AOC admits to being one of the 'most hated' people in the US

Finishing her first year in Congress, the leader of "The Squad" looks back on the hate against her, as well as the vocal support she's received.

By AARON REICH
A woman passes by an electronic billboard in Times Square displaying, "Thanks For Nothing, AOC!", referencing U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and the pullout of Amazon's HQ 2 in New York City, U.S., February 21, 2019 (photo credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)
A woman passes by an electronic billboard in Times Square displaying, "Thanks For Nothing, AOC!", referencing U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and the pullout of Amazon's HQ 2 in New York City, U.S., February 21, 2019
(photo credit: BRENDAN MCDERMID/REUTERS)
Few freshman members of Congress have taken headlines and captured the public zeitgeist quite like New York's Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. However, not much of this press has been positive, with the congresswoman admitting to being one of the most hated people in the US, according to The New Yorker.
Now celebrating one year in Congress, AOC – as she is known – has found herself at the forefront of the progressive Left, a fiery millennial activist eager to make change.
Her unabashed political views and young age are just two of the things that have made her an icon for a generation, rising from humble beginnings as a bartender before being elected to represent Queens in the US Congress. She is adored by millions, both among her constituency and across the country.
In addition, she also officially announced her support for fellow progressive Bernie Sanders in the US presidential election.
However, AOC has also become a target of hate.
Many in the US and abroad have been highly critical of the American progressive Left, including members of the Democratic Party. As the leader of "The Squad" – a group of four freshman progressive Democratic congresswomen of color including Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar – AOC has been seen as the symbol of the far Left.
For her part, she believes that her position isn't a sign of how far to the Left the party is becoming. Rather, the moderates are part of the problem.
“In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party – but in America, we are,” she said. She has also rowed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
However, the threats and hatred don't just come from her party, with her outspoken progressive and socialist views proving very provocative among politicians and everyday people alike.
Part of this comes from her controversial statements, such as comparing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers with Nazi concentration camps, something that was condemned by many for seemingly devaluing the horrors of the Holocaust.
One notable example is the secret Facebook group of current and former Border Patrol agents, which distributed illustrations of the congresswoman performing sexual acts, in addition to those of other controversial actions, and expressed interest in starting a GoFundMe page to encourage officers to harm her during her visit to the ICE detention camps, as reported by .

However, despite her self-acknowledged status as one of the most hated people in the US, her fans remain vocal in their support of her.
It is uncertain what 2020 will bring the liberal icon.


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