Muslim Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has been the subject of much scrutiny and criticism from her colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but now she’s attracting nearly as much scorn from her own party. Omar has only been in the House of Representatives for a month or so, and already she has found herself swirling in anti-Semitic controversies not once, not twice, but three times. And Israel-supporting Democrats are getting just a little bit tired of it.
During the 2016 election, it became a matter of course for Hillary Clinton and her surrogates to quote Maya Angelou on the campaign trail. “If someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,” they said, ad nauseum.
Well, perhaps it’s not bad advice. And maybe it’s time we take Ilhan Omar’s word on who she is: An anti-Jewish bigot, who is carrying water for some of the most disturbing strains of hatred running through the Muslim community.
The latest controversy comes as a result of remarks Omar made at a town hall meeting last Wednesday. After smiling slyly when an audience member shouted “it’s all about the Benjamins” – a reference to her last anti-Semitic controversy – Omar said there was a difference between being anti-Semitic and simply standing up to American lobbying groups.
“I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it’s okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country,” Omar said.
Well, that stirred up the hornet’s nest once again.
In a statement released on Friday, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and one of the top-ranking Democrats in the House, said that there was no excuse for Omar’s continued flirtations with anti-Semitic language.
“It is unacceptable and deeply offensive to call into question the loyalty of fellow American citizens because of their political views, including support for the US-Israel relationship,” Engel said. “Her comments were outrageous and deeply hurtful, and I ask that she retract them, apologize, and commit to making her case on policy issues without resorting to attacks that have no place in the Foreign Affairs Committee or the House of Representatives.”
Omar, who apparently only apologizes when the heat comes from the very top of the Democratic Party, did not seem to be in a conciliatory mood as of Sunday.
“I am told everyday that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel,” she tweeted. “I find that to be problematic and I am not alone.”
That statement is, of course, insane and absurd, and it shows the degree to which Omar is willing to intentionally miss the point. Which only makes us more certain that none of these remarks have been a mistake. She is, as the Democrats like to say, blowing the dog-whistle as loudly as she can.
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