US representative Ilhan Omar from Minnesota has landed herself in hot waters again after she tweeted a video of herself of a virtual exchange with the Secretary of State Antony Blinken while attending a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Ilhan Omar’s tweet was captioned as “we must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S, Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban. I asked @SenBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice.”
This tweet has reignited the virtual debate between the right-wing leaders and the far right. The tweet has created a stirring debate within the House Democrats.
A dozen Jewish democratic lawmakers issued an official statement accusing Omar of making a highly misguided and offensive comparison of the human rights records of Hamas and the Taliban with the United States of America and Israel.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other democratic leaders such as the Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have called out Ilhan Omar to clarify her tweet and explain this moral in-equivalency that she has tried to counter between the US and Israel and Hamas and Taliban.
The House members expressed their anguish by stating “ignoring the differences between democracies governed by the rule of law and contemptible organizations that engage in terrorism at best discredits one’s intended argument and at worst reflects deep-seated prejudice”
The statement also stated that legitimate criticism of the United States and Israel’s policies is more than welcome but it should be protected with a democratic debate as well as the value of freedom of speech. The criticism is essential for anybody to strengthen their mode of functionality. The House will not allow anyone to draw false equivalencies among democracies like Israel and the United States with terrorism bodies like Hamas and the Taliban to propagate their agenda and tarnish the efforts for peace and security for the future.
The said statement was signed by more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers such as reps. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Kathy Manning of North Carolina, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Debbie Wassermann Schutz and Lois Frankel of Florida, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Jerrold Nadler of New York, Brad Sherman of California, and Kim Schrier of Washington.
After the statement was extended on the floor of the House, Omar tweeted that the 12 democrats should have talked to her first rather than stating it in a statement. It is very shameful that her colleagues who call her when support is needed did not call to clarify rather extended a statement in the House. She further stated that this is a clear example of islamophobia and the statement is highly offensive as this ensures the ongoing harassment and silencing by the signers of the letter. It is unbearable.
Omar remained silenced as the criticism grew because of her tweet. The senior communication director of Ilhan Omar, Jeremy Slevin released a statement stating “as usual, the far right is ginning up hate against Rep. Omar. The staff and Omar herself are increasingly receiving death threats as the democratic colleague spews Islamophobia hatred against her.”
On the other hand, the National Republican Campaign Committee has already asked Omar to be stripped of her seat on the house committee on foreign affairs. They termed Ilhan Omar as anti-American and anti- Semitic.
