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To those rushing to condemn @Ilhan based on reports of what she allegedly said, I implore you to watch the video of her actual remarks. She simply did not say what she is accused of saying and what she did say needs to be heard. facebook.com/busboysandpoet…
Rep Omar says “So for me 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. And I want to ask, why is it ok for me to talk about the influence of the NRA...
of fossil fuel industries, or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobby group that is influencing policy.” Here’s what she does not say, “Jews have a dual allegiance.” She says that she is being asked to have an allegiance to Israel. She is. We all know that.
Earlier today Rep Vargas said that questioning support for the US Israel relationship is “unacceptable.” We have seen time and time again the false equation of condemning the policies of the Israeli govt as itself an act of antisemitism.
Earlier this year @Ilhan and @RashidaTlaib came under attack for daring to suggest that as freshmen members of Congress they would run their own trip to Israel rather than attend the AIPAC sponsored trip all freshmen are expected to join. THIS is the context for her remarks.
As a Jew and as an American, I am well aware of the danger of antisemitism and the particular ugly history of claims of dual loyalty. But that is simply not what @Ilhan is saying. She is calling out the political expectation that she, as A US Rep is expected to be “pro-Israel.”
Her comments are about her and what is being asked of her by special interests like AIPAC and religious right groups like CUFI. She is asking why, as an American, is she expected to be suppprtive of a foreign country whose policy she disagrees with.
That is her right, as an American, and it is precisely the reason that charges of dual allegiance are so dangerous. @Ilhan took an oath to defend the Constitution and was elected to serve as a patriotic American.
Her question to us is fair and deserves a debate, not an attack. Why is she a member of the US Congress expected to blindly support any other country? Why is it unfair that she calls out those who seek to demand that she does just that? Why are her 1st amendment rights not valid?
But that is also just one part of her remarks. Again I encourage you watch them all. She describes the reality of her daily life, lived under personal threat for her religion, her race, and her simple act of being. Her words are powerful. Read them here: patreon.com/posts/25142297
And more to the point if you disagree with her words, that is fine and that is your right. Disagree, discuss, debate! But let’s stop attacking her for saying something she did not say. Let’s understand what she did say and reflect on it rather than react based on false headlines.
