Bad Faith Episode 531 Promo - Should We 'Let Zohran Cook'? (w/ Ross Barkan & Nerdeen Kiswani)
Dec 1, 2025
Ross Barkan, a New York Magazine columnist and political analyst, teams up with Nerdeen Kiswani, a Palestinian activist and founder of Within Our Lifetime. They dive into the controversies surrounding New York's newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani. Topics include Mamdani’s surprising endorsements, the implications of retaining Jessica Tisch for policing, and the balance he seeks between addressing protests and appeasing opposition. Their discussion offers a critical lens on political strategy and the complexities of activism.
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Grants Can Criminalize Dissent
- Nerdeen Kiswani warns that anti-hate grants can criminalize anti‑Zionist organizing by empowering groups that count Palestine protests as antisemitic incidents.
- She argues this dynamic chills protest and enables harsh prosecutions, citing a 20‑year‑old Palestinian jailed on a hate‑crime charge.
Personal Arrests And Physical Abuse
- Nerdeen recounts repeated arrests by NYPD since October 2023 with charges routinely dismissed but physical abuse endured.
- She says the punishment has been bodily harm and ongoing fear that deters organizing and protesting.
Watch The Administration Closely
- Ross Barkan urges pro‑Palestine groups and civil liberties organizations to closely monitor the new administration's treatment of protesters.
- He stresses the bare minimum should be treatment comparable to Bill de Blasio's era and ideally much better.