An uproar broke out at the West Virginia state house on Friday over an inflammatory poster of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) that linked her to the 9/11 terror attacks. One person was reportedly injured by a Democratic lawmaker.
The poster depicted Omar beneath the exploding World Trade Towers with the captions,”‘NEVER FORGET’ — YOU SAID…” and “I AM THE PROOF — YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN.”
This poster is in your Capitol on a booth sponsored by @WVGOP “When someone shows you who they are, believe them” pic.twitter.com/4k566ztHWo
— (((Mike Pushkin))) (@pushkinforhouse) March 1, 2019
What followed
The poster, which was displayed as part of a “Republicans Take the Rotunda” event, provoked a heated exchange between Democrats, who objected to it, and Anne Lieberman, the House’s sergeant at arms.
Del. Mike Angelucci (D-Marion) alleged that, during the encounter, Lieberman said that “all Muslims are terrorists.” Lieberman, the first female Sergeant-at-Arms, denied the comment but resigned before the end of the day.
The fracas continued onto the House floor where Democrats attempted to take the moral high ground. “It’s ugly, it’s hateful and there’s absolutely no place for it in American politics,” said Del. Mike Pushkin (D). “I’m proud to live in a country that somebody can come into this country with absolutely nothing and wind up in the halls of Congress representing the state of Minnesota.”
One staff member was reportedly physically injured by a Democratic lawmaker during the uproar. Roger Hanshaw (R), the House Speaker, stated that his office is investigating the incident.
The Republican party responded with a statement: “The West Virginia Republican Party does not approve, condone, or support hate speech. One of the exhibitors at our West Virginia Republican Party Day at the Capitol displayed a sign that we did not approve, were not aware of before the day started, and we do not support. Upon learning about the sign, we immediately asked this exhibitor to remove the sign.”
Omar responds
The freshman congresswoman, one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, responded to the controversial image in a clapback tweet. “No wonder why I am on the ‘Hitlist’ of a domestic terrorist and ‘Assassinate Ilhan Omar’ is written on my local gas stations,” Omar tweeted. “Look no further, the GOP’s anti-Muslim display likening me to a terrorist rocks in state capitols and no one is condemning them!”
She also included an image in which “Assassinate Ilhan Omar” appears to be scrawled on a bathroom wall.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 1, 2019
Anti-Muslim or Anti-Anti-American?
Most of the recent criticism directed at Omar is not “anti-Muslim” sentiment, however. Since taking office, Omar has, on numerous occasions, made comments that directly conflict with U.S. interests. She recently stated, for example, that she does not recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, which not only contradicts the official stance of her party but that of the U.S. and many other Western countries.
She also continues to make anti-Semitic remarks, and most recently accused pro-Israel Americans of dual loyalty — another classic anti-Semitic trope. Rep. Eliot Engle (D-NY), the top Dem on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where Omar currently serves, condemned her “vile anti-Semitic slur” on Friday.
In the face of criticism, Omar tends to pull the out the “Islamophobia” defense. But it’s not her faith that’s the problem — it’s her far-left, anti-American and anti-Semitic positions.
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