As one of the most progressive Democrats in Congress and a former refugee from war-torn Somalia, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota hasn't withheld from her criticism of imperialist policies of the United States or its allies.
She's publicly called for the diversion of funds from America's bloated military budget to boost public access to housing, healthcare, and other basic needs. She's a staunch advocate for Palestinian self-determination and for the reduction of U.S. Military occupation abroad.
More recently, Omar noted in a committee hearing that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has accused not just Hamas and the Taliban, but Israel and the United States, of human rights violations, though both countries dispute the ICC's jurisdiction.
Watch below.
We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. \n\nWe have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban. \n\nI asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice.pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Rep. Ilhan Omar) 1623094457
Her criticisms sparked backlash from some of her Democratic colleagues, and especially from Republicans. Many on the right—including former President Donald Trump—have labeled Omar a terrorist sympathizer in the past and even called her American citizenship into question.
Omar pushed back against critics on the right by pointing at similar criticisms of the Military and of American imperialism from none other than the GOP's figurehead: former President Donald Trump himself.
I love all the pearl clutching that the Right wing does whenever I talk about justice for victims of the atrocities of the US or our allies.\n\nBut twist themselves into a pretzel defending Trump calling our country a country of \u201cA lot of Killers\u201d.\n\nMiss me w/ your faux outrage pic.twitter.com/eCOptujeco— Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan Omar) 1623189618
She cited comments from 2017 when Trump was asked by conservative pundit Bill O'Reilly whether Trump would get a long with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested he would, but was then reminded that Putin is a "killer."
Trump's response?
"There are a lot of killers, we've got a lot of killers. What do you think — our country's so innocent?"
Few Republicans opposed the rhetoric at the time and virtually all of them have since forgotten it.
But people agreed that Omar's criticisms of U.S. imperialism are treated much more harshly by those allied with Trump.
Yep. If you\u2019re going to support Trump and his thoughts why don\u2019t you support it when someone left wing says literally the same thing??https://twitter.com/ilhanmn/status/1402385019314782211\u00a0\u2026— Abby (@Abby) 1623248228
And, did the right ever attack Trump for what he said about America to Putin?\n\nSo yes, the right can shove it with their fake outrage. They don't care about America, they care about using it to advance their own agenda.https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1402385019314782211\u00a0\u2026— Charles Kuyper (@Charles Kuyper) 1623190965
VERY IMPORTANT.https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1402385019314782211\u00a0\u2026— GE \ud83d\ude37 (@GE \ud83d\ude37) 1623189708
Well yes of course. You're saying it because you want to atone for our crimes. He was saying it to justify doing nothing about Putin's crimes. He had no intention of addressing ours, either.— Infinite Social Justice \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7 (@Infinite Social Justice \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf7) 1623190001
The right wing is filled with projecting and hypocrisy.— Michelle (@Michelle) 1623190125
Keep on telling the truth congresswoman. Don't let the haters get you down— Jordan (@Jordan) 1623190794
Conservatives on Twitter further proved her point.
Has there ever been a bigger ingrate than this? We took her in as a refugee. Provided her with an education. She is living the American dream coming here as a refugee and is seated as a congresswoman. Still she equates us as terrorists. Sick.https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1402385019314782211\u00a0\u2026— Wendy \ud83e\udd85\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd85 (@Wendy \ud83e\udd85\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd85) 1623211889
You who hate America so much, why don't you return to your country Somalia ?!https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1402385019314782211\u00a0\u2026— A B O (@A B O) 1623207443
Omar has since clarified her comments, emphasizing that "the conversation was about accountability for specific incidents regarding those ICC cases, not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the U.S. and Israel."
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