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It also doesn't look good coming right after Omar was put on hate speech posters by West Virginia lawmakers.
It sends a message that political criticism of Israel should be tone-policed more than *actual, overt hate speech against Muslims*.
It sends a message that political criticism of Israel should be tone-policed more than *actual, overt hate speech against Muslims*.
I don't think Omar should have said "allegiance." But I don't think it shows actual animus of Jewish people. I think she grew up in circles that are politically critical of Israel but silent on anti-Semitism, and truly doesn't know the history behind why this language is hurtful.
So, I think she has a responsibility to reach out to Jewish communities and learn from them — which she is already making an effort to do. She has a real point to make about problems with the U.S./Israel relationship, and this could help her articulate it in a productive way.
I think presuming bad faith and throwing her under the bus does the exact opposite of fighting hate. It will cause distrust, it will confuse the political issues we're trying to debate, and it will promote false equivalence.
