No Room for Bigotry: Omar’s Inexcusable Tweets
THE ISSUE: Rep. Ilhan Omar’s accusation that a pro-Israel lobbying group buys influence from US politicians.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s condemnation of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s latest anti-Semitic remarks is an important first step (“Enabling Omar,” Editorial, Feb. 12).
However, it will mean little unless Omar is also stripped of her seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which she is clearly ill-suited for, given her extreme antipathy toward Jews and Israel.
It must be clear to the American people that Congress rejects the promotion of hateful and untrue anti-Semitic tropes like those recently promoted by Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Stephen Silver San Francisco, Calif.
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s offensive tweets regarding Israel are indicative of her long track record of antiSemitic rhetoric.
Making an “apology” at the behest of Democratic leaders for the sake of political expediency is not an apology; it’s disingenuous. All will be forgotten until she does it again and gives us another “teaching moment.” Peter Kelly Hazlet, NJ
Following Omar’s previous comment about Israel “hypnotizing the world,” she accused AIPAC, a pro-Israel organization, of paying off America’s legislators on behalf of Israel.
Her comment, “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby,” is excused by Pelosi & Co. as mere ignorance about the painful history of anti-Semitism.
Rep. Tlaib joins Omar in supporting the BDS movement, which clearly challenges Israel’s right to exist.
These statements, and attributing them to ignorance, are very dangerous, but most dangerous of all is that both congresswomen have been appointed to powerful House committees. If nothing else, they must be stripped of these positions.
As Jonathan Tobin says (“Why Omar Won’t Pay for Peddling Bigotry,” Post-Opinion, Feb. 12), both Democrats and Republicans must condemn these anti-Semites in order to prevent the “virus of hatred” from spreading. Helen Freedman Manhattan
No, Nancy: An unequivocal apology is not good enough. That Omar and Tlaib are bigots is a stain on the Democratic Party. They should have been vetted and ejected from the party long before the elections.
Omar cannot apologize away her anti-Semitism. Speaker Pelosi must do the right thing or acknowledge that her party is OK with a bigoted component. The very least the speaker can do is ensure these two congresswomen are not members of any committee.
In the next election, Minnesota and Michigan voters can select more appropriate representation. Len Bennett Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Disagreement with policies of the Israeli govern- ment does not equate to anti-Semitism. AIPAC, CAIR and SEIU all make lobbying efforts to promote what they want from Congress. To say AIPAC does not is ridiculous.
The Senate effort to limit free speech in regard to the BDS movement is wrong and unconstitutional. While I have no dog in the fight in regard to the BDS movement, limiting political speech cuts at the very heart of the First Amendment.
Justice Holmes first wrote about the marketplace of ideas in regard to free speech. One is either an absolutist for free speech or one believes in censorship; there is no middle ground. Francis Rushford Brooklyn
Omar can keep her phony apologies. She “unequivocally” apologized before going on to trash AIPAC, the group she accuses of paying off Congress to support Israel. Someone should explain to Omar that AIPAC is bipartisan and gives zero dollars in campaign contributions.
She needs to be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee immediately. Democratic leaders talk about fighting anti-Semitism: Well, here’s your chance. Jamie Mitrani, Congers
Pelosi can attempt to hide and obfuscate what is in Omar’s heart all they want. But the truth is clear: She is an anti-Semite.
What more proof do you need than her own words? I say shame on everybody who tries to cover for her. John Dumary, Jr. Duanesberg