Ilhan Omar: It’s an American story

Ilhan Omar is an African-American Muslim who, as a Somali refugee, arrived in America in 1995 and became an American in 2000. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018, one of the first two Muslim women (along with Rashida Tlaib) elected to Congress.

It’s an American story.

Last week, Omar’s celebrated journey hit a serious speed bump when she engaged a tweeted offering by journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Last week, Omar retweeted Greenwald’s statement: “GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatens punishment for @IlhanMN and @RashidaTlaib over their criticisms of Israel. It’s stunning how much time US political leaders spend defending a foreign nation even if it means attacking free speech rights of Americans.”

Omar, alluding to a song by rapper Puff Daddy, tweeted: “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,” and added that she was referencing AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), a powerful lobby that advocates for a strong American-Israel alliance.

Omar’s anti-Semitic tweet embraced an unacceptable anti-Semitic trope that links Jewish money with influence and power and it was quickly and rightly denounced by critics and colleagues alike:

"Legitimate criticism of Israel's policies is protected by the values of free speech and democratic debate that the United States and Israel share," Democratic Party leaders in Congress responded. "But Congresswoman Omar's use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments."

Omar was rightly challenged; she quickly and rightly apologized:

“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize.”

“At the same time, she continued, “I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry. It’s gone on too long and we must be willing to address it.”

Omar’s apology wasn’t good enough for Vice President Mike Pence, who tweeted, “Anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress, much less the Foreign Affairs Committee. Those who engage in anti-Semitic tropes should not just be denounced, they should face consequences for their words.”

Anti-Semitism is real and there should be consequences.

Anti-Semitism in America is real. It’s deep-seated, well-entrenched, centuries-old, and today is deeply intertwined with racism, Islamophobia, oppression, and the intimidation of minorities and peoples of color.

Where were the consequences, VP Pence, when white “very fine people” marched with lighted tiki torches though Charlottesville chanting: “Jews will not replace us?”

Where were the consequences when Texas Rep. Louis Gohmert told FoxNews, "George Soros is supposed to be Jewish but you wouldn't know it from the damage he inflicted on Israel and the fact that he turned on fellow Jews and helped take the property that they owned?”

Where was VP Pence when Congressman Kevin McCarthy (who helped protect racist Rep. Steve King for years) tweeted that three Jewish-Americans – George Soros, Tom Steyer and Mike Bloomberg – were seeking to “buy” America’s elections?

Where were Republicans when candidate Donald Trump tweeted a Hillary Clinton photo transposed against a background of American dollars with a Star of David and the text, “Most corrupt candidate ever?”

Did Pence try to talk Trump out of traveling with two anti-Semites when he went to Israel to illegally move the American Embassy to Jerusalem?

With Rev. John Hagee, who believes Hitler and the Holocaust were part of God’s plan to return Jews to Israel: “How did it happen? Because God allowed [the Holocaust] to happen… ”

With Rev. Robert Jeffress, who claims Catholicism is a “cult-like, pagan religion” and “Judaism – you can’t be saved being a Jew.”

Neither Republican nor Israeli leadership condemned Trump’s embrace of anti-Semitic preachers.

What consequences?

From Charlottesville to the Tree of Life Synagogue, from the Muslim ban to the suppression of voting rights, from the incarceration of children to attempts to seal our southern border against brown people, one historically-abhorrent meme has reemerged: make America white again.

Today, deeply-rooted demons, repugnant prejudices and rampant xenophobia have been weaponized by demagogues as instruments of political power and coercion.

Today, that’s the truth of what’s happening, and ongoing attempts to marginalize Omar beyond her apology and outreach is an extension of that truth.

Omar needed to be confronted – and was.

Today, who is there to confront as vigorously white ethno-nationalists and their desecration of our hallowed Public Square?

Who is there to demand that all decent Americans who abhor racism and bigotry – including clergy and political leaders – step forward to confront the unchecked demonization of the Other?

How bad does it have to get until people step forward and say, “Not in our name?”

Recently, when Florida official Anabelle Lima-Taub unapologetically attacked Rep. Rashida Tlaib: "A Hamas-loving anti-Semite has NO place in government! She is a danger and [I] would not put it past her to become a martyr and blow up Capitol Hill,” she wasn’t alone in her ignorance – she was reflecting her president, her party, and her newly acquired license to flaunt her prejudice and ignorance in the public square.

Pence hasn’t condemned Lima-Taub; Lima-Taub hasn’t apologized.

The truth is that Americans committed to social justice and equality must not only be unrelenting in their advocacy; they must be equally vigilant in monitoring – critiquing where necessary – their own community and not give any opportunity to their opponents to paint their activism as racist, divisive, or un-American.

Be smart. Be just.

Embrace the American story.

Robert Azzi, a photographer and writer who lives in Exeter, can be reached at theother.azzi@gmail.com. His columns are archived at theotherazzi.wordpress.com.