Melat Kiros and I walked side by side one warm evening toward the Posner Center on 33rd Street. We’re not old friends. The mathematics of fate just decided we’d park at the same time and both try to enter through the wrong door.
I knew who she was immediately. Striding with the purposeful walk of a woman seriously running for office, I wondered for a moment if I were walking next to a future Barack Obama-magnitude political figure.
I told her that the people were rooting for her as I opened the door for her to an event I understood to be a meet and greet with the Democratic candidates in the 1st Congressional District primary. It turned out to be a full-on debate between her and the equally rhetorically formidable Wanda James.
The event was put on by the EDABC, Economic Development Association for Black Communities. The audience was small, but a who’s who of influential Black Denverites.
James and Kiros were two gladiators, landing classy but impactful blows in the kind of back-and-forth political debate I wish had been televised. James’ experience and track record resonated with the audience, but Kiros’ articulation of the Democratic Socialist platform edged out to win the day, in my estimation.
That same Democratic Socialist platform would be all the rage in the coming weeks as several DSA candidates pulled upset primary victories against establishment Democratic candidates across the country.
Three Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates would sweep New York primaries, causing outright celebration all over social media. Left-leaning content creators, and even some right wingers, were mentioning Kiros in the national DSA whirlwind.
The overall response was positive — maybe too positive. I knew that the backlash from the establishment was on the way, and wondered what form it would take, especially since the old fashioned “Red Scare,” McCarthyist smears are losing steam with today’s younger voters.
Charges of antisemitism, however, still have a bite that cannot be ignored. After his primary defeat of Michael Bennet, Phil Weiser wasted no time forcefully excoriating Kiros over an interview answer about the firebombing death of Jewish activist Karen Diamond as she demonstrated for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
In the interview, Kiros would not cleanly call the act antisemitic. All at once, media outlet after media outlet published articles casting Kiros as an existential threat to Jewish Coloradans. A pro-Israel candidate, Dr. Shimon Blau, is now jumping in the race as an independent to oppose Kiros, purely on the grounds of her “antisemitic rhetoric.” The tide had turned.
Let’s be clear: The tragic death of Karen Diamond was absolutely an act of antisemitism. My clarity on that is based on my clarity on the source of the confusion; narrative bleed and appropriation.
Here’s how it works: Since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas, the righteous outrage over the brutality against innocent Gazans by Israeli forces has provided cover for real antisemitism to re-emerge with a vengeance. Then, those who side with Israel, even through these horrific acts, become the focal point of anger of those who support Gaza, regardless of their religion.
Then, true antisemites adopt the pro-Gaza talking points, and steer the conversation away from pure solidarity with the innocent, and back into old-school hatred of Jewish people. Now, those who side with Gaza purely based on care for the innocent do so with mixed messages and narratives. So, how can you tell them apart? Their actions.
Those who side with Gaza purely on the basis of humanitarian care never act violently against Jews, nor do they call for antisemitic violence based on that same humanitarian care. They know the difference and know the line.
Based on this clarity, I can tell you Kiros is no antisemite. Those who believe she is would do well to not only remind themselves of her many statements in solidarity with Jewish people, but stay focused on the root of the problem. The Israel Defense Forces’ actions under Netanyahu have turned the opinions of this country overwhelmingly against Israel for the first time in that nation’s history.
The reactions to this violence have put innocent Jewish people in more danger than I have ever seen in my lifetime. Kiros understands that the actions of a rogue government and the beliefs of a religion are two entirely different things. To willfully conflate the two is in fact, antisemitic.
Why aren’t those smearing Kiros talking about why she and the DSA candidates won? Will they address why the establishment Democrats fell out of favor with Gen-Z and Millennial voters like me? What other political force in America has clear plans to address the impending AI jobs apocalypse? What strategies do they have to bring down the price of daycare and housing? What popular policy prescriptions is Dr. Shimon Blau running on besides simply opposing Kiros?
The night of the debate at the Posner Center, I saw two powerhouse women debate over policy in a room full of informed voters. Kiros and James respected us enough not to insult our intelligence with ad hominem smears and rhetoric. Kiros’ other opponents missed that memo.
Say what you want about the DSA, but Mamdani is proving, in the biggest city in America, that Democratic Socialist ideals can deliver for the people. Mamdani faced similar smears to those lobbed at Kiros.
If Kiros serves her base as well as Mamdani serves his, her detractors’ words will be drowned out by her voters’ cheers.
Theo E.J. Wilson of Denver is a poet, speaker, author and activist.
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