Can a candidate for public office in Queens really dismiss American holidays as tools of oppression without sparking a firestorm?
In the race for the 34th District Assembly seat in Queens, covering neighborhoods like Corona, Aber Kawas, a Palestinian-American activist and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member endorsed by NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, has ignited controversy with old comments criticizing federal holidays and core American ideals.
The New York Post reported that Kawas, who has deep roots in activism and ties to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, first aired these views in an online journal entry almost a decade ago on Labor Day.
In that 2015 entry, she wrote, “Whether it is July 4th, Thanksgiving, Veterans, Columbus or now Labor Day, we enjoy days off that are supposed to be victories for people, when they truly represent the silencing & destruction of our movements.”
That’s quite the statement—casting holidays meant to honor independence or veterans as somehow anti-progress. One has to wonder how Veterans Day could be seen as silencing when it amplifies the voices of those who’ve served.
Kawas pressed further, stating, “Today I do not celebrate a day off, I only recommit myself to a global movement that fights against the death, displacement, and exploitation of people for capital.”
Her perspective seems to prioritize a worldwide struggle over national unity, which is her right, but it raises eyebrows for someone aiming to serve a local American constituency.
Queens Councilman Robert Holden, a conservative Democrat, didn’t mince words in response, targeting both Kawas and Mamdani for pushing views he finds contrary to national pride.
Holden declared, “When Zohran Mamdani backs candidates like Aber Kawas who openly hate Labor Day, Veterans Day, and the American Dream, it’s a warning sign that we need to stop electing people who despise this country and everything it stands for.”
Beyond holidays, Kawas has also drawn heat for earlier comments on the 9/11 attacks, which re-emerged on social media last month after Mamdani’s backing became widely known.
In a video posted by Australian activist Drew Pavlou, she tied systemic issues like capitalism and racism to colonialism, framing 9/11 within that historical pattern. Such a take risks alienating those who view the tragedy as a standalone act of terror, not a footnote in a broader critique.
The Assembly race, with the seat opening as Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas runs for state Senate, is already a battleground, with Gonzalez-Rojas supporting her chief of staff, Brian Romero, while the DSA backs Kawas.
Kawas’ stances, while grounded in a critique of systemic flaws, clash with the reverence many hold for American traditions as emblems of shared history and sacrifice.
With neither Kawas nor Mamdani offering comment on the backlash, voters are left to weigh whether this silence signals indifference or strategy.
For a district as varied as Queens, the real issue might be whether a candidate’s focus on global causes can still address the day-to-day needs of local residents without dismissing the values that bind them.
