VIRGINIA PRODAN: We Need To Defeat Socialism In NYC. How Did We Get Here?

Zohran Mamdani — who espouses government-run grocery stores, freezing rents, legalizing prostitution, raising taxes, and defunding the police — is on the verge of becoming mayor of New York City.

In Minnesota, “The Mamdani of Minneapolis,” also a Democratic Socialist, Omar Fateh, the first Muslim elected to the state’s Senate, is running for mayor. Like Mamdani, Fateh has also been accused of antisemitic rhetoric. Some critics believe the two mayoral candidates are part of an “attempted Islamic takeover of America.”

The metaphoric rise of candidates such as Fateh and Mamdani proves that authoritarian radical socialist policies and opposition to Israel on the Democratic Party ticket are becoming mainstream. (POSTED: ‘What A Shocker’: Socialist Zohran Mamdani Awkwardly Smiles At Camera For 18 Seconds Before Giving Non-Answer)

Democracy relies on fairness, equality, and the active participation of citizens in decision-making processes. But our democracy and freedoms are under siege. Many Americans seem apathetic, unaware, or asleep.

The Trojan horse of communism is already here. Lest we forget that the recently released explosive FBI documents revealed that President Joe Biden’s FBI and special counsel Jack Smith surveilled private phone calls of several Republican senators and conservative groups.

During a recent Senate hearing, Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia declared that our rights come from the government, not God — a foundational communist principle.

In America, however, citizens are not subjects waiting for the approval and permission of the government. Our rights are constitutionally God-given, that no government should deny. They are freedom and liberty.

A 2024 Cato Institute survey found that nearly three-fourths (74%) of Americans worry that if we’re not careful, Americans could lose their freedom.

But restoring and protecting America’s democracy requires a united, concerted effort from all sectors of society. Protecting our freedoms and civil liberties is paramount.

Authoritarian regimes often emerge gradually, making small, incremental changes that can go unnoticed until it is too late. Like a shark that’s tasted blood in the water, an oppressive regime will feed off the inaction of its citizens, and its predatory instincts will become emboldened until it eventually destroys its prey.

I speak from firsthand experience and see the red flags all around us in America. I was born in Communist Romania under the brutal totalitarian regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu. Then Romania was “a land of lies and a prison land” where simply questioning a government directive could lead to imprisonment, physical torture, and even death.

We lived in a constant state of anxiety and mistrust. Anyone could be arbitrarily denounced by a neighbor or family member for making “anti-government” statements. The best way to avoid trouble was to remain silent, question nothing, and live like a chameleon and quietly blend in.

I became a lawyer. By the time I graduated from Bucharest law school, Ceaușescu had declared himself god, jailing Christians for having Bibles or going to church. He demolished churches to make room for his palace.

My courage to fight the communist oppression came from the true, foundational principles that I found in the Bible — forbidden in communist Romania — that ultimately led me to understand that my life and rights come from Christ, not the government. Christ gave me the mission as an attorney todefend Christian and human rights cases against the communist government.

My work as an attorney to stop Ceaușescu and protect churches and Christians became part of the U.S. State Department and United Nations reports on human and religious rights violations in Ceaușescu’s Romania. As a result, it was considered “dissident activity” by the government. The Securitate sought to silence me. I was kidnapped, interrogated, tortured, threatened with death,and came within seconds of being executed by an assassin.

But by the grace of God, I survived!

In 1988, under pressure from the U.S. President Ronald Reagan, I was exiled as a political refugee to America and have since worked with relentless dedication for freedom and justice for the oppressed.

My legal battles defending Christian and human rights under a communist regime serve as a personal account of the dangers of a government that disregards individual rights. It serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us all that the acceptance of small encroachments on our rights can lead to monumental losses. We must fight back through active engagement and advocacy, which are critical to preserving our freedoms.

My life as an international human rights attorney, speaker, and author of my memoir, “Saving My Assassin,”  is proof of that.

It underscores the recurring theme that complacency can lead to devastating consequences, including loss of liberty and human rights.

America’s future is on the line.

By recognizing the new reality, we can all actively work to address these challenges. We can restore faith and freedom in America and ensure we are a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Now is the time to speak up and stand up to save our freedom by exposing illegal, subversive, oppressive government tactics and ensuring that the Mamdanis and Fatehs of the world are soundly defeated!

Virginia Prodan is an international human rights attorney, best-selling author of memoir Saving My Assassin, host of Courageous Leadership podcast show, and a highly sought-after KeyNote speaker, writer, and interview guest.

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