After a deadly attack at San Diego’s largest mosque, thousands in the community gathered last week for a funeral to honor the three men killed by teenage shooters who reportedly left behind a hateful manifesto and were wearing Nazi symbols.
Ammar Campa-Najjar grew up in the mosque community, attended school there as a child, and was friends with one of the victims – 78-year-old Mansour Kaziha (also known as Abu Ezz). The Mexican-Palestinian-American Navy reserve officer is now running for Congress in California’s competitive 48th district, a key race for Democratic hopes to take back the House – and pro-Israel groups have spent nearly $2 million against him.
Campa-Najjar tells Mehdi the attack on the mosque “did not happen in a vacuum,” but rather in a political environment that is filled with xenophobia and Islamophobia.
00:00 Intro and San Diego Mosque Attack
02:15 Islamophobia, Laura Loomer and Political Rhetoric
11:18 Why He’s Running for Congress
12:12 Israel Lobby Money and Super PACs
15:52 Gaza, Genocide and U.S. Aid to Israel
19:14 Progressive Politics and 2028 vision
