Patterico's Pontifications

3/5/2019

After Rep. Omar Stirs The Pot, House Democrats To Vote On Anti-Semitism Resolution

Filed under: General — Dana @ 7:13 pm



[guest post by Dana]

Jonathan Chait made some interesting observations about Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and her anti-Semitic comments. (Yes, let’s just call them what they are. In the same way that I believe Rep. Steve King (R-IA) has knowingly made any number of bigoted/racist comments and should be held accountable because a grown man is solely responsible for what comes out of his mouth, so too should a grown woman like Rep. Ilhan Omar be held responsible her anti-Semitic comments. They are both adults. They both have agency. They both are informed politicians who have been elected to positions of leadership in our nation, and in this age of unlimited information available at anyone’s fingertips, it’s simply not believable for either to claim ignorance about their smears of other ethnic/religious groups who have long been a part of the American fabric. While it is possible, even likely that they have intentionally surrounded themselves with like-minded individuals, it’s no excuse. As soon as an individual is elected to any office to represent the people, then by God, they better damn well do just that, no holds barred. Rep. Liz Cheney said that she’d like Rep. King to find another line of work. I would too. And I think Rep. Omar should as well. Time has not shown either of them to be genuinely remorseful or to have demonstrated any sincere effort to restore the relationships with those they have deeply offended. At the very least, stripping such bigoted individuals of their committee assignments should be to the go-to move by both respective party leaders. (Rep. Omar sitting on the Foreign Affairs Committee?? Seriously?). In an ideal world, elected officials who say the unacceptable things that King and Omar have, should be compelled to step down from their public roles and save everyone the time and trouble of embarrassing themselves by trying to defend them and rationalize their awfulness: No, you can’t be a representative of Americans, because you obviously only want to represent a select few.) Anyway, I digress…

In his observations of Rep. Omar, Chait was more charitable than was I. At least in the beginning:

Earlier this month, Representative Ilhan Omar tweeted, “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby!” in response to a report about AIPAC, a pro-Israel organization. Omar’s tweet echoed a longstanding anti-Semitic trope — in particular, the implication that Jewish political influence operates entirely (“all about”) through money.

After wide condemnation, Omar apologized. It seemed fair to read her tweet generously: Perhaps she was not familiar with the particular vein of anti-Semitism she happened to echo. Indeed, progressives often make crudely reductive statements about the influence of money in supporting policies they oppose (to wit: everything Bernie Sanders says), so it wasn’t necessarily anti-Semitic for Omar to extend that thinking to Jews. Her apparently sincere apology seemed to set to rest a minor offense.

Here is her apology, which came after both sides of the aisle broadly condemned her comments and she was given a talking-to by Nancy Pelosi:

Untitled

But things changed in short time, when Rep. Omar made an offensive move that supported her original contention:

But at an event last night, Omar went much farther, reports Laura Kelly. After an audience member shouted out, “It’s all about the Benjamins,” at which, according to Kelly’s reporting, she smiled. (Jeremy Slevin, Omar’s press secretary and strategist, denies she acknowledged that line from the audience.) Later she stated, “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country.”

Chait wised up quickly:

This is much worse. Accusing Jews of “allegiance to a foreign country” is a historically classic way of delegitimizing their participation in the political system. Whether or not the foreign policy agenda endorsed by American supporters of Israel is wise or humane, it is a legitimate expression of their political rights as American citizens. To believe in a strong American alliance with Israel (or Canada, or the United Kingdom, or any other country) is not the same thing as giving one’s allegiance to that country. Omar is directly invoking the hoary myth of dual loyalty, in which the Americanness of Jews is inherently suspect, and their political participation must be contingent upon proving their patriotism.

Of course, she is attempting to couch her position as a defense of free speech, and against a tendency to reflexively dismiss all criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic. And it’s certainly true that many Israel hawks do label criticism of Israel as anti-Semitic without a good basis to do so. There should be more space in American politics to advocate criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights.

But Omar is using that cause to smuggle in ugly stereotypes. And whatever presumption of good faith she deserved last time should be gone now.

Better late than never. And remember, the adult woman, just like the adult man, know precisely what they are saying. It is with intention.

As a result of her offensive comments, a vote was scheduled to take place today by Congressional Democrats on a resolution that specifically condemns anti-Semitism. A resolution that, while not explicitly naming Rep. Omar (nor censuring her), one safely can assume is meant to be a not-so-subtle rebuke of her:

A draft of the resolution being circulated on Capitol Hill does not name Ms. Omar. But there is little question it is aimed at her.

It states that “accusing Jews of dual loyalty because they support Israel, whether out of a religious connection, a commitment to Jewish self-determination after millennia of persecution or an appreciation for shared values and interests, suggests that Jews cannot be patriotic Americans and trusted neighbors, when Jews have served our nation since its founding, whether in public life or military service.”

Interestingly, the ruckus stirred up by Rep. Omar has revealed the fault lines within the Democrat party:

The issue is pitting veteran Democrats like Representatives Eliot L. Engel, Nita M. Lowey and Jerrold Nadler — all of whom lead major House committees, and all of whom are Jewish — against Ms. Omar, who is Muslim, and left-leaning groups like Justice Democrats and IfNotNow, a movement led by young Jews to end the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. It was prompted by comments and tweets from Ms. Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, that were characterized as anti-Semitic.

Moreover:

Over the weekend, top Democrats — including Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, along with Mr. Engel, Ms. Lowey, Mr. Nadler and others — gathered to determine how to respond to Ms. Omar’s latest statement, in which she suggested that pro-Israel activists “push for allegiance to a foreign country.”

Ms. Omar, in a daring act for a freshman, engaged in a Twitter fight with Ms. Lowey over the weekend, in which Ms. Lowey called Saturday for Ms. Omar to retract the comment.

“I am saddened that Rep. Omar continues to mischaracterize support for Israel,” Ms. Lowey wrote. “I urge her to retract this statement and engage in further dialogue with the Jewish community on why these comments are so hurtful.”

Further, Rep. Juan Vargas, (D-CA) tweeted:

It is disturbing that Rep. Omar continues to perpetuate hurtful anti-Semitic stereotypes that misrepresent our Jewish community. Additionally, questioning support for the U.S.-Israel relationship is unacceptable. Israel has and remains a stalwart ally of the United States because of our countries’ shared interests and values. I condemn her remarks and believe she should apologize for her offensive comments.

Coming to Rep. Omar’s defense while simultaneously taking a clear shot at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leadership, was Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. She wrote:

One of the things that is hurtful about the extent to which reprimand is sought of Ilhan is that no one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities (during the shutdown, a GOP member yelled “Go back to Puerto Rico!” on the floor).

“It’s not my position to tell people how to feel, or that their hurt is invalid,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “But incidents like these do beg the question: where are the resolutions against homophobic statements? For anti-blackness? For xenophobia? For a member saying he’ll ‘send Obama home to Kenya?'”

Topping off the list of Rep. Omar’s defenders, was none other than noted anti-Semite, Louis Farrakhan, who said that the newly elected representative had nothing to apologize for.

But lest anyone think otherwise, ugly bigots make up the GOP as well, and some individual(s) took a vile shot at Rep. Omar:

Untitled

An anti-Muslim poster associating US Rep. Ilhan Omar with the September 11 attacks appeared Friday at a Republican-sponsored public gathering at the West Virginia statehouse, creating a firestorm of controversy that apparently led one official to resign.

The poster, featuring pictures of Omar and the terror attacks in a fashion of an Internet meme, was displayed behind a table during WVGOP Day at the Capitol, an event in which the West Virginia Republican Party had invited the public to the Capitol’s upper rotunda. The state GOP denounced the sign, saying that an exhibitor had put it up without its knowledge and that it demanded its removal.

Update: Reports say that the vote has been delayed:

Vote on resolution condemning anti-Semitism may be pushed back. Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Progressive Caucus pressing for a delay.

Pelosi has told House Dems the resolution will include language condemning anti-Muslim bias. Vote likely Thursday. Per a Dem aide.

Here is the text of the resolution.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.)

–Dana

110 Responses to “After Rep. Omar Stirs The Pot, House Democrats To Vote On Anti-Semitism Resolution”

  1. Ugh.

    Dana (023079)

  2. The anti-Omar poster is anti-Muslim, because the Acosta network says so.

    Munroe (59622e)

  3. Right an apologist for al Shabaab and the Taliban and Maduro, a pawn of cair well ahead follows in the footsteps of Keith ellison.

    Narciso (464705)

  4. I think the Omar 9/11 poster is spot on. I think that it’s an obscenity that such a person should be elected Congress. It’s too much even for such a nuthouse as Minnesota.

    nk (dbc370)

  5. Minnesota liberals are absolutely the worst liberals and elect the worst parodies of liberals.

    And Steve King doesn’t compare to her at all, every ‘bigoted’ quote I’ve seen from him has been tortured maliciously.

    Terrence (5fc9eb)

  6. Meanwhile….

    Illegal immigration continues to break records on the southwestern border — and they’re not good ones.

    The number of families snared trying to sneak into the U.S. soared by 50 percent in one month alone, setting an all-time record with more than 36,000 family members apprehended, Homeland Security officials announced Tuesday.

    https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/5/illegal-immigration-worst-rate-2007/

    harkin (58beea)

  7. It seems to me that an awful lot of these “(religion) can’t be good Americans because of loyalty to (religion/religious body/religious country)” are pretty much what they used to (sometimes still do in the back room) say about Catholics.

    Nic (896fdf)

  8. I’m sorry, but the poster is apt. The woman supports a terrorist regime…whichever bunch of nutters is running the Palestinian ‘government’ today. Is it completely fair? No. Political posters aren’t. But it isn’t saying ‘all muslims are Terrorists’, it’s saying ‘this woman supports terrorists’. Which she does.

    C. S. P. Schofield (f7316d)

  9. No Somali moo slum should be in the United States let alone congress. Hide your women cause the picket fence in your yard will be a whipping post for sharia law. These people suck as humans and should be deported, pronto.

    mg (8cbc69)

  10. I understand the democrats in west virginia will put up their own poster with planes hitting the twin towers showing the napalmed naked vietnamese girl from vietnam war running in front of the towers. also bush cheney and the neo-con artists with the caption from progress for a new american century 1998. “we will need a SECOND PEARL HARBOR before the american people will let us attack iraq! and bush being shown the c.i.a. briefing in august 2001 titled bin ladin determined to attack in america with airplanes. as bush tells the cia ok you have covered your a*s I will tell attorney general ashcroft to stop flying commercial airliners I am off to the ranch!

    lany (7f4709)

  11. 10. There you go again…

    Gryph (08c844)

  12. 15 of 19 hijackers of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi Arabian. Omar is of course Somalian. Interesting that folks would be more up in arms about the optics of a lady in a hijab than about oh I don’t know, actual state sponsored terrorism, and our very close relationship with sponsors of terrorism. And of course it *is* all about the Benjamins, but not just Israeli ones.

    JRH (fe281f)

  13. Lany’s right, Bush did say “all right you covered your ass” in response to CIA reports that the “Bin Laden threats are real.” 9/11 represented a collossal failure on the part of the Bush/Cheney admin, who then exploited the tragedy to ramp up state sponsored surveillance and to expand the power of the executive branch. He was allowed to enjoy a reputation for “keeping us safe” even though, no, he really didn’t. Nothing personal against the Bushes, I think they are really decent people, but he effed this up bigly.

    JRH (fe281f)

  14. Not state sponsored surveillance. Just state surveillance.

    JRH (fe281f)

  15. A new low for Republican lawyers and Republican political hacks, They are being schooled by moo slum women. How fricking degrading.
    Real Americans belong to the party of Trump. The rest of you are uni-party lovers. Give in and don’t give a crap, should be your motto.

    mg (8cbc69)

  16. I think you people want Jonathon Gruber as your leader.

    mg (8cbc69)

  17. Many in Europe would say that they are mired in an immigration crisis….driven by immigrants largely from the greater middle east and Africa. The numbers have receded from 2015, but is there still an assimilation crisis? Does culture matter? This really isn’t my drum to beat…as I think we’ve become a bit crazy on how we speak of immigration…..but I worry that the subject is becoming a bit taboo. I think it is reasonable to discuss how immigrants effect culture…both positively and negatively….without being a white supremacist. Now King has aligned himself with some individuals that are provocative and out kick their coverage…so he probably has crossed some line….but speech that made us uncomfortable used to be a big part of the 1st amendment….I think we should be careful in how far we go with this….

    AJ_Liberty (165d19)

  18. @17. Another taboo subject: the degree to which the immigration crisis in EU is linked to Western geopolitical tinkering/ wars. consider the top 3 countries of origin of asylum seekers in EU in 2015: Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq. Hmm, what do those 3 regions have in common?

    https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/18500/production/_101048599_chart_top10_origins_of_asylum_seekers_2015-nc.png

    JRH (fe281f)

  19. And what do we think of voters in FL who claim heritage and possibly allegience to Cuba? Or voters in CA who join LaRaza and are aligned with Mexico?

    Pouncer (df6448)

  20. So it’s fine when right wing politicians imply that Mexican-Americans have “dual loyalty,” but not when left-wing politicians imply that Israeli-Americans have “dual loyalty.” Got it.

    Leviticus (9cd4cb)

  21. Perhaps her job as a member of Congress makes her different. I suspect people would have concerns about a Mexican-American member of Congress who expressed certain views.

    DRJ (15874d)

  22. Omar came from a generation of Soviet trained apparatchiks, still loyal to Russian interests as we see in venezuela.

    Narciso (1cbb4d)

  23. She is sustained by cair which is the political arm of Hamas, and the brotherhood generally.

    Narciso (1cbb4d)

  24. American politicians have made criticism of Israel a completely taboo subject. If we should have a robust debate about our support for, say, South Korea, then we should have a robust debate about our support for Israel as well.

    Leviticus (2d31b3)

  25. From Politico:

    Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in a closed-door meeting Tuesday that the vote would likely happen Thursday. They also said a draft resolution would be updated to include additional language rejecting anti-Muslim bias, although some Democratic sources believe that an entirely new document might be crafted.

    We’re still discussing it,” Hoyer said on Tuesday. “The sentiment is that it ought to be broad-based. What we’re against is hate, prejudice, bigotry, white supremacy, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism.”

    “Yes, we’re strongly against anti-Semitism, but we’re strongly against prejudice directed at any group,” Hoyer added.

    By making this resolution, or creating a new document not specific to anti-Semitism/Rep. Omar’s comments, basically lets her get away with being anti-Semitic while holding public office. This is the message the Democrats will be sending. At least it will all be out in the open now.

    Dana (023079)

  26. vs. letting a vast array of Republican politicians get away with being anti-gay or anti-Mexican?

    Leviticus (efada1)

  27. 22. That is an good example. So is Steve King as Dana said in her post.

    DRJ (15874d)

  28. 27. Are you saying that wanting a Wall is anti-Mexican or believing homosexuality is a sin is anti-gay?

    DRJ (15874d)

  29. Are you saying that stating that “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country” is anti-Semitic?

    I think the answer to both your question and mine is a solid “no,” but I am trying to make a point about the double-standards that we abide when it comes to American foreign policy.

    Leviticus (efada1)

  30. Yeah…if these oh-so-precious politicians cared half as much about my kids’ future as they did about everyone else, I might feel sad if the greater DC area were to be thoroughly nuked.

    I’d also settle for benevolent apathy. I’m flexible.

    Puggle (9b46b8)

  31. @26. Trump retweeted this image.

    https://goo.gl/KLzhJp

    Can’t wait to see the Republicans “not let him get away with it.”

    JRH (fe281f)

  32. That was the sanitized version. This was the original: https://goo.gl/Dfo2fC

    JRH (fe281f)

  33. What’s there to get away with?

    nk (dbc370)

  34. yes only moslems in Birmingham and Quebec can get away with the latter, consider the supreme court candidate in Wisconsin, who the chamber of commerce can’t abide, we can build walls on the Tunisian border with Libya, without a thought,

    narciso (d1f714)

  35. Omar is the straw that stirs the camel dung.

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  36. We sell’em all arms then pay them not to fight.

    Helluva racket.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  37. Melanie Zanona
    @MZanona
    Tensions are running high in the Dem conference over their response to Ilhan Omar — and
    @RepJahanaHayes
    confronted Pelosi directly about it this morning.
    __ _

    Melanie Zanona
    @MZanona
    “We’ll if you’re not going to listen to me, I’m done talking,” Pelosi responded, before *literally* dropping the mic & walking out of the room.
    __ _

    Cinci OrAc
    @OraCLeCiNci
    i feel like Pelosi is realizing that by catering to the far left so the dnc would win the midterm she actually lost more power then she gained because of it and now she doesnt know what to do. you will continue to see the far left turn on pelosi as we get closer to 2020
    __ _

    saira rao
    @sairasameerarao
    I am going to unfollow anyone who posts anything positive about Nancy Pelosi.

    Nancy Pelosi is a white feminist.

    White feminists are white supremacists.

    Nancy Pelosi is a white supremacist.

    And if you idolize Nancy Pelosi, you may as well declare allegiance to David Duke.
    __ _

    harkin (e15868)

  38. #32

    @26. Trump retweeted this image.

    https://goo.gl/KLzhJp

    Can’t wait to see the Republicans “not let him get away with it.”

    JRH (fe281f) — 3/6/2019 @ 9:13 am

    Let him get away with what?

    Are you saying the Clintons weren’t corrupt?

    whembly (51f28e)

  39. I’ve found “Nearly Naked Popcorn” to come in handy during times like these, harkin.

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  40. Haiku

    They always end up eating their own but where this is headed with these ELECTED racist unconstitutional grievance nitwits is scary.

    harkin (e15868)

  41. Never thought I would see the twisted turn the Left has made in my lifetime. But it should have been expected, given the efforts of the media, higher education, Hollywood and the party.

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  42. I am a registered Democrat. Mostly inertia, and the fact that I can thereby vote for Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s opponent in both the primary and the general election.

    Methinks that registration will soon change to NPA.

    Kishnevi (35dd1e)

  43. @40. The subject is anti-semitism. https://goo.gl/Dfo2fC. Look at it again. now tell me if we’re to be consistent what the reaction should be?

    JRH (fe281f)

  44. remember any criticism of netanhayu is anti semitism!

    lany (c45679)

  45. Resolutions condemning dog bites, bee stings, sunburn and especially New Year’s resolutions pending. Then adjourn for Easter. Such a productive group.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  46. Are you saying that stating that “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country” is anti-Semitic?

    It was in the context in which she said it, coming after she was “informed” about the meaning of “Benjamins” in politics and after someone at her rally repeated it.

    DRJ (15874d)

  47. It’s pretty simple waht’s going on with Congresswoman Ilahn Omar.

    She needs to explain why so fgedw people hold the position on Israel that she does. She makes a a holistic assertion.

    Q. Why so so many Americans support Israel?

    Her answer is: For Jews: Loyalty to a bad country, that corrupts their judgment or values.

    For non-Jews: The Jews have bribed them.

    In reality, she and her friends are the ones who have been bribed.

    Do not, do not, attribute any sort of honesty to her, even the “honesty” of being an anti-semite.

    She is doing her best to be a competent liar, but not succeeding very well..

    It’s hard to find out exactly what is going on in her district, but she’s no doubt backed by the same gang that backed her predecessor Keith Ellison.

    It’s a big coalition:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/05/us/politics/ilhan-omar-israel.html

    The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a liberal advocacy group, said Tuesday that it had begun raising money for Democrats who support Ms. Omar, calling her “a progressive rock star” — and will work against Democrats like Mr. Engel and Ms. Lowey, calling their criticism “shameful.”

    She’s a “progressive rock star” because she’ll tell any lie. She must be enormously corrupt, although maybe really a front for some other people. You knwo, it probably really is all about the Benjamins.

    This seems to be another case like Cynthia McKinney, with too many people apparently too intimidated to take them on. It’s too organized a political machine.

    She’s undoubtedly backed by imams, who in turn are backed by…. Hamas, I don’t know.

    I’m not very surprised that her predecessor, Keith Ellison had domestic abuse allegatons raised against him. People like that have otgggher things wrong with them. BTW, it still didn’t stop keith Ellison from being elected Attorney General of Minnesota last November.

    Besides his anti-semitic connections, he also supported some cop killers who have been turned into heroes.

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  48. Colonel Haiku @43 The extreme left has been like this for 50 years, since about the Six Day War.

    here’s an article from 2004:

    http://old.seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2001999939_alexander09.html

    We even had a previous member of Congress like her: Cynthia McKinney. Although she never had the number of allies Ilahn Omar does.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_McKinney

    Cynthia Ann McKinney (born March 17, 1955) is an American politician and activist currently teaching at North South University, Bangladesh…Other factors in her defeat were her allegations of Bush’s involvement in 9/11,[22][32] her opposition to aid to Israel, a perceived support of Palestinian and Arab causes, and alleged antisemitism by her supporters.[33][34][35][36] and on the night before the primary election, McKinney’s father stated on Atlanta television that “Jews have bought everybody … J-E-W-S.”[22]

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  49. On a lighter note. Go see the movie “Upside”

    mg (4d6e0f)

  50. ‘Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics; And the Catholics hate the Protestants; And the Hindus hate the Moslems; And everybody hates the Jews…’

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184MD9S69vY

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  51. I expect incredible pressure on American Jews to denounce AIPAC, Israel and Jews who support them, to “prove” to the increasingly anti-Israel and antisemitic Democrats that they don’t have dual loyalties.

    It worked so well in Germany.

    Kevin M (21ca15)

  52. This article in the NYT let’s me know that Democrats simply cannot condemn anti-Semitism, and will refuse to do so *unless* the condemnation includes any bigotry toward other minority groups. On top of that, it’s just a massive game of *whataboutism*: Trump said X and he hasn’t been roundly condemned by his party, so why should Rep. Omar pay a price for her comments type of thinking.

    Earlier in the day, Democrats, including some prominent African-Americans, confronted Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a testy closed-door meeting, demanding to know why they were being pushed to pass the resolution when bigoted comments by Republicans have gone unchallenged.

    Representative Ayanna Pressley, Democrat of Massachusetts, said she told leadership that there must be “equity in our outrage,” noting that Ms. Omar, a Minnesotan and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, was being attacked for her faith.

    “Islamophobia needs to be included” in the anti-Semitism resolution, she told reporters on Wednesday. “We need to denounce all forms of hate. There is no hierarchy of hurt.”
    The closed-door meeting, the weekly gathering of House Democrats at the Capitol, generally involves discussion of the legislative agenda and political strategy. Instead, according to multiple people present, it turned into a gripe session over the treatment of Ms. Omar by her own party.

    “What would be the appropriate level of punishment — a public flogging?” Representative Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, asked in an interview after the meeting.

    “We are all responsible for what we say, and there are consequences, whether it is this resolution or something else,” Mr. Grijalva said. “But there is a double standard we have to be aware of. The level of condemnation on Ms. Omar has been really intense.”

    What’s unfortunate is that I think the Democrats would have absolutely no problem passing a resolution they wrote that included only bigotry toward Muslims as a stand alone. but when it’s a stand alone of anti-Semitism, that’s unacceptable.

    The whole thing is ridiculous. Each party needs to loudly and unequivocally call out any of their people who traffic in anti-Semitism or any other sort of bigotry as it happens. There should be a zero tolerance, uniform front that comes down hard and swift on the individual so that the next idiot inclined to behave likewise will be cautioned to take a step back. It’s happened more than once with Rep. Omar in a very short span of time. She’s only been in office 60 days. Call her out. Name names. Censure. Nip it in the bud swiftly. No Matter Who Is Offending, No Matter Who Is The Offended Party. People elected to represent all Americans shouldn’t need a resolution to do what good and decent people everywhere know is the right thing to do.

    Dana (023079)

  53. this is the same paper, that counted the jews that were against the iran deal, that softpedaled the holocaust on their front pages, that published Khomeini booster Richard falk, before he took power,

    narciso (d1f714)

  54. And this is particularly rich: Nancy Pelosi said that the Foreign Affairs Committee is writing the resolution now.

    She also said she does not believe that Rep. Omar’s comments were “intentionally anti Semitic”. Because they apparently just popped out of her mouth on their own.

    Our elected officials are adults, for godsake. Shouldn’t we treat them as such? Stop making excuses for their bad behavior because it only encourages more bad behavior.

    Dana (023079)

  55. It’s interesting to note that Nancy Pelosi doesn’t seem to have as much control over her people as we were lead to believe. The very progressive faction of the party seems to have gained traction since being elected, and it makes me wonder if the old guard is going to be constantly rolling over in a last ditch effort to remain relevant within the party?

    Dana (023079)

  56. 60. I don’t think there’s any more plausible explanation for what we’re seeing these days.

    Gryph (08c844)

  57. 60… when she says “if you won’t listen, there’s no need for me to speak”, drops the microphone and leaves, it does appear that she is losing control.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  58. Let the Dems cut each other up for the next two years. Then we can elect a bunch of plumbers, electricians, masons and carpenters to straighten out the mess all these lawyers have thrust upon us.

    mg (8cbc69)

  59. They broaden it, water it down so what they’ll pass is meaningless.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  60. David Reaboi
    @davereaboi
    I’m thinking of all the Jake Tapper super-fans today, begging him to take a stand against the Jew-hatred of Ilan Omar and the Democrats. And of course, he won’t. It gives me a chuckle.

    I’m chuckling as I think about those Tapper fanboys licking his behind hoping to get a DM and a pat on the head.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  61. This is the form of argument from the left (for everything) that is coming soon to a city hall/state capitol near you:

    Andy Ngo
    @MrAndyNgo
    The person who shut down the College Republicans Portland State event then went to the front and blocked the projector so that the speaker couldn’t play a video.
    __ _

    Karol Markowicz
    @karol
    In the last few seconds of this vid protestor says to the speaker that “quite a few trans people were beaten up last time you spoke on campus.” Speaker says he’s never spoken on campus before. Protester shrugs and admits he made it up.

    __

    harkin (e15868)

  62. Wish we had some IDF in congress.

    mg (8cbc69)

  63. The anti-Omar poster is anti-Muslim, because the Acosta network says so.

    I wouldn’t call it anti-Muslim. Rather, it’s a pretty bad of smear of one politician, Ms. Omar. Far as we know, she has no affiliation with al Qaeda or the Islamic State.

    Paul Montagu (cbbfc4)

  64. Omar’s contributors…

    Contributor Total Individuals PACs
    EMILY’s List $10,485 $5,485 $5,000
    End Citizens United $10,040 $40 $10,000
    Service Employees International Union $7,705 $2,705 $5,000
    Jeff Anderson & Assoc $6,900 $6,900 $0
    Moveon.org $6,279 $1,279 $5,000

    Contributor Total Individuals PACs
    EMILY’s List $10,485 $5,485 $5,000
    End Citizens United $10,040 $40 $10,000
    Service Employees International Union $7,705 $2,705 $5,000
    Jeff Anderson & Assoc $6,900 $6,900 $0
    Moveon.org $6,279 $1,279 $5,000

    Top Industries, 2017 – 2018
    Industry Total Individuals PACs
    Retired $58,137 $58,137 $0
    Health Professionals $51,304 $51,304 $0
    Human Rights $43,548 $19,951 $23,597
    Lawyers/Law Firms $36,703 $33,203 $3,500
    Leadership PACs $34,000 $0 $34,000

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  65. Omar has ties with unindicted co-conspirators, e.g, CAIR.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  66. Cair is like sinn fein was to the IRA, the political arm of a armed insurgency, In this case the islanic resistance movement trasliterated from hamas

    Narciso (055dfe)

  67. I expect incredible pressure on American Jews to denounce AIPAC, Israel and Jews who support them, to “prove” to the increasingly anti-Israel and antisemitic Democrats that they don’t have dual loyalties.
    It is both more complex, and much more simpler, than that.
    The sort of Jews who support AIPAC are pretty much in Trump’s column. The sort of Jews who oppose AIPAC are already in the Democratic column.
    Then there are the sort of Jews like me who are somewhere in the middle. I don’t like Netanyahu’s government, both because he has made the strategic blunder of embracing the GOP (making the Democratic slide into antiSemitism that much easier) and because he has for internal political reasons allowed the hardline Orthodox to attain a paramount position. When he started as prime minister, Orthodoxy has pride of place but not unquestioned primacy, and Israel was the nation for all Jews, even the irreligious and liberal ones. Now in 2019 Orthodox Judaism is the established religion, and any nonOrthodox forms have less rights than Moslems or Christians.
    So I can easily dissent from Bibi, but not from Israel.

    At any rate this current episode has clarified matters. It was the Left’s endemic antiIsraelism that started my disenchantment with the Democratic Party and my shift to “small l” libertarianism. So it is fitting that the same thing sparked my official departure. In an earlier comment, I indicated that I was thinking of changing my registration to NPA. Checking up, I found out it can be done online, and did it.

    Kishnevi (0293c7)

  68. I wouldn’t call it anti-Muslim. Rather, it’s a pretty bad of smear of one politician, Ms. Omar. Far as we know, she has no affiliation with al Qaeda or the Islamic State.
    It is antiMuslim, to the extent that it implies all Muslims are committed to jihadism and the destruction of the US. The alternative is that whomever made up the poster has evidence that Omar has direct ties to jihadis (CAIR does not count, no matter how much people huff and puff about it), in which case the person who made up the poster should be publicizing that evidence.

    Kishnevi (0293c7)

  69. Rest assured she has been silenced when the next car bomb goes off by ‘Seattle man’s we will properly look away, just osceola county has washed their hands of the pulse massacre, no is responsible

    Narciso (055dfe)

  70. AIPAC doesn’t contribute directly to candidates. Which pro-Israel groups do? 

    ‘Freshmen Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) garnered considerable criticism from Democrats and Republicans over the weekend for comments she made regarding the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) deemed by many as anti-Semitic. Omar tweeted that AIPAC, a group which doesn’t actually have its own PAC, was paying Congress members, specifically Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), to support Israel. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a joint statement with Democratic leaders condemned Omar’s remarks on Monday. Omar apologized in a tweet on Monday afternoon, but said that “I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, whether it be AIPAC, the NRA or the fossil fuel industry.” Though AIPAC as an organization cannot contribute to campaigns, individuals who work for the organization have. In the 2018 election cycle, individuals affiliated with the organization donated just $21,350 to 14 different candidates, nine of whom were Democrats. No one associated with AIPAC gave any contributions to McCarthy.

    AIPAC said in a tweet on Sunday night that “We are proud that we are engaged in the democratic process to strengthen the US-Israel relationship. Our bipartisan efforts are reflective of American values and interests. We will not be deterred in any way by ill-informed and illegitimate attacks on this important work.”

    AIPAC is a significant player in terms of lobbying, accounting for the vast majority of lobbying spending by pro-Israel groups, spending more than $3.5 million in 2018. The organization was staunchly opposed to the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015, lobbied extensively against it and supported the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the agreement. Other pro-Israel groups are also prominent and active political spending forces each cycle. The 2018 midterms saw groups in the movement contribute more than $14.8 million, the highest total for them in a midterm since 1990. Contributions went predominantly towards Democrats who received 63 percent. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) received by far the most money from pro-Israel groups in 2018 with $546,507. In comparison, McCarthy received just $33,200 from pro-Israel groups in the midterms.In all, 269 members of the House and 57 members of the Senate received some monetary contributions from pro-Israel interests in 2018.he most involved group in terms of political contributions in the 2018 cycle was JStreet, an organization which supports strong U.S.-Israel relations and a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Contributions totaled more than $4 million, the majority of contributions came from individuals, all of which went to Democratic candidates. Their PAC, JStreetPAC, contributed $416,437 to federal candidates in 2018.The top overall JStreet recipient was Dan Kohl (D-Wis.) with $228,983. Kohl, who is on the board of directors for JStreet, lost his race for a House seat in Wisconsin. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) received the second-most with $206,705.NorPAC, a nonpartisan PAC with the goal of supporting members and candidates who “demonstrate a genuine commitment to the strength, security, and survival of Israel,” spent more than $1.1 million in the 2018 cycle, with much of it going to Democrats.The group which spent the most on Republican candidates was the Republican Jewish Coalition which contributed $501,097 during the midterms. The group’s biggest contribution, $42,474, went to the campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). On the Republican Jewish Coalition board is the largest individual donor from the 2018 cycle, Sheldon Adelson. Also holding a board seat is another big money donor, co-founder of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus.Pro-Israel groups also spent a significant amount of money on lobbying in 2018 with more than $5 million, the highest ever since tracking began in 1998.A variety of other groups other than AIPAC spend some money on lobbying, such as the Israeli-American Coalition for Action with $550,000 and JStreet with $300,000. Bills like the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and Combating BDS Act of 2017 received plenty of the lobbying attention.

    With controversial comments from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) putting a spotlight on pro-Israel spending, these are the five candidates who received the most in 2018. Robert Menendez (D., NJ)  Ted Cruz { R., TX.) Sherrod Brown [D., Ohio] Tammy Baldwin  [D., Wis.]  Beto O’Rourke [D. TX.] 

    source- https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/02/aipac-dont-contribute-which-pro-israel-groups-do/

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  71. That does miscategorizes JStreet, which represents the Israeli Left, not the Israeli government. If you think AIPAC has too much influence, then JStreet is your ally, not your enemy.

    Kishnevi (0293c7)

  72. “As Laura Rosen Cohen likes to say, everyone meets at Jew-Hate Junction: excitable young Mohammedans, secular polytechnic Euro-lefties, anti-globalist conspiracy theorists… It’s getting pretty crowded over there. As I wrote almost exactly a decade ago about the Ismalization of Europe:

    There are already many points of cultural friction—from British banks’ abolition of children’s ‘piggy banks’ to the enjoining of public doughnut consumption by Brussels police during Ramadan. And yet on one issue there is remarkable comity between the aging ethnic Europeans and their young surging Muslim populations…

    …Jews.

    Young Muslims do not like Jews: that is a simple fact, and it’s a waste of everybody’s time denying it. Where Muslims predominate, Jews vanish – as in Molenbeek, across the canal from downtown Brussels. I remember from my childhood the main drag, the Chaussée de Gand (or Steenweg op Gent, if you’re Flemish, as my mum was), as a bustling strip with many Jewish businesses. But in the first decade of the 21st century they all disappeared, and their former owners chose to remain silent – because it was easier that way.

    One hairdresser, for example, had “DIRTY KIKE” sprayed on his window and was punched in the face by a gang of half-a-dozen “youths”. So he went to the police and filed a complaint. One hour later, the “youths” returned and smashed all his hairdressing mirrors. His clients didn’t want to come after that, and so a 35-year business closed its doors.

    Now they’re all gone.

    Ethnic Continentals, on the other hand, do not like Muslims, and they see where this is headed, and it’s easy to blame Jews. The logic is not difficult: ‘Tween-wars Europeans would never have entertained for a moment the construction of mosques in every corner of their countries. But then the Holocaust happened, and “nationalism” got blamed, and mass immigration was instituted as a form of penance, and in one of history’s blacker jests the principal beneficiary of Holocaust guilt was Islam. So, in the newest variant of the oldest hatred, Jews get hated for the Islamization of Europe.”

    https://www.steynonline.com/9234/two-mile-tailbacks-at-jew-hate-junction

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  73. If she was smart, Omar would have understood that cultural affinity and history is the key element involved in support for Israel, of course j hand hasn’t been pro Israel in any significant sense, as with soros other appendages its about progressivism firm like the extant tikkun project

    Narciso (055dfe)

  74. Religion of Peace®

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  75. Well steyn points out the flaw in that, now orthodox do keep getting assaulted in New York, only the post notices, what happened to that crazy coast guard version of dr. House

    Narciso (055dfe)

  76. I prefer funny crazy to just plain crazy… https://youtu.be/_hPp4dgmrc8

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  77. Meanwhile…..

    Today my former colleagues at the Alliance Defending Freedom announced that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission will dismiss its pending discrimination charge against Masterpiece Cakeshop’s Jack Phillips. Even after Phillips won a 7-2 decision at the Supreme Court rebuking the commission for its clear anti-religious bias, it had pursued new charges against Phillips for failing to design a cake celebrating a male-to-female gender transition.

    https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/as-new-evidence-of-progressive-bigotry-emerges-jack-phillips-finally-wins-his-case/

    harkin (e15868)

  78. For a change French is wrong.

    To put it plainly, if the only argument is “my faith says X is wrong”, then you are, under the Constitution, wrong.
    Homosexuality and transgenderism are wrong not because they are intrinsically wrong but because, like eating pork and getting a tattoo, the Divine Will has said not to do them. But the Divine Will does not have a say in the Constitution.

    Kishnevi (0293c7)

  79. The only provision of the Constitution that constrains individual action, and not government action, is the Thirteenth Amendment.

    nk (dbc370)

  80. if the only argument is “my faith says X is wrong”, then you are, under the Constitution, wrong.

    Nope. You are right unless the government has a sufficiently important legitimate governmental interest that overrides your First Amendment right to believe and practice as you will.

    nk (dbc370)

  81. If you open your premises to the public, you waive your right to free association among the public. More precisely you say that you willingly associate with any member of the public. Even if they are engaging in behavior you think is wrong.
    This is not so much constitutional law as it is basic black letter law.

    Kishnevi (0293c7)

  82. 88… and that’s a beautiful thing.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  83. If you open your premises to the public, you waive your right to free association among the public. More precisely you say that you willingly associate with any member of the public. Even if they are engaging in behavior you think is wrong.
    This is not so much constitutional law as it is basic black letter law.

    It is definitely not black letter law. Not every business which serves the general public is a “public accommodation”. In fact, very few of them are under the common law. But there is a trend to adopt your definition in statutes and ordinances.

    nk (dbc370)

  84. Personally, I would find that there is no legitimate, let alone important, governmental interest in making sure weirdos have fancy cakes and fancy flowers and fancy photography and, if it’s that important to some government, it should provide them those services itself, instead of foisting them on private businesses. Like those states which have government liquor stores, for example.

    nk (dbc370)

  85. And going back to the topic, what do you think Ilhan Omar’s position would be?

    nk (dbc370)

  86. nk, does the sign in stores that reads “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” make you laugh out loud?

    Simon Jester (36eda1)

  87. It’s a sad laugh, but I do laugh.

    Simon Jester (36eda1)

  88. Speaking of positions… http://ace.mu.nu/archives/Attachment-1%20(2).jpg

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  89. If you open your premises to the public, you waive your right to free association among the public. More precisely you say that you willingly associate with any member of the public. Even if they are engaging in behavior you think is wrong.
    This is not so much constitutional law as it is basic black letter law.

    Kishnevi (0293c7) — 3/6/2019 @ 8:45 pm

    The Masterpiece cake decision disagrees with you.

    NJRob (4d595c)

  90. the democratic base is forced to tolerate pelosi ;but will not tolerate her for long and will sabotage her at every turn.

    lany (a661ba)

  91. Trump was a buffon for passing that crappy omnibus traitor Ryan and cocaine Mitch put in front of him. I predict all rinos will switch from uni-party to straight democrat.
    L&L my friends L&L.

    mg (8cbc69)

  92. The cause for islamaphobia is islam.

    mg (8cbc69)

  93. Coming to MSNBC – Live Female genitilia mutilation. This congress is full of anti Americans.

    mg (8cbc69)

  94. NJRob: “The Masterpiece cake decision disagrees with you.”

    But let’s be clear what the opinion DID NOT resolve

    1. Is a decorated wedding cake protected artistic speech…that cannot be compelled? Is custom cake decorating “art”?
    2. Does refusing to prepare a custom wedding cake based on religious objections qualify as “free exercise of religion”?
    3. Did Phillips rule out preparing any cake for the celebration or one with a “wedding” message?

    In reality the case was decided on the most narrowest of grounds — that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown anti-religious bias in its dealings with Phillips. So we shouldn’t pretend that the big issues of the case have been decided….the Court punted those down the field….perhaps for a case where details are more clear and anti-religious bias is not present.

    AJ_Liberty (165d19)

  95. Simon @94. Those signs are still good. You can refuse service for any reason, except the enumerated illegal discrimination reasons — race, religion, sex, disability, sexual preference, lawful source of income in some places, etc.. A business owner does not have to put up with customers who are rude, or noisy, or smell bad, or are badly dressed, or have bad table manners.

    nk (dbc370)

  96. “Ilhan Omar is not “uniquely American” as a glowing New York Times profile once proclaimed. She is profoundly alien to everything your ancestors took for granted. She has showed open contempt for traditional America and is obviously working to undermine it. Is it any wonder she has found a home in the Democrat Party.”

    —- Diogenes Middle Finger

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  97. “It was then-commissioner Diann Rice, for example, who had compared religious liberty to Nazism and slavery. The fact that Colorado would not take similar cases against bakeries who refused to make specialty cakes for Christian customers (also a protected class) was another obvious example of its social activism. The Supreme Court found that Colorado didn’t display religious neutrality when punishing him for his beliefs, showing “a clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere religious beliefs.”

    The commission would not make the same mistake next time.

    On June 26, 2017, the day the Supreme Court agreed to hear Phillips’ case, Autumn Scardina, a transgender attorney and activist, called Masterpiece Cakeshop and asked Phillips to design a custom cake with a blue exterior and a pink interior to symbolize a transition from male to female. Phillips politely turned Scardina down. “I was stunned,” the lawyer risibly claimed in her complaint to the Civil Rights Commission.

    Scardina, of course, didn’t accidentally ask the most famous Christian baker in the nation to make a “transition” cake. Scardina is leading a crusade against Phillips. In one call, Scardina allegedly asked for “an image of Satan smoking marijuana.” In another, members of “the Church of Satan” asked for “a three-tiered white cake” with a “large figure of Satan, licking a nine inch black Dildo.” “I would like the dildo to be an actual working model that can be turned on before we unveil the cake,” went the request. You can just sense the sanctimonious smugness of people who think this sort of thing is edgy.”

    In any event, the state of Colorado has allied itself with such activists, formally determining that there was probable cause that Phillips had indeed discriminated against Scardina based on “gender identity.” Of course the baker’s refusal to make dildo and pentagram cakes only proves that Phillips isn’t specifically antagonistic to the newly consecrated belief in malleable “gender identity,” but that he’s shown a consistent adherence to his less malleable Christian values.

    It’s those values that upset Scardina and members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Though they can’t say it explicitly, most progressives are fine with discrimination against religious groups. In their hierarchy of moral concerns, free expression isn’t nearly as concerning as the hurt feelings of an aggrieved gay couple. And Colorado is again complicit in another attack on the Constitution. Until SCOTUS comes down with a ruling that explicitly protects religious liberty from state-sponsored attacks on faith, they’ll keep trying.

    http://thefederalist.com/2018/12/20/the-state-of-colorado-is-still-trying-to-destroy-jack-phillips/
    __ _

    The thing that strikes me most about the Phillips case is how so many do not understand it, mostly because of the lies told about Phillips in the media.

    Phillips does not refuse selling cakes to gays/trans. He has gay customers who defended him. He does not refuse to sell cakes which people may use for gay weddings, trans procedures etc., he simply refuses to decorate cakes with art he feels goes against his religious beliefs. They are free to buy one of his cakes and then add on any gay/trans themed decoration they wish.

    If you think he is wrong, then to be consistent you think it’s OK for a person to demand a cake from a Muslim bakery be decorated with The Prophet kissing a pig and then seeking to destroy that business if they refuse to do so.

    The sort of people who would do that are the same as the people suing Phillips and their govt. enablers, cretins.

    harkin (58beea)

  98. Amen and well said, harkin!

    Colonel Haiku (e2ff85)

  99. Trump lost the wall
    Pelosi lost the house
    Mitch lost his cocaine

    mg (8cbc69)

  100. And all the nets ignored the story. Did it happen?

    Narciso (71ac3f)

  101. An older version of the resolution, that was withdrawen and not voted on, and had already been
    criticized for not mentioning Ihlan IOmar’;s name, is here:

    https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/05/politics/read-house-resolution-condemn-anti-semitism/index.html

    It already had the Dreyfuss Affair but it didn’t have a lot of other thingsd – and some things it had, are gone.

    I saw this on page 12 of this week’s Jewish Press (which went to print on Tuesday night) It’ll be on the newsstands, through Tuesday, March 12. It is no longer on the Jewish Press website. Instead is the new resolution. But I found this on cnn.com

    Sammy Finkelman (102c75)

  102. https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/28/the-hispanic-challenge/

    Re: the double standard around accusing ethnic groups of “dual loyalty.”

    Leviticus (348c28)


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