Latest news with #KevinYoukilis
National Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
World Series champion blasts AOC over response to Colorado attack
After the tragic events in Boulder, Col., earlier this week, a former MLB all-star known for earning walks isn't giving congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a free pass. Article content Kevin Youkilis, who earned the nickname 'The Greek God of Walks,' during his 10-year MLB career, called out the representative from New York for 'virtue signaling' with her social media post after the alleged antisemitic hate crime. Article content Article content Article content More than a dozen people were injured in a firebomb attack on Sunday in Boulder, with the horrific incident being treated by the FBI as a hate crime after suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman told police that he tried to kill demonstrators demanding the release of Hamas' Israeli hostages, according to an FBI affidavit. Article content AOC condemned the 'horrific attack' in a post on Monday. Article content Article content 'I am horrified by last night's horrific attack in Boulder. My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country,' she wrote. Article content 'Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.' But her words were not enough for Youkilis, who is Jewish and served as the hitting coach for Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Article content 'Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again,' he wrote on X. 'What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.' Article content Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again. What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight. — Kevin Youkilis (@GreekGodOfHops) June 2, 2025 Article content Youkilis was apparently referencing pro-Palestinian rallies in New York, where chants of 'long live intifada' reportedly were chanted by demonstrators. Article content Article content 'Intifada' is an Arabic word for a rebellion used to describe Palestine's various uprisings against Israeli occupation. Article content Many claim the term and slogan 'Globalize the Intifada' inherently are antisemitic. Article content Youkilis, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, won two World Series during his time with the Boston Red Sox and made three all-star teams. Article content He also played for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees during his career and is a brother-in-law of NFL icon Tom Brady after marrying his sister in 2012. Article content
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
World Series champion blasts AOC over response to Colorado attack
'Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again,' Kevin Youkilis of Team Israel celebrates after defeating Team Nicaragua in a World Baseball Classic game in 2023. Getty Images After the tragic events in Boulder, Col., earlier this week, a former MLB all-star known for earning walks isn't giving congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a free pass. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Kevin Youkilis, who earned the nickname 'The Greek God of Walks,' during his 10-year MLB career, called out the representative from New York for 'virtue signaling' with her social media post after the alleged antisemitic hate crime. More than a dozen people were injured in a firebomb attack on Sunday in Boulder, with the horrific incident being treated by the FBI as a hate crime after suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman told police that he tried to kill demonstrators demanding the release of Hamas' Israeli hostages, according to an FBI affidavit. AOC condemned the 'horrific attack' in a post on Monday. 'I am horrified by last night's horrific attack in Boulder. My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country,' she wrote. 'Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.' But her words were not enough for Youkilis, who is Jewish and served as the hitting coach for Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. 'Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again,' he wrote on X. 'What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again. What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight. — Kevin Youkilis (@GreekGodOfHops) June 2, 2025 Youkilis was apparently referencing pro-Palestinian rallies in New York, where chants of 'long live intifada' reportedly were chanted by demonstrators. 'Intifada' is an Arabic word for a rebellion used to describe Palestine's various uprisings against Israeli occupation. Many claim the term and slogan 'Globalize the Intifada' inherently are antisemitic. Youkilis, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel, won two World Series during his time with the Boston Red Sox and made three all-star teams. He also played for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees during his career and is a brother-in-law of NFL icon Tom Brady after marrying his sister in 2012. Read More RECOMMENDED VIDEO Celebrity Columnists Canada Canada Toronto & GTA
Fox News
6 days ago
- General
- Fox News
Former MLB star calls out AOC's 'virtue signaling' after antisemitic attack in Colorado
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is striking out with a Jewish former Major League Baseball player over her response to a recent antisemitic attack in Colorado. "We're just at a point now where the Jewish people are just tired. We're tired of having to deal with so much hatred," said Kevin Youkilis, a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox, during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Wednesday. His comments come after Ocasio-Cortez posted on social media about the attack, which targeted a pro-Israel group gathered to call for the return of Israeli hostages held in captivity by Hamas. Multiple people were injured when the suspect allegedly used homemade incendiary devices to attack attendees. Suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman is now facing hate crime, attempted murder, assault and other charges. In her post on X, formerly Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez condemned the violence in Colorado and warned that antisemitism is "on the rise." She called on the public to confront hate "everywhere it exists." But Youkilis said her words rang hollow. Responding on X, he wrote: "Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again. What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight." Youkilis pointed to growing antisemitic rhetoric on college campuses and at protests in New York, some of which have included calls for the dismantling of the Jewish state. He argued that condemning violence after attacks happen isn't enough from lawmakers. "When we hear this rhetoric, and it's pushed out in our universities and on the streets, it just has to stop. It brings a lot of fear. It stokes the violence," he said, referencing protests in the United States that intensified following the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel. While he agreed with Ocasio-Cortez that antisemitism is a "moral issue," Youkilis said her actions don't reflect a serious commitment to combating it. The attack in Colorado follows another incident last month in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli diplomats, set to be engaged, were gunned down in an apparent hate crime. The suspect was arrested at the Capital Jewish Museum, and reportedly shouted, "Free, free Palestine." Youkilis said he's seen a noticeable shift in the safety of Jews in America, noting increased security at Jewish community centers, schools, and synagogues. He praised lawmakers, like Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., for speaking out repeatedly against antisemitism. "Ritchie Torres has been fabulous in the way he has spoken out," Youkilis said, urging other lawmakers to follow his example. While Youkilis emphasized his strong belief in the rights of Americans to voice their opinions, he called on public officials to better distinguish between free speech and hate speech. "First Amendment rights are First Amendment rights, and I'm a firm believer in that as an American, and a proud American," said the former first baseman, who served as the Israeli team's hitting coach at the World Baseball Classic in 2023. "But we also have to have our leadership that can decipher between what is hate and how people are [going to] build upon it."
New York Post
03-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
World Series champ Kevin Youkilis calls out AOC for ‘virtue signaling' in her response to Colorado terror attack
A former MLB star accused US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) of 'virtue signaling' over her response to the attack on Jewish protesters in Colorado. Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X that she was 'horrified' by the firebombing, adding: 'My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country. 'Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.' 3 Kevin Youkilis was a hitting coach for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Getty Images 3 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez takes part in the New Queens Pride Parade in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. on June 1, 2025. Luiz Rampelotto/ZUMA / 3 Colorado attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman is seen as he launched a fiery attack on demonstrators at an outdoor mall, Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colorado. AP But World Series champ Kevin Youkilis found her words hollow, and slammed the lawmaker for failing to speak out against the same antisemitism running rampant in New York City. 'Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again,' he wrote on X. 'What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight,' he added.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's response to Boulder terror attack slammed by World Series champion Kevin Youkilis
Two-time World Series winner Kevin Youkilis has called out congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for 'virtue signaling' after the New York Democrat condemned Sunday's antisemitic hate crime in Colorado. A dozen people were injured in a fiery attack in Boulder, where suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman has since told police he tried to kill demonstrators demanding the release of Hamas ' Israeli hostages, according to an FBI affidavit. The Bureau is treating the the incident as a hate crime. Ocasio-Cortez described the attack as 'horrific' and wrote on X that her 'heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country.' 'Antisemitism is on the rise here at home,' she added, 'and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.' Youkilis, a three-time All-Star who won a pair of World Series with the Boston Red Sox, dismissed her message online. 'Jews are targeted with violence and it's the same virtue signal post time and time again,' he wrote on X. 'What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.' Youkilis appeared to be referencing pro-Palestinian protests in New York, where chants of 'long live intifada' were reportedly chanted by demonstrators. 'Intifada' is an Arabic word for a rebellion used to describe Palestine's various uprisings against Israeli occupation. For instance, the ongoing war between Israel and Gaza has been labelled by some as the 'Third Intifada.' Many have claimed the term and the slogan 'Globalize the Intifada' are inherently antisemitic. Nicknamed the 'Greek God of Walks' in the best-selling book, Moneyball, the 46-year-old Youkilis is actually Jewish and once served as the hitting coach for Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami. In addition to being an outspoken supporter of Israel, he's also Tom Brady's brother-in-law having married the quarterback's sister Julie in 2012. Sunday's violence in Boulder comes amid the growing global tensions over the Israel-Hamas war and a spike in reports of antisemitism in the US. Previously a man was heard yelling 'free Palestine' after allegedly shooting and killing two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington DC. As for Soliman, the suspect in Boulder, he allegedly told police he planned the attack for the last year as part of his desire to 'kill all Zionist people.' Since October of 2023, when Hamas-led militants abducted 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, roughly 60,000 people have been killed on both sides the conflict, according to multiple sources. Of those deaths, more than 95 percent are Palestinian, the Gaza Health Ministry reports. The fighting has resulted in a hunger crisis in Gaza, where nearly 2 million people have been displaced. Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of strategically starving Palestinians in Gaza – an allegation he has denied. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has attacked Palestinian support in American colleges by threatening to revoke funding for schools and visas for international students thought to be 'Hamas sympathizers.' Last month, the Trump administration revoked the visas of a reported 800 students, some of whom have had their statuses restored by courts.
