Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) sparked a storm of controversy this past month by lamenting the financial influence of the pro-Israel lobby and their “allegiance to a foreign country.”

Those remarks were criticized by Republicans and some prominent Democrats, who saw them as playing into pernicious anti-Semitic tropes of Jewish money subverting societies and Jews being unpatriotic citizens who cannot be trusted. President Trump called on Rep. Omar to resign and later branded Democrats as the “anti-Israel” and “anti-Jewish” party.

But many see a double standard here — especially because the president has trafficked in negative stereotypes about Jews. Some argue that bias against Muslims is fueling the criticisms of Omar, who is one of only two Muslim women in Congress. Rep. Omar has had her loyalty to the U.S. questioned by Republican colleagues and Fox News commentators; she was even linked to the 9/11 terrorist attacks by Republicans in the West Virginia statehouse.

Read on, courtesy of The Washington Post.

connect with us

         

© UC Irvine School of Social Sciences - 3151 Social Sciences Plaza, Irvine, CA 92697-5100 - 949.824.2766