The New York Post has reported that Justine Medina, a former aide to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), has been named "Co-chair of the New York Communist League" by the Peoples World, a publication of the Communist Party.
Medina, who earned $35,000 working for Ocasio-Cortez's 2020 campaign, was also listed as a member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Communist Party. While working for Ocasio-Cortez, Medina claimed responsibility for "organizing and writing policy language with Anti-War Veterans & the Peace Movement."
The Post also revealed Medina's past tweets, which showed her alignment with communism. In one tweet, she stated, "well, I *am* a Communist, but work for AOC & helped start Queens DSAs Electoral WG, so I def see utility in working on the Dem ballot line!"
In another tweet, she claimed that communism is about "equality, democracy, peace, the advancement of workers, the oppressed and humanity in general," and that the road to communism will be "unkind" to those who "block progress." She added, "[B]ut communism is good and shouldnt scare you."
Following the publication of The Post's article, Medina celebrated the label and posted a screenshot of the article, writing, "Friends, I have an announcement to make." The Post also reported that Medina was involved in efforts to unionize Amazon's workforce and bragged about her work in an article for the Communist Party website. Ocasio-Cortez played a role in stopping a plan by Amazon to open a headquarters in New York City and has been a vocal supporter of unionization efforts at the tech giant.
The outlet also reported that Medina has a long history of arrests, having been booked at least twice in June 2020 during the Black Lives Matter riots in the city. She even tweeted that cops' zip ties were too tight. According to The New Yorker, she was also arrested in 2020 for attempting to deface a plaque in Queens honoring Fred Trump. In response to questions about her beliefs, Medina said she subscribed to "Marxist-Leninist-Robesonist" thought, referencing Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and Paul Robeson.
Communist ideology has been responsible for many political movements throughout the 20th century, resulting in the murder of more than 100 million people. In the 1930s, Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union's communist dictator, starved millions of Ukrainians.
In contrast, Mao Zedong, China's communist dictator, led the Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward, with an estimated death toll of over 40 million. Pol Pot, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge communist leader, during his brief rule in the 1970s, is estimated to have killed about a quarter of his own country's population.
The revelation of Medina's affiliation with the Communist Party has raised concerns about the influence of far-left ideologies in American politics. Critics argue that such ideologies are incompatible with American values and pose a threat to democracy.
However, supporters of Medina and Ocasio-Cortez say that their beliefs are rooted in a desire for social justice and equality. The debate over the role of communism in American politics is likely to continue, as the country grapples with inequality and social justice issues.
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