers. From 2001 to 2020 in Afghanistan and 2003 to 2011 in Iraq, Iran supplied IEDs and tactical support.

The Iranians have plotted assassinations and kidnappings on U.S. soil — in 2011, 2021, and again in 2024 — and yet we’ve never really responded.

The precedent for U.S. retaliation has always been present, but no president has chosen to pull the trigger until this past weekend. President Donald Trump struck decisively. And what our military pulled off this weekend was nothing short of extraordinary.

Operation Midnight Hammer

The strike was reportedly called Operation Midnight Hammer. It involved as many as 175 U.S. aircraft, including 12 B-2 stealth bombers — out of just 19 in our entire arsenal. Those bombers are among the most complex machines in the world, and they were kept mission-ready by some of the finest mechanics on the planet.

   USAF / Handout | Getty Images

To throw off Iranian radar and intelligence, some bombers flew west toward Guam — classic misdirection. The rest flew east, toward the real targets.

As the B-2s approached Iranian airspace, U.S. submarines launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities. Minutes later, the bombers dropped 14 MOPs — massive ordnance penetrators — each designed to drill deep into the earth and destroy underground bunkers. These bombs are the size of an F-16 and cost millions of dollars apiece. They are so accurate, I’ve been told they can hit the top of a soda can from 15,000 feet.

They were built for this mission — and we’ve been rehearsing this run for 15 years.

If the satellite imagery is accurate — and if what my sources tell me is true — the targeted nuclear sites were utterly destroyed. We’ll likely rely on the Israelis to confirm that on the ground.

This was a master class in strategy, execution, and deterrence. And it proved that only the United States could carry out a strike like this. I am very proud of our military, what we are capable of doing, and what we can accomplish.

What comes next

We don’t yet know how Iran will respond, but many of the possibilities are troubling. The Iranians could target U.S. forces across the Middle East. On Monday, Tehran launched 20 missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Syria, and Kuwait, to no effect. God forbid, they could also unleash Hezbollah or other terrorist proxies to strike here at home — and they just might.

Iran has also threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — the artery through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. On Sunday, Iran’s parliament voted to begin the process. If the Supreme Council and the ayatollah give the go-ahead, we could see oil prices spike to $150 or even $200 a barrel.

That would be catastrophic.

The 2008 financial collapse was pushed over the edge when oil hit $130. Western economies — including ours — simply cannot sustain oil above $120 for long. If this conflict escalates and the Strait is closed, the global economy could unravel.

The strike also raises questions about regime stability. Will it spark an uprising, or will the Islamic regime respond with a brutal crackdown on dissidents?

Early signs aren’t hopeful. Reports suggest hundreds of arrests over the weekend and at least one dissident executed on charges of spying for Israel. The regime’s infamous morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, are back on the streets. Every phone, every vehicle — monitored. The U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place warning for Americans.

Russia and China both condemned the strike. On Monday, a senior Iranian official flew to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin. That meeting should alarm anyone paying attention. Their alliance continues to deepen — and that’s a serious concern.

Now we pray

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell. But either way, President Trump didn’t start this. He inherited it — and he took decisive action.

The difference is, he did what they all said they would do. He didn’t send pallets of cash in the dead of night. He didn’t sign another failed treaty.

He acted. Now, we pray. For peace, for wisdom, and for the strength to meet whatever comes next.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Globalize the Intifada? Why Mamdani’s plan spells DOOM for America

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

If New Yorkers hand City Hall to Zohran Mamdani, they’re not voting for change. They’re opening the door to an alliance of socialism, Islamism, and chaos.

It only took 25 years for New York City to go from the resilient, flag-waving pride following the 9/11 attacks to a political fever dream. To quote Michael Malice, “I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

Malice is talking about Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens now eyeing the mayor’s office. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state representative emerging from relative political obscurity, is now receiving substantial funding for his mayoral campaign from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR has a long and concerning history, including being born out of the Muslim Brotherhood and named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding case. Why would the group have dropped $100,000 into a PAC backing Mamdani’s campaign?

Mamdani blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone.

Perhaps CAIR has a vested interest in Mamdani’s call to “globalize the intifada.” That’s not a call for peaceful protest. Intifada refers to historic uprisings of Muslims against what they call the “Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Suicide bombings and street violence are part of the playbook. So when Mamdani says he wants to “globalize” that, who exactly is the enemy in this global scenario? Because it sure sounds like he's saying America is the new Israel, and anyone who supports Western democracy is the new Zionist.

Mamdani tried to clean up his language by citing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which once used “intifada” in an Arabic-language article to describe the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. So now he’s comparing Palestinians to Jewish victims of the Nazis? If that doesn’t twist your stomach into knots, you’re not paying attention.

If you’re “globalizing” an intifada, and positioning Israel — and now America — as the Nazis, that’s not a cry for human rights. That’s a call for chaos and violence.

Rising Islamism

But hey, this is New York. Faculty members at Columbia University — where Mamdani’s own father once worked — signed a letter defending students who supported Hamas after October 7. They also contributed to Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. And his father? He blamed Ronald Reagan and the religious right for inspiring Islamic terrorism, as if the roots of 9/11 grew in Washington, not the caves of Tora Bora.

   Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

 

This isn’t about Islam as a faith. We should distinguish between Islam and Islamism. Islam is a religion followed peacefully by millions. Islamism is something entirely different — an ideology that seeks to merge mosque and state, impose Sharia law, and destroy secular liberal democracies from within. Islamism isn’t about prayer and fasting. It’s about power.

Criticizing Islamism is not Islamophobia. It is not an attack on peaceful Muslims. In fact, Muslims are often its first victims.

Islamism is misogynistic, theocratic, violent, and supremacist. It’s hostile to free speech, religious pluralism, gay rights, secularism — even to moderate Muslims. Yet somehow, the progressive left — the same left that claims to fight for feminism, LGBTQ rights, and free expression — finds itself defending candidates like Mamdani. You can’t make this stuff up.

Blending the worst ideologies

And if that weren’t enough, Mamdani also identifies as a Democratic Socialist. He blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone. But don’t worry, New York. I’m sure this time socialism will totally work. Just like it always didn’t.

If you’re a business owner, a parent, a person who’s saved anything, or just someone who values sanity: Get out. I’m serious. If Mamdani becomes mayor, as seems likely, then New York City will become a case study in what happens when you marry ideological extremism with political power. And it won’t be pretty.

This is about more than one mayoral race. It’s about the future of Western liberalism. It’s about drawing a bright line between faith and fanaticism, between healthy pluralism and authoritarian dogma.

Call out radicalism

We must call out political Islam the same way we call out white nationalism or any other supremacist ideology. When someone chants “globalize the intifada,” that should send a chill down your spine — whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, or anything in between.

The left may try to shame you into silence with words like “Islamophobia,” but the record is worn out. The grooves are shallow. The American people see what’s happening. And we’re not buying it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.