New York’s First Lady, Rama Dowaj, who is married to Mayor Zoran Mamdani, seems to have opted for a getaway over participating in the country’s 250th Anniversary of Independence celebrations.
She flew to a Spanish resort for an Islamic “spiritual wellness” retreat, leaving her husband to mark the occasion with a speech that criticized the nation, insinuating that it harbored white supremacists and that freedom was not available to everyone.
On July 4th, Dowaj, a Syrian-American artist raised in Texas and educated in Dubai, was seen at Newark International Airport, preparing for her eight-hour flight to Palma, located on Mallorca in the western Mediterranean.
Duwaj, who is 29 years old, has been vocal in her criticism of the United States.
In past social media posts, which have since been deleted, she has praised Palestinian militant groups and attacked U.S. military personnel supporting Israel, as reported in March.
In 2015, she shared a Tumblr post stating, “American soldiers engaged in imperialistic wars are not brave and are not fighting for anyone’s freedom; they are callously killing civilians in third world countries to uphold American dominance,” according to another report.
The retreat, recognized as a “women’s sanctuary,” is fully booked, and Dowaj is serving as the “artist-in-residence.”
A local tabloid mentioned:
Participation in the “Plants of the Quran” retreat costs about $3,400. Starting Wednesday and continuing until Monday, the retreat will highlight sacred plants in Islamic scriptures, featuring art, botanical workshops, and spiritual reflections as per the event’s website.
After this, Dowaj is slated to organize another sold-out retreat in Corsica, titled “Mary in the Quran,” scheduled for July 9-14, which aims to explore the significant role of Mary in the Quran.
Mamdani stayed in New York on July 4th for official engagements.
The Empire State Building was illuminated in red, white, and blue for Independence Day.
However, Dowaj’s absence sparked criticism aimed at Mamdani.
Comedian and conservative commentator Allyn Wexler shared a photo of the First Lady at the airport.
“Interestingly, my wife, Rama Duwaji, was on a plane to a party in Mallorca when @ZohranKMamdani asked New Yorkers to raise the temperature on their air conditioning,” she tweeted.
Mr. Wexler noted that the photo was taken by a friend who was on the same flight.
The tabloid didn’t provide details on Richer for Dowaj’s trip, but reported that the lowest round-trip fare from Newark to Palma for later this month was approximately $900.
Council members voiced their discontent over the First Lady’s apparent disregard for the national holiday.
“Nothing encapsulates ‘America 250’ quite like skipping the celebration for a Mediterranean vacation, but I’m not surprised, given her blatant disdain for this country,” remarked Queens City Councilwoman Joanne Arriola.
“It’s disappointing that the First Lady chose to be abroad instead of participating in such a significant civic event,” Staten Island City Councilman Frank Morano added.
He also stated, “Time off is acceptable for elected officials and their families, but this was an opportunity to show support for our city and nation, and she missed it.”
Mamdani previously defended Dowaj, arguing that she shouldn’t be criticized for her beliefs as she doesn’t hold a formal government position.
In April, Dowaj had issued an apology concerning her past anti-American remarks.
While Dowaj was away, Mamdani drew ire for his comments during an extreme heat wave, suggesting New Yorkers set their air conditioning to 78 degrees instead of proposing improvements to the city’s power system.
In a speech, the Democratic Socialist mayor sat behind a replica of George Washington’s desk and criticized immigration policies that allow only certain groups to enjoy freedom while expressing concern about racial minorities facing oppression in the U.S.
He remarked, “They claim that accepting more immigrants causes America to deteriorate,” and added that, “America is perceived to be exclusively for individuals with the right accent and skin color, leaving the rest of us feeling grateful for just being allowed to visit.” Yet, he didn’t clarify why people continue to migrate to the U.S. if conditions are as bad as he portrayed.
