"No Politician in Living Memory has been Treated as Badly as Ilhan Omar"

Even if we restrict the class to American Federal politicians, that's not even close to true. Heck, it's not even true if we restrict "living memory" to the last few years, so as to leave out assassination victims like JFK and RFK. Steve Scalise was shot, as part of a plot to assassinate a whole bunch of Republican Congressmen. Gabby Giffords was shot. Rand Paul was brutally beaten, as was Harry Reid (for reasons that we never really learned, now that I think about it). If we include judges who have to undergo Senate confirmation in the class of 'politicians,' Brett Kavanaugh -- whom RBG describes as a very kind, upstanding man, and credits with the Supreme Court's sudden shift in favor of female clerks -- was publicly savaged as a rapist, gang-rapist, drugger of women, blackout drunk, and these ridiculous charges were broadcast worldwide in front of screaming mobs.

But, OK, 'some people did something' to Omar. Or said something, actually. Nobody's done anything to her, even though she spends enough of her time running down our country that I literally can't recall her ever saying anything else.
Like Omar, I am a Muslim American who also happens to be a person of colour. The combination of hijab and being brown does not always go down well in our predominantly white society. Because of my appearance, I am all too often subjected to judgement. This makes me feel like anything I say, like Omar, has the potential to be taken out of context. It makes me feel that I, like Omar, am also under the magnifying glass. I should not have to fear for my life or that of any other Muslim. If we allow such cruel rhetoric to snowball, we are contributing towards our own demise.

Moving forward, normalizing the hijab would be the first step towards removing stigma and pressure against women like myself and Ilhan. Engaging in dialogue about topics that make us uncomfortable, such as the hijab, can also help to dismantle stereotypes and increase understanding.
Look, I don't know what you mean by 'normalizing,' lady, but you can wear the thing if you want to do. Nobody's going to rip it off your head and beat you up for it. It's not like it's a MAGA hat or something.

If you're ever in my company, you're perfectly safe. I wouldn't hurt you or let anyone else hurt you. But come on, now. Ilhan Omar isn't being hurt. She's being challenged, and that is not because she wears a hijab or because of the color of her skin. It's because she's constantly insulting the nation that took her in and elevated her to power, wealth, and comfort.

As far as I can tell, Ilhan really is an American and really does belong here. She married her brother, after all -- that's American like Jerry Lee Lewis, who married his 13-year-old second-cousin because he wanted to and nobody could stop him. Jerry Lee Lewis did a lot of things like that.



In fact, they're also alike in the 'not actually getting a divorce before marrying again' department.



Speaking of Jerry Lee Lewis and crazy American stuff, here's another story from that series -- Tales from the Tour Bus, the whole first season of which is about Outlaw Country stars.



Maybe it's only America where you can live a life as wild as that, or as wild as the one Ms. Omar seems embarked upon. I don't have a problem with her being here, or with her being in Congress: if that's what the people of MN-5 want representing them, well, that's on them. It's not my business.

But if she wants to be treated with respect and friendship, she might start by showing a little of either or both. Loyalty is a two-way street. She's not shown the first bit of actual loyalty to us, to say nothing of friendship. If she wants a defense, she might defend us once in a while. She's the Congressperson, after all. She is the one with power and access and money, who can literally write laws if she can just write them sane enough to get enough other people to sign off on them. I'm not going to shed tears for her if she has to put up with some hard words once in a while, after her latest rendition of How Awful America Is to the World.

8 comments:

Christopher B said...

Remember that to the Left words directed at them are are violence, and the violence they commit is speech.

J Melcher said...

Regarding "Outlaw" country music stars -- My Lord how much progress that represents over the era when our popular "outlaw" heroes were murderous bank robbers and bootleggers.

And how much of a slide backwards it is now that we idolize the O.G. "gangsta rap".

E Hines said...

From the quoted passage, Like Omar...

Much of that, with substitution of "Left" for "white," could have been written by someone else, maybe someone like Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

My heart bleeds for bigots like Omar. But not much.

Like you, I'd protect her and her like from actual harm. But I won't from the opprobrium she calls down on herself. She is, after all, a grown, rational human being--much smarter than me, to boot--and so she needs no help from me with that.

As to the author of the cited piece, when the estimable Tasmiha Khan identifies her first and most important characteristic to be her skin color (never mind how demeaning is the term "woman/man/person of color"), she displays her own racism. And so demonstrates with her opening phrase her lack of credibility, even of seriousness.

Eric Hines

Assistant Village Idiot said...

There is a concept in psychology called "narcissistic injury." Think of it in terms of bullies. They do not have low self-esteem, as people have been trying to convince us for fifty years; they have unrealistically high self-esteem, and become enraged at a world that does not support that.

Comparisons to other people would be pointless to her, as the refusal of reality to confirm her exaggerated sense of value is so powerful that it blocks out all else. Feelings trump facts for those who have personality disorders. Frankly, I think many liberals, especially public ones, have the same problem. All groups have it somewhat, perceiving themselves as unfairly singled out. Politicians of all stripes have it more. Yet the Democrats have been putting forward more and more extreme versions of this as long as I can remember. Obama covered it well enough to fool those who adored him, but he was even more entitled than Hillary, John Kerry, or Ted Kennedy.

Sam L. said...

The Left LIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Big time. Example #1: President Trump.

Gringo said...

Lefties love to criticize, but expect praise in return. "What incredible,original insight you have, dear lefty."

Which is why lefties get very upset when they get criticized.

raven said...

"Sarah Palin". The defense rests.

Assistant Village Idiot said...

Heck, even Obama was treated worse, though he largely invited it. Does that count?

No off-Broadway plays have fantasised her assassination, no movies have been made trying to show how stupid she is, late-night comedians have not gone after her. She has put herself forward, and been responded to accordingly. As the saying goes "If you didn't want to go to Chicago, why did you get on the train?"