Giving Ilhan Omar Her Due
By Bob Small
Some of my best Jewish friends are convinced Ilhan Omar is the Devil. Some others are convinced Benjamin Netanyahu is playing that role. Maybe it comes down to whose politics provide the best opportunity for Israel’s long-term existence: the unelected representatives of J Street and Jewish Currents, or the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
For clarification, I’m a non-practicing person of Judaic heritage, who was Bar Mitzva’ed and considers himself most closely aligned with the politics of Jewish Currents.
Just as an African-American friend of mine used to say, “I didn’t vote for the NAACP to represent me,” I’ll opine that “I didn’t vote for AIPAC to represent me”.
To state my views very briefly, I feel that Israel is becoming a version of colonialist South Africa, which is not a good omen for that country’s continued life expectancy. My feeling is that Israel should be a democracy open to all its citizens, even the Arab ones.
Maybe we should start with what Ilhan Omar actually said. Not what she is alleged to have said, but the actual words she used.
Omar criticized AIPAC, and with good reason, saying that AIPAC was donating money to federal lawmakers for their votes, and Tweeted that “it’s all about the Benjamins.”
Now, the phrase “it’s all about the Benjamins” is from a Puff Daddy song.
The lyrics refer to people doing things for money. We can only assume that our congresspersons would never peddle their influence for money.
Another quote that got Omar into trouble was: “We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan and the Taliban.
As great as this country can be, we have also committed a long list of atrocities: our treatment of the native Americans, Slavery, and the Japanese internment camps to name only a few. The difference between the U.S. and the others cited above is that we, at least, own up to our failings. Again, there was nothing wrong in what she said, though she could have added Great Britain, Germany, and all the 19th-century European colonial powers.
Peter Beinart, of Jewish Currents, quotes Ilhan Omar discussing “the moral authority the United States carries on the world stage when we stand up for human rights”.
Here are some pro- and anti-Omar articles, published in both Israel and the U.S. Read them and decide for yourself.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/366912
https://news.yahoo.com/vote-against-ilhan-omar-does-201013228.html
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/ilhan-omar-committee-vote-gop/
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/36444
The vote against Ilhan Omar does a disservice to Jews – and the fight against antisemitism
Really?
The Anti-Defamation League, certainly no friend of conservatives/Republicans, much less an apologist for them, said:
Omar made a “vile anti-Semitic slur that has been used to harass, marginalize, and persecute the Jewish people for centuries.” It went on to say: in view of “additional anti-Semitic statements by Rep. Omar, we ask that you give the entire Congress an opportunity, through a House resolution, to voice its rejection of her latest slur and make clear that no matter what may divide the 435 members of the House of Representatives, they are united in condemning anti-Semitism.” https://www.adl.org/resources/letter/letter-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-regarding-recent-anti-semitic-comments-rep-ilhan?gclid=CjwKCAiA85efBhBbEiwAD7oLQEqp-tRBmNT1xQCa4uOaVitzr9lbpItd3nt9Q46PeQD8nfStnq3tfhoC8zoQAvD_BwE
And the author says: “Omar criticized AIPAC, and with good reason, saying that AIPAC was donating money to federal lawmakers for their votes.” Criticizing with good reason, what — making legal and reported donations to candidates just like many people and other organization do every day of the week and the Supreme Court has rightly found is a First Amendment right. What?
And you have to love the stilted: “I’m a non-practicing person of Judaic heritage….” I guess that must mean that what comes next can’t possibly be supporting antiSemitism, even if it is.
Thanks for your comments. I’m still looking for the slurs. Anti-semitism is different from anti
Israel government criticism. It would be the same as equating all Catholics with clerical child sexual abuse.
How long can Israel continue to exist by fighting multiple wars on various fronts while letting
even more settlers uproot Palestinians. It doesn’t seem a recipe for a long term solution.
Thanks for your comment.
I didn’t say “slur,” the ADL did –and no one seriously thinks the ADL is some Republican-liking outfit, right? But if that isn’t good enough, how about: Then-Democratic Representative Eliot Engel, the then-chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “said Omar’s remarks amounted to a ‘vile anti-Semitic slur’ and called on the Minnesota Democrat to apologize.” Engel also said it is “deeply offensive to call into question the loyalty of fellow American citizens because of their political views, including support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
Seems to me that Israel is making peace with those that are willing to do so –e.g., Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, etc. When others are ready, Israel is ready.
One can certainly debate the issues of the Israeli settlements and have differing views that are in good faith. But strangely we never hear about the same type concern from those who oppose the settlements as to the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Jews who were essentially ridden out on a rail from Arab States. Many didn’t escape with their lives and none received any compensation for the property and land they had to leave behind.