A memorial, and a screed

At New York's 25th anniversary 9/11 ceremony, former mayor Rudy Giuliani singled out Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim, over his presence at the commemorations.

The rant itself is not the story

Giuliani is now better known as Trump's twice-disbarred former lawyer than as America's mayor. Mamdani showed up anyway and shook his hand.

What changed since 2001

Ugly anti-Muslim politics surged right after the attacks too. The difference now is that many politicians then worked to tamp it down instead of feeding it.

It passed the dinner table test

Scholar Nathan Lean argues anti-Muslim prejudice is now openly sayable and built into institutions in a way bigotry toward other groups no longer is.

“You can say things about Muslims with basic impunity today.”

Cruz in Dallas

At the GOP's midterm convention, Sen. Ted Cruz claimed "communism" and "Islamism" had joined forces against Republicans because they share the same enemies.

“They hate Christians. They hate Jews. They hate capitalism.”

Crowd yells "he should be shot"

As Cruz named Mamdani, Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed, and Texas candidate James Talarico, attendees shouted that one of them should be shot.

Michigan and Texas on the front lines

Rep. Nancy Mace called every Muslim officeholder in America a "Trojan horse." In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has turned the rhetoric into actual policy.

“Every single Muslim holding public office in America is a Trojan horse.”

A distraction from prices

El-Sayed says the attacks are meant to pull attention from affordability, and Republicans, short on else to run on, have gone all in.

“My name is not raising your gas prices.”