Just when you think the Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., anti-Semitism fiasco has died down, one of her freshman colleagues says something that keeps the issue very much alive.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is upset that certain members of her Democratic cohort have offered mild criticism of Omar’s frequent anti-Semitic outbursts. Tlaib is so upset, in fact, that she has accused her own party of being Islamophobic.
The moment came during an interview with the Circus’ Alex Wagner, who asked, “Why do you think people in your own party reacted so strongly against what [Omar] said?”
The Michigan congresswoman responded, “You know, I’m trying to figure it out. It’s just this past week, I feel, and I know this would be somewhat shocking for some, but I think Islamophobia is very much among the Democratic Party as well as the Republican Party.”
She added, “And I know that’s hard for people to hear, but there’s only been four members of Congress that are of Muslim faith. Three of them currently serve in this institution. More of us need to get elected, but more of us need to understand as we come into this institution that I have a lot of work to do with my colleagues.”
For reference, Omar claims Israel has “hypnotized the world” to its “evil.” The Minnesota lawmaker alleges wealthy Jews dictate congressional Republicans’ support for Israel by paying them. Omar claims pro-Israel members of Congress and American Jews have divided loyalties. She also said last month during a town hall meeting that she wanted to talk about “the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.”
Tlaib defended Omar’s town hall remarks, saying she is inspired by her colleague’s “strength.” Tlaib also claimed Omar is “being targeted just like many civil rights icons before us who spoke out about oppressive policies.”
The Michigan congresswoman herself is no stranger to dog-whistling on the issue of anti-Semitism. In January, as the Senate considered a bill defending the Israeli government from boycotts, Tlaib sounded the dual loyalty horn.
The senators who backed the pro-Israel bill “forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality,” her office said on social media. “Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away.”
I have so many thoughts on the Omar issue, and not just the usual expression of shock at her casual anti-Semitism.
First, this entire ordeal has added to the shattering of my earlier perception of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as a ruthless operator with a vice-like grip on her caucus. The freshmen Democrats continue to run circles around the Speaker, publicly humiliating her, destroying utterly all earlier notions of Pelosi’s cold-blooded competence.
Secondly, it’s stunning that there has not been greater pushback against the idea that it’s Islamaphobic to criticize Omar’s flagrant anti-Semitism. The obvious problem with this argument is that it suggests Islam is inherently anti-Semitic, that to object to anti-Jewish bigotry is to object to Islam. Is that really the defense they want to go with?
Finally, the idea that the Democratic Party has singled out Omar, or that it has even “reacted so strongly” to her remarks, is utter nonsense. They are cowards, yes, but not Islamophobes. Democrats have gone out of their way to excuse, defend, and downplay Omar’s tirades. They say it’s merely a matter of cultural differences. They say she doesn’t understand the words that come out of her mouth. They say she’s learning. They say she is “living through a lot of pain.” They even avoided censuring the congresswoman last week when they produced a sham resolution condemning all forms of hate, not just anti-Semitism. Omar has faced no consequences whatsoever for her remarks about Israel and American Jews. The worst she has suffered is the verbal equivalent of a mild slap on the wrist.
To look at how the Democratic Party has handled Omar’s anti-Jewish rants and conclude it has an Islamophobia problem requires either an act of willful dishonesty or extreme paranoia.
Considering this is Tlaib we’re talking about, it could go either way.
