Resolved: Ilhan Omar has not expressed antisemitism

Politics & Elections
1

This has been on my mind for a while, and I was long hesitant to be so absolute in my proclamation, but I think I’m correct: Ilhan Omar has not expressed anti-semitism in her public life, and there’s no basis to believe that she’s bigoted against Jews.

To the contrary, it is the bigotry against her as a Somali immigrant Muslim that is the basis for accusing her of anti-semitism.

It is true that she is no friend of the State of Israel, but its government has done things that are arguably deplorable or worth condemnation, such as the displacement of people from their homes. Surely people can criticize a government without being accused of bigotry.

But her criticism, coupled with the bigotry against her as a Somali female Muslim, have combined to mark her as a bigot against Jews, which is unfair and untrue.

For example, somebody asked why AIPAC (the leading Israeli lobbying group) has such an outsize influence on foreign policy, and she replied “it’s all about the Benjamins”, and that was taken as proof of her bigotry because it’s a bigoted trope that Jews are all about money.

Except : it’s routinely expressed that money is a huge influencer on politics, and that lobbyists use their financial influence to steer policy. What, an Israeli lobbying group is exempt from that? And the term “the Benjamins” is a cute double entrende: Benjamins is slang for $100 bills, but it also works as a reference to one of the most militant right wing Israelis, Benjamin Netanyahu. What, you can’t mock him without being accused of bigotry?

I posit that the only reason this type of comment is interpreted as antisemitic is because it comes from a Muslim woman, and that in itself reflects bigotry towards her.

I post this thread because I’ve listened to Rep. Omar speak on many occasions, and she’s always struck me as a reasonable populist, advocating for middle America.

Yet she’s routinely derided, and on the basis that she’s antisemitic. But the only concrete example I can seem to find is the interaction described above, and it’s really weak in my opinion. Everything else she’s supposedly said or done is only hinted at, or amounts to a policy difference with regard to Israel.

Thus, my bold claim: Ilhan Omar has not expressed antisemitism.

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Agreed. Which one do you think Ilhan Omar has done?

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So in my attempt to see if my OP really holds water, I found the text of the house resolution condemning Rep Ilhan Omar.

Here’s her offensive rhetoric

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/241/text

I wonder if anybody will see it differently than me. Omar is critical of Israeli policy. Full stop.

She’s not anti Jewish.

6

Those remarks, especially the 2012 one, seem pretty antisemitic to me. I think it’s a fair charge against her.

I don’t know if she’s getting more heat than others because she’s Muslim or if it’s because she’s part of the progressive wing and the progressives seem to have some issues with Israel for some reason. It’s probably both.

The vote to remove her from the committee was dumb and hypocritical though, even with accusations being basically true.

7

How so? She’s doesn’t mention Jewish people at all.

In 2012, she says that Israel is doing evil.

That may be hyperbole; it may even be wrong. But is it bigoted towards a religion or ethnicity?

If I say that Russia is engaged in evil acts, and the world doesn’t care, and hopefully god will open everybody’s eyes, have I made a racist comment towards white people?

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I think “Israel” just as often refers to the Jewish people. The “Israel” in the 2012 is clearly referring to the people. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

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I think that’s projection based on nothing.

She’s a politician who is commenting on a foreign country. How else must she refer to a nation but by its own name? The obligation for her to make some special accommodation to explicitly insist that her reference to a nation by its very own name is sincere, and not some coded reference, is itself prejudice against her.

You are asserting that this interpretation wouldn’t make sense (since it must refer to Jewish people instead), yet it is Israeli policy towards Palestinian people that Omar is referencing. So not only does it make sense, it’s actually correct.

Omar has consistently made this dichotomy clear. It should be obvious.

10

I don’t agree at all. When people talk about nations being evil, they generally mean their governments and national policies, not their people.

And specifically the Republicans that condemn her use it that way, say, when talking about China, Russia, or Ukraine.

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Except that, except for the specific reference to Allah, I’ve heard basically the exact same things from some of my Jewish friends.

And how does that quote not make sense in the context of the country? Replace the country, and it still makes sense:

“Russia has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Russia.”

“Canada has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Canada.”

“China has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of China.”

All of those would make sense to me.

12

Of course she has not expressed antisemitism. What she has done is have the audacity to be an independent immigrant Muslim female of color and thus has been subject to the abhorrent bigotry of those claiming she is the bigot. If the Qliban in congress thought they could get away with it, there is no doubt in my mind they would have called for an investigation into her marriage.

The OP is 100% correct.

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“Israel has hypnotized the world” feels like a line straight out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

True enough.

After this tweet, Omar claimed that she was being educated on the “painful history of anti-Semitic tropes” and then apologized for the reference. I have trouble believing that she was ignorant of antisemitic tropes about Jews and money, but sure.

This is 100% the old canard of Jewish dual loyalty. It is 100% antisemitic.

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These two are really the heart of it IMHO. Those two remarks, while mild compared to the outright hate speech thrown out these days by a certain class of cretins let back on Twitter, does reinforce beliefs and tropes that are anti-Semitic in nature. Unlike said cretins, she’s done her research and strives to do better, and I would (equally IMHO) believe her statements that she was doing it as part of a disgust about the actions of Israel’s government. Which I’m many minds about.

But while a valid criticism, it has NOTHING to do with the actions being taken by our Republican reactionaries (a statement made by most posters in the thread, so not exactly unique to me!). She’s seen as a perfect target to direct the hatred of their base: female, of color, Muslim, progressive, and not at all deferring to old white people (especially males).

So she’s held to a higher standard when she makes errors, and they’re using those ridiculous standards as the fig-leaf in their attacks and actions. It’s sickening, especially in light of Mr. Anthony Devolder / George Santos and the two returned to committee postings in light of their hatred and calls for violence.

It’s absolutely one of the worst double-standards applied in recent history, and hope that it makes her a martyr to get the Democrat vote out and strong in the coming years. Something even Republican members were worried about.

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The House Democratic Leadership certainly thought she made anti-Semitic comments in 2019:

“Congresswoman Omar’s use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters is deeply offensive,” said Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn and other party leaders in a statement. “We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments.“

Ilhan Omar apologizes after Pelosi denounces tweet as anti-Semitic - POLITICO

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Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner!

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This, exactly. LIke all sovereign countries, Israel is a geopolitical actor, and its religious and cultural tie-ins with Western culture and tradition shouldn’t automatically excuse it from all criticism.

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I disagree. I think bigotry against nationality is just as common as bigotry against race or ethnicity, especially - as is more common than not - when a nationality is closely linked to a specific ethnic group. In most cases, the difference itself is irrelevant. If someone wants me to die, should I care whether it’s because I’m Jewish, or because I’m Israeli?

You know, I’d like to know the location of this mythological place where Israel is excused from criticism. I’ve never encountered it myself.

19

I have never read the Protocols of the Elders of Zion; could you direct me to some of its rhetoric that is similar to her comment?

Because if the most we have is something that “feels” like it could be a coded reference, than I again assert that we are grasping at straws, and what’s really happening is that a Muslim woman is just presumed to be an anti-Jewish bigot.

I mean, “hypnotized the world” is a rhetorical flourish, and arguably applies to the world’s indifference to certain political acts. If that’s her belief (and it’s within the realm of legitimate gripes), is there some way for her to express it that doesn’t “feel” bigoted? (And which fits a tweet?)

Moreover, why is Israel so protected that any potential criticism must be couched in carefully worded language to avoid being accused of bigotry?

This is antisemitism? Has one Donald Trump not boasted that he’s the best friend of Jewish people because he moved the Israeli embassy? There is absolutely some segment of the political landscape that believes that Jewish people are more loyal to Israel than to the U.S. - and Omar is criticizing it.

You say it’s a trope. But I’ve seen supporters of Israel wearing shirts that say “wherever Israel stands, we stand with Israel.” They are not Israelis, mind you: these are Americans. Are they not being subjected to political influence?

Because when Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to the US congress, he literally said

This isn’t a “trope”. It’s the political influence of a foreign country on American politics which seeks to place that foreign country’s well-being first.

Yet if Ilhan Omar says we need to talk about it, she’s a bigot. It’s not antisemitism. It’s a politician criticizing politics.

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This notion of “tropes” is a really tricky one.

Presumably, it’s not bigoted if I were to say “money has an outsize influence in American politics, and it leads to greed and corruption.”

But if I say “money has an outsize influence in Israeli politics, and it leads to greed and corruption”, I’m invoking the antisemitic trope that Jews (Israel means Jews!) are greedy and obsessed with money, and therefore am being a bigot.

It’s a ridiculous standard, in my estimation.

21

You know, the United States and Israel are literally allies. Telling the government of an allied nation that you know that they’re standing by your country is a perfectly normal, even perfunctory thing to say. The fact that you’re inferring something nefarious from it is exactly the kind of thing we’re talking about here. Would you say the same if instead of Netanyahu, the same sentence had been said by Rishi Sunak?

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Israel has a documented, controversial history with regards to its interactions with certain people. So it is indeed a politically charged statement that Netanyahu makes, as it seeks to brush aside any notion that his nation is not 100% correct and fully supported by it’s ally.

Surely you’re aware that his mere presence before the congress was met with controversy. The statement thumbs it’s nose at the fact that Israel is oftentimes at odds with America (in this case, over relations with Iran).

https://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/politics/democrats-missing-netanyahu-whip-list/index.html