Controversy has stirred in the House after Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar made critical remarks of Israel. In February, Omar responded to a threat by House GOP leader to punish her and another congresswoman for being critical of Israel by tweeting “It’s all about the Benjamins baby.” This Puff Daddy lyric was immediately criticized as perpetuating a negative and harmful stereotype connecting Jewish Americans and affluence. In a following tweet, Omar named the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), saying it was funding Republican support for Israel. After receiving bi-partisan backlash for what was called anti-Semitic speech, Omar responded: “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. At the same time, 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.”
The latest controversy comes after Omar made another comment:"I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country. I want to ask why it is OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA (National Rifle Association), of fossil fuel industries or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobbying group that is influencing policies?" Again, she was accused of anti-Semitism.
Many are in support of Omar calling out what many see as an enormous problem, including Jewish Americans. An organization, Jews With Ilhan, stated: "There is absolutely nothing anti-Semitic about calling out the noxious role of [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee], which spends millions each year to buy U.S. political support for Israeli aggression and militarism against the Palestinian people."
https://www.npr.org/2019/03/07/700901834/minnesota-congresswoman-ignites-debate-on-israel-and-anti-semitism
Questions:
Do you think Omar’s claims were anti-Semitic?
Do you think it’s fair that criticisms of the Israeli government are quickly dubbed as anti-Semitic?
Is it justified that a Super PAC that prioritizes the interests of a foreign government has so much influence in American politics?
Do you think Omar is being unfairly attacked because she is a Muslim woman?
I don't think any of Omar's claims or words you presented were inherently anti-Semitic. However, in today's political climate, one must be extremely careful of what they say and be ready for their words to be bent and misinterpreted. Many of Omar's critics site repetitive behavioral patterns dating as far back as 2012 that suggest anti-semitism was "learned...from somewhere." (Sen. D Ron Latz) Direct criticism of the israeli government is not anti semitic on its own, but some at the Washington Post for instance saw her comments as anti-zionist, which can be characterized as discouraging jewish pride. I do think that foreign influence so close to the american central government is rather discomforting, especially when it factors into such a hotly contested area of the world. I would feel far more secure if there were less or no lobbying power swaying foreign conflict arguments. I tend to think many political figures of any background are caught in unnecessary crossfire thanks to the accusatory nature of modern american politics. As with most media bouts, this too shall pass and Rep. Omar will be able to go about her business with not much obstruction in the near future.
ReplyDeleteThough I can see why people would say that Omar was being "anti-Semitic," I do not agree with this sentiment. I do believe that Omar was being insensitive especially with her tweet, but she was not inherently anti-Semitic. Omar was simply pointing out a fact that most people do not have the courage to say due to the fear of being called anti-Semitic. It is true that the AIPAC is a strong lobby organization and has been influencing the policies of many politicians for many years. Because of AIPAC's objective of pushing an agenda that has many Jewish people's best interest in mind, they do not get as much heat as the NRA despite their strong influence on policy makers. I think that Omar was brave in sharing her thoughts on this issue and she is doing her job as an advocate.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Omar is trying to be anti-semitic on purpose. I believe that her words are seen differently than their intended purpose. It is not fair for critism of the Israeli government to be seen as anti-semitic because it is used as a form of scapegoat rather than exposing real problems with the government. I don't think that it is justified of a Super PAC to push forward another country's agenda in the US. The US has an agenda of its own and the promotion of another nation's agenda is basically foreign intervention. I believe that Omar being a muslim woman doesn't have much to do with why she is being attacked. I believe that the main issue is the misinterpretation of her words.
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