Former Major League Baseball player Kevin Youkilis has publicly criticized U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for her response to the recent firebomb attack on Jewish marchers in Boulder, Colorado. Youkilis, who is Jewish, accused the congresswoman of "virtue signaling" and failing to take substantive action against rising antisemitism, particularly in New York City.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ocasio-Cortez expressed horror at the attack, stating, "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."
Youkilis responded by questioning the effectiveness of her statements, writing, "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."
He further challenged her to address radical groups in New York City, stating, "Confront the radical mobs chanting for intifadas in NYC. That would be brave leadership, but we know politicians, on both sides of the aisle, shy away in fear of losing votes and power."
The attack in question involved Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, who allegedly used a homemade flamethrow ... assault a group of Israeli protesters in Colorado. The victims, aged between 52 and 88, were hospitalized for their injuries. Soliman faces federal hate crime charges and multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder, potentially resulting in a 624-year prison sentence. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI are investigating the case, officially labeling it a terrorist act.
Kevin Youkilis played most of his career with the Boston Red Sox. He refused to play on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Hebrew calendar. In 2012, a game was rescheduled from the afternoon to the evening so that Youkilis would not be forced to miss the game due to Yom Kippur.
Youkilis won a Gold Glove for his defensive play at first base in 2007 when he achieved a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, meaning he made no errors during the entire season. He played 238 consecutive games without recording a single error, nearly a season and a half. In 2007, he contributed to the Red Sox's World Series championship with a 4.7 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) rating, according to Baseball Reference.
His best seasons came in 2008 and 2009, where he recorded WAR ratings of 6.3 and 6.6, respectively, earning him consideration for the Most Valuable Player award and selections to the American League All-Star team both years.
In 2005, Youkilis became part of what has been called the "first all-Jewish outfield" in the history of Major League Baseball when he played in the outfield together with Adam Stern and Gabe Kapler during one game.