As we told you, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has officially been removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, despite her own valiant efforts as well as those of pals like Rashida Tlaib and AOC, who were very careful to note that Omar is a black woman and a Muslim and therefore the only possible explanation for Republicans wanting her off the committee is racism and Islamophobia.
And we mustn’t forget to mention Democratic Rep. Cori Bush, who also claimed that Omar’s ouster was due to racism and Islamophobia:
Rep. Cori Bush on removing Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee:
"Republicans are waging a blatantly Islamophobic and racist attack on congresswoman Omar … The white supremacy happening is unbelievable. This is despicable … This is just a bunch of racist gaslighting." pic.twitter.com/14F2uqyPzk
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) February 2, 2023
Rep. Cori Bush on removing Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Cmte: "The white supremacy happening is unbelievable. Ilhan Omar has been harassed at her job for simply existing as a Muslim woman in Congress." pic.twitter.com/dKNnr9LtMA
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 2, 2023
So it seems that Omar’s defenders both in and outside of Congress have at least settled on a common narrative, which we suppose is convenient.
I guess If I were in Congress the GOP would strip me of my committees for sharing how Israeli settlers stole my Palestinian grandmother's land because she was the wrong religion in the wrong place. They viewed her as inferior because of her faith. We won't be silent!
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) February 2, 2023
.@DeanObeidallah: The GOP weaponizing anti-Muslim hate is nothing new. But Kevin McCarthy's House committee plans are revealing. https://t.co/d0bqeQmZtM
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) February 2, 2023
Show your work, Dean. No, really. You and everyone else playing the “iSLaMoPhObiA!!1!” card need to show your work. Because there’s absolutely zero evidence whatsoever that this is about anything other than stripping someone who has no business being on the House Foreign Affairs Committee of her position on said committee. That was also the case with Eric Swalwell and Adam Schiff and their positions on the House Intelligence Committee.
For what it’s worth, Enes Kanter Freedom, who, very much unlike Ilhan Omar, has consistently and bravely spoken out against bigots and terrorist apologists, is not swallowing the narrative that the GOP is full of Islamophobes who want to punish Ilhan Omar for being a Muslim:
Ilhan Omar getting kicked out of Foreign Affairs Committee has nothing to do with the fact that she is Muslim.
It has to do with her policies, and the fact that she meets with dictators like @RTErdogan.As a Muslim, I feel nothing but love and respect from the Republican Party. pic.twitter.com/4rJGt8NVQn
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) February 2, 2023
To be sure, there are bigots in both parties. But to attribute something like Ilhan Omar losing her committee assignment to Islamophobia does a profound disservice to actual victims of bigotry.
Well said.
— Anndaley Acevedo (@AnndaleyA) February 2, 2023
Sometimes it’s not about religion. Sometimes it’s just about having a moral compass that’s not completely broken.
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