Who is Ilhan Omar, author of Islamophobia Bill? Sree Iyer explains the controversies around her

At PGurus, we have started a new series wherein we take a close look at some of the future leaders of the Democratic and the Republican Party.

The first leader we are going to discuss is Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota. Some of you may have read that she is co-sponsoring a bill to combat Global Islamophobia and surprise! India is named in it along with China and others[1]. Of course, this Hinduphobic Congresswoman won’t mention the obvious ones like Pakistan, Afghanistan, or any of the other countries where one sect of Islam is fighting another. And the Democratic Party glibly swallows the lies hook, line, and sinker. Why the rush? Do the Dems know they are losing in 2022?

Who is Ilhan Omar?

Ilhan Omar, a Democratic politician, is one of the first Muslims to be elected to Congress. She fled Somalia’s civil war as a child and spent four years in a refugee camp before her family received asylum in the United States. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000 and in 2016 won a seat in the Minnesota House. In 2018, Omar was elected to represent Minnesota’s 5th district in Congress.

Omar’s arrival in Congress resulted in the lifting of a 181-year-old ban on head coverings on the House floor so she could wear her hijab while fulfilling her duties.

Omar’s first controversy and this could derail her career

Persistent claims that the leftist congresswoman Ilhan Omar married her own brother to get around US immigration laws may be legitimized by what appears to be a conclusive DNA test[2][3].

The results of the test assert that there is a 99.999998% chance that Omar and her second husband Ahmed Elmi are siblings.

The report, drawn up by Endeavor DNA Laboratories does not name either Omar or Elmi, instead referring to them as ‘Sibling 1‘ and ‘Sibling 2.’ The UK-based DailyMail.com wrote that it understands that Omar is Sibling 1.

The DNA match between Rep. Ilhan Omar and her second husband Ahmed Elmi allegedly proves that the two are siblings. The match says that Omar’s DNA was taken from a cigarette butt, while Elmi’s purportedly came from a drinking straw. Omar has never before been known to be a smoker; however, she was seen in a grainy picture with a cigarette in her mouth[4].

There are two ways in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) can prosecute Omar. One, for breaking the laws of the state of Minnesota by marrying one’s own brother. The other is the attempt to commit immigration fraud – her second husband (and brother) came over to the US so he could marry her[5].

On the show of Tucker Carlon on Fox, dated Aug 19, 2021, it was disclosed that the FBI might not be able to prosecute her on the first violation because of the Statute of Limitations running out but it CAN prosecute her for committing Immigration fraud, which has no time limitations.

Omar’s second controversy – Anti-semitism

Omar invoked a poisonous anti-Semitic narrative about Jews using their money to manipulate global affairs. Earlier, she had to apologize for a tweet in which she said that Israel had “hypnotized” the world, phrasing that also recalled old canards about occult Jewish power[6].

Omar’s most controversial statement had landed her in hot water with senior members of her own party as well as her opponents when she compared America and Israel to murderous terrorist groups Hamas and the Taliban and said the two democracies have committed “unthinkable atrocities.”

Later, Omar responded to the criticism by accusing the group of using “Islamophobic tropes”.

Amid the conflict, Omar also accused Israel of engaging in “terrorism” through their airstrikes that tragically killed civilians in the Gaza Strip.

“Israeli airstrikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians. It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid,” Omar wrote on Twitter[7].

Ilhan Omar’s third controversy

Ilhan Omar embroiled herself in another controversy after a comment she made about Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and Muslim civil rights.

Her remarks about the terror attacks on 9/11, referring to the terrorists as “some people did something” comment sparked criticism.

The New York Post blasted the Democrats in a large spread on their front page. The cover showed the Twin Towers burning after a pair of jetliners crashed into them. The headline read: Rep. Ilhan Omar: 9/11 was ‘some people did something.’ Here’s your something. 2,977 people dead by terrorism”[8].

Omar took the opportunity to lecture on how far a nation have to go to live up to our American values. Ironically, though, her rant comes just a few short days after a profile on her in The Wall Street Journal by a fellow Somali refugee that exposed Omar for the bigot she truly is, explained the roots of her bigotry, and asked whether someone in whom bigotry is so ingrained can ever truly reform.

David Schoen, an American attorney said, “Our country proudly took Omar and her family in when they were refugees, and she found here a country so great that even she could be elected to Congress. Once elected, however, she immediately began bellowing her brand of hatred for others unlike her and demanding that our system change to meet her bigoted priorities. Many people took exception. She has the right in this country to be a bigot; but so, too, do other Americans have the right to hate all that she stands for, as well as the right to regret that her family chose our country, which she now wants to radically change.”

He further adds in his blog, “The hypocrisy surrounding this whole scenario is evident on many levels, and it’s exacerbated by the disgraceful claim by these freshmen that those who oppose them do so only because they are “women of color.” I don’t doubt for a moment that there are some for whom that is a factor. But for most who oppose this “squad” of radical legislators, it is their words, their manner, their arrogance, their hatred, and their disdain for so many of the uniquely positive features of our truly great country — the very features that led so many Americans, including our most recent arrivals, to come here. That is at the heart of the matter.

In conclusion, Ilhan Omar has shown a tendency unbecoming of a people’s representative – of being reckless with her statements and also displays an irrational hatred of India and Hindus, yet no one calls her Hindu phobic. America and Americans should decide if they want such radical thinkers to represent them.

References:

[1] Global Islamophobia bill – Oct 21, 2021 – Omar.House.gov

[2] EXCLUSIVE: ‘He’s one of the several snarky, white, generation-X men in comedy, who seem to have me on their dartboards.’ Meghan McCain slams Seth Meyers in audio book for attacking her criticism of Ilhan Omar’s dismissal of 9/11 terrorists – Oct 20, 2021 – Mail Online

[3] Caravan of 3,000 migrants including some carrying ‘Biden for all’ banners push past outnumbered Mexican police as they storm towards the US border – Oct 24, 2021 – Mail Online

[4] Ilhan Omar married her sibling – Aug 21, 2021 – The Daily Mail

[5] DNA evidence reportedly proves Ilhan Omar married her brother – Oct 22, 2021 – NBC news

[6] Ilhan Omar’s Very Bad Tweets – Feb 11, 2019 – NY Times

[7] Ilhan Omar’s long history of controversial statements – Jun 12, Fox News

[8] Omar’s remark on 9/11, Muslim civil rights riles conservatives – Apr 12, 2019 – NBC news

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