Creeping Anti-Semitism in Congress

Ilhan Omar

Anti-Semites in this country got a boost when Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) were elected to Congress. This week, Omar, who apparently follows tweets by anti-Israel, leftist journalist Glenn Greenwald, added her own anti-semitic dog whistle when she blasted AIPAC for allegedly paying off politicians to support Israel. Even some Democrats have found that to be too much including Chelsea Clinton, who sharply criticized Omar.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/11/house-democrats-ilhan-omar-antisemitism-1163728

For his part, Zuhdi Jasser, himself a Muslim who rejects jihadism, Islamism, and religious bigotry, pointed out that to tolerate Omar’s anti-semitism is to hearken back to the bigotry of low expectations for Muslims, which is a phrase coined by George W Bush to describe (“soft”) bigotry against African-Americans.

Ilhan’s endorsement of the radical Greenwald (who last I heard had emigrated from America to Brazil) threw out an old anti-semitic trope that talks about big Jewish money buying up power and influence in the world. It may leave the speaker with a bit of wiggle room, but it is definitely a dog whistle, nonetheless.

At the risk of falling into a debating trap, I had very low expectations of both women when they were elected. I expected this from Omar, while Tlaib promptly lived up to those low expections on her inaguration when she walked out to her supporters and stated, “We’re going to impeach the Motherf–cker!” On the other hand, I would expect much higher from one like, say Dr Jasser, a man worthy of respect as a patriotic American and truly moderate Muslim.

Make no mistake: The Republicans should make every opportunity to make Omar and Tlaib (as well as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) the poster children  of the 2020 campaign. I predict it will be quite effective. They themselves may be in “safe districts”, but hopefully, it will impact other candidates from a Democrat party that has gone so far to the far left.