After a horrifying terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) wasted no time turning the tragedy into another political talking point — and not everyone was buying it. World Series champion Kevin Youkilis publicly slammed the far-left congresswoman for a tone-deaf and divisive response. While Americans mourned, AOC reached for the same tired progressive narratives that often ignore the root causes of radical violence.
In a social media post, AOC said she was "horrified" by the attack and declared that Americans have a “moral responsibility to confront and stop [antisemitism] everywhere it exists.” At first glance, her response appeared sympathetic to the incident, in which an illegal immigrant threw Molotov cocktails at demonstrators calling for Hamas to release the remaining hostages. However, Youkilis criticized her statement as more “virtue signaling” than a genuine commitment to addressing the rise of antisemitism in the U.S.
“Jews are targeted with violence, and it’s the same virtue signal post time and time again,” he wrote on X. “What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.”
Youkilis’s remarks come amid a surge of pro-terrorism demonstrations, including mobs chanting for intifadas in AOC’s own district. Antisemitic incidents have been on the rise in New York City since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
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“That would be brave leadership, but we know politicians, on both sides of the aisle, shy away in fear of losing votes and power,” he continued.
This is not the first time AOC has faced criticism for her responses to anti-Israel protests, particularly regarding her support for specific demonstrations and her stance on Israeli policies.
In April 2024, she praised “peaceful” pro-Hamas protests on college campuses, including at Columbia University, despite reports of escalating tensions and disruptions.
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