“The dream of every Muslim is simply to be treated the same as any other New Yorker. And yet for too long we have been told to ask for less than that and to be satisfied with whatever little we receive. No more. And I thought that if I behaved well enough, or bit my tongue enough in the face of racist, baseless attacks, all while returning back to my central message, it would allow me to be more than just my faith. I was wrong.” “When they’ve heard some of the statements you’ve made, like in support of global jihad, they’re frightened. They’re scared. They view you as the arsonist who fanned the flames of antisemitism.” “I have never, not once, spoken in support of global jihad. That is not something that I have said.” “I want to speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after Sept. 11 because she did not feel safe in her hijab. I want to speak to the Muslim who works for our city, whether they teach in our schools or walk the beat for the N.Y.P.D., New Yorkers who all make daily sacrifices for the city they call home, only to see their leaders spit in their face.”