"All about the Benjamins" she says - and, SHE'S RIGHT

[yankeedoodle]

'All about the Benjamins': Ilhan Omar sparks Twitter backlash over 'anti-Semitic' post
https://www.rt.com/usa/451182-ilhan-omar-israel-lobby-antisemitism/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome

Rep Ilhan Omar's tweet that US politicians' support for Israel is 'all about the Benjamins' sparked a furious backlash on Twitter, with cries of anti-Semitism from some, while others detailed the Israeli lobby's influence.

The controversy kicked off when Omar shared, and responded to, a tweet by journalist Glenn Greenwald about Republican Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) threatening punishment against her and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) for their support for the Boycott Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement.

https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1094747501578633216

Journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon swiftly reacted, wondering who Omar thinks "is paying American politicians to be pro-Israel," and accused her of making an "anti-Semitic trope."

https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1094761790595088384

"AIPAC!" the congresswoman responded, referencing the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobby group, which spent $3.5 million on pro-Israel lobbying in 2018, and $3.4 million in 2017.

Many took to Twitter to accuse Omar of anti-Semitism, with others claiming ignorance about AIPAC.

https://twitter.com/ChelseaClinton/status/1094773371823366145

https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1094767031939932161

https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1094821875614695425

https://twitter.com/hoverpope/status/1094815136756441088

Some people tried to explain the lobbying group's influence, with one person drawing attention to a tweet by the US Ambassador to Israel that described AIPAC as "Israel's national strategic asset."

https://twitter.com/MairavZ/status/1094784154938425344

https://twitter.com/DrMichaelOren/status/569133011846893570

https://twitter.com/GR20393/status/1094800676318633985

https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1094776966862000128

AIPAC's own website explains how its Congressional Club members must "Make a minimum financial commitment of $2,500 a year, or $5,000 per two-year election cycle, to pro-Israel politics," and commit to "giving political contributions in a clearly pro-Israel context to candidates running for the United States House of Representatives and/or United States Senate."

Its education arm, the American Israel Education Foundation, brings newly-elected members of Congress on luxury trips to Israel where attendees meet with Israeli officials. The Intercept reports it has spent $12.9 million bringing 363 lawmakers and 657 congressional staff members to Israel between 2009-2018, with a typical trip costing between $9,300 to $10,500.

https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1094864377369395205

https://twitter.com/RaniaKhalek/status/1094879764823838721

https://twitter.com/ryangrim/status/1094788279201918976

Politicians on both sides of the aisle know the importance of giving speeches at AIPAC's annual conference, particularly if they are considering a presidential run, as the group will encourage its members to support pro-Israel candidates and put candidates in touch with big donors.

AIPAC also helped draft the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (S. 720) bill criminalizing support for the BDS after outlining in its 2017 lobbying agenda that the passage of the bill was one of its top priorities. In 2009, two congressmen forgot to remove AIPAC from a letter they sent to President Barack Obama about the Middle East peace process.

[yankeedoodle]

She kicked the kikes in the teeth, and now they won't stop until they force her to grovel.  But, it looks like she knows how to "apologize" while giving then another kick. 

'Sorry, not sorry?' Ilhan Omar apologizes for 'anti-Semitic' tweet, reigniting controversy
https://www.rt.com/usa/451236-ilhan-omar-anti-semitic-tweets/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome

Freshman Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been forced to apologize by senior House Democrats for a series of "anti-Semitic" tweets – but her apology has set off another round of hysteria for not being apologetic enough.

In a post captioned "listening and learning, but standing strong," the Muslim representative thanked her "Jewish allies and colleagues" for "educating" her about "anti-Semitic tropes," while reiterating her original point about the "problematic role" of lobbyists like AIPAC.

https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1095046561254567937

Both detractors and supporters immediately pounced on her 'apology' as proof that whatever they'd said before was right.  Some were outraged that Omar was not groveling enough...

...while others saw Omar being smeared by a near-omnipotent lobby pulling the strings of the Capitol.

Still others pointed out that attacking Omar was only feeding the same "anti-Semitic tropes" her detractors accused Omar of feeding.

While those accusing Omar of anti-Semitism as often as not found themselves arguing with Jews speaking up for the congresswoman.

House Democratic leadership released a statement condemning Omar's remarks on Monday afternoon, slamming the Minnesota rep's "deeply offensive" and "prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters" while demanding she "immediately apologize for these hurtful comments."

A few couldn't help but notice that the Democrats' willingness to castigate one of their own in order to defend big-ticket lobbyists kind of proved Omar's point...

...or at the very least raised more questions than it answered...

(such as, do Pelosi's donors have something to do with this?)

[yankeedoodle]

Ilhan Omar says it's 'exciting' her controversial views on Israel are sparking debate
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/10/politics/ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-israel-palestine/index.html

Washington (CNN)Freshman Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota is defending her controversial views on Israel as they come under scrutiny in Washington, telling CNN that "it's not surprising" her positions are generating attention and that she finds it "exciting" to be sparking debate.

"It's not surprising. I think it is actually exciting because we are finally able to have conversations that we weren't really willing to," Omar told CNN on Tuesday. "It is really important for us to get a different lens about what peace in that region could look like and the kind of difficult conversations we need to have about allies."

Omar along with Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress, are indeed changing the conversation on Capitol Hill over the United States' long-standing relationship with Israel by speaking out critically against the Israeli government over its treatment of Palestinians.

As they challenge the political status quo over Israel in Washington, Omar and Tlaib are facing intense scrutiny and criticism, in particular from Republicans eager to exploit divisions in the Democratic Party.

Tlaib and Omar have also broken the mold on Capitol Hill by supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. The movement is a non-violent activist campaign that aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel over its actions toward Palestinians, including calling for an end to Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

Omar told CNN that Israel should be held accountable for living up to "the same values that we push for" in the United States as one of its allies.

"Israel is an ally of the United States and I think as much as you would look to your neighbor to your friends to live out the same values as you are, we want to make sure that our allies are living out the same values that we push for here," she said.

Republicans react critically
In her first month in Congress, Republicans have been quick to criticize Omar, a Somali immigrant who came to the US as a refugee more than two decades ago, for statements she has made regarding Israel.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican from New York, pointed out in a tweet last month that Omar supports the BDS movement and in 2012 made a statement saying that "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." Highlighting that statement, Zeldin argued that rather than supporting Israel and countering anti-Semitism, Democrats "are now empowering it."

The 2012 statement from Omar came in the midst of an eight-day war between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it had to counter attack because of consistent rocket fire from Gaza into civilian areas of Israel.



The Israel Defense Forces said Israel launched at least 1,500 airstrikes on Gaza. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 163 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,000 wounded. Hamas' military wing, the al Qassam brigade, said it fired 1,573 rockets toward Israel during the hostilities. Six Israelis were killed, and at least 200 wounded.

Omar has since expressed regret for her choice of words, saying that she had "unknowingly" used an "anti-Semitic trope" and that her statement "came in the context of the Gaza War."

Zeldin also posted an anti-Semitic voicemail he received to Twitter last month and tagged Omar, asking the congresswoman, "Would love to know what part of this hate filled, anti-Semitic rant you disagree with? I disagree with all of it. Do you?"

Omar responded by saying, "This is heinous and hateful. I too am flooded with bigoted voicemails and calls every day. Maybe we could meet and share notes on how to fight religious discrimination of all kinds?"

In an interview with Yahoo News, Omar was asked how the US can work toward peace between Israelis and Palestinians and answered that "an equal approach to dealing with both" is necessary.

She elaborated on that by saying, "Most of the things that have always been aggravating to me is that we have had a policy that makes one superior to the other."

"When I see Israel institute law that recognizes it as a Jewish state and does not recognize the other religions that are living in it and we still uphold it as a democracy in the Middle East, I almost chuckle because I know that if we see that in any other society we would criticize it, we would call it out -- we do that to Iran, we do that to any other place that sort of upholds its religion."

Omar appears to have been referencing Israel passing into law last year a controversial bill that declares that the Jewish people have an exclusive right to national self-determination in Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had advocated for the nation-state bill, hailed its passage and called it a "defining moment" in Israel's history, but critics, including some strong supporters of Israel, expressed concern that it would weaken and undermine Israeli democracy.

The National Republican Congressional Committee highlighted Omar's remarks to Yahoo News by saying on its website that the congresswoman's "latest anti-Semitic attack included comparing Israel to Iran."

Omar and Tlaib argue they're not attacking a faith
Both Omar and Tlaib have made a point to argue that their criticism of actions by the Israeli government should not be viewed as an attack on a faith.

"When I talk about places like Saudi Arabia or Israel or even now with Venezuela, I'm not criticizing the people. I'm not criticizing their faith, I'm not criticizing their way of life," Omar said in a recent appearance on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah."

"What I'm criticizing is what's happening at the moment, and I want for there to be accountability so that the government, that administration, that regime can do better," she said.

Tlaib, who is the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress, explained her support for the BDS movement by invoking freedom of speech in an interview with CNN prior to her swearing in -- and made a point to say that the movement is not an attack on a faith.

"I don't like the criminalization of freedom of speech and so much of my principles around BDS to me are -- I know for so many it might trigger these other thoughts about it, for me though, it is very much tied to core values around freedom of expression and freedom of speech. So to be able to do economic boycotts is connected," she said.

She added, "for those that think this is some sort of attack on a faith, I just want to push back and say no this is really about racism, about inequality and about human rights."

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was asked at a news conference Friday about GOP criticism of Tlaib and Omar over their comments on Israel and whether he believes it's possible to be critical of the Israeli government and its policies without being anti-Semitic.

"It's possible," McCarthy responded, "but I think the language they are using is wrong," though he did not point to any specific examples.

Speaking at a Center for American Progress event on Tuesday, Omar said that people should be able to practice all religions freely.

"I know how it feels to be hated because of my religious beliefs. I am proof that as Americans we can embrace our differences," she said.

Omar added, "The core of Islam, just like Christianity and Judaism, is the radical message of human equality in the eyes of God. We also must recognize that religious hate of all kind, whether it is against Muslims, Jews, Christians or atheists, are linked."

Omar's office initially declined an interview, but CNN was able to speak with her as she was leaving the event. Omar did not respond to questions, however, about why she supports the BDS movement. Tlaib declined to answer questions from CNN in the halls of the Capitol on Wednesday.

Tlaib hopes to lead congressional delegation to the West Bank
Polling does show shifting sentiment among Democrats in their views of Israel and Palestinians. A Pew poll last year found that support for Israel among Democrats and independents has fallen and support has risen among Republicans and that Democrats are divided over which side in the conflict they sympathize more with.
Tlaib, however, has faced public push back from within the ranks of House Democrats for saying that she plans to lead a congressional delegation to the West Bank, where her grandmother still lives. Member of Congress regularly take congressional delegation trips to Israel.

Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel of New York told the Al-Monitor that "instead of her talking about things, she's new here, she ought to listen and learn and open her mind and then come to some conclusions," in reference to the idea of a West Bank delegation.

The next day, Tlaib tagged Engel in a tweet, saying, "how are we ever going to obtain peace? I hope you'll come with me on the trip to listen and learn. My sity (grandmother) will welcome you with an embrace & love. Please feel free to call me if you have anything to say. I am your colleague now."

Tlaib told CNN in the interview prior to her swearing in that she believes "we'll get closer to peace" when "we start addressing the humanitarian needs of both Israelis and Palestinians ... when we're not thinking the other person is less than or less deserving."

Tlaib faces scrutiny over a photograph
Tlaib has also faced controversy after a man named Abbas Hamideh posted a photo with her to Twitter last month with the caption, "I was honored to be at Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib swearing in ceremony in #Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends and activists across the country."
Hamideh is an activist who has said in social media posts that Israel "does not have a right to exist" and that "Nazis and Zionists are similar."

Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League, drew attention to the photograph several days later on Twitter, saying that Hamideh has "equated Zionists with Nazis" and calling on Tlaib to "denounce his anti-Semitism." The ADL is also critical of the BDS movement and argues on its website that the movement "is the most prominent effort to undermine Israel's existence."

In late January, Zeldin introduced a House resolution that calls for a rejection of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hatred in the US and around the world. The text of the resolution mentions Tlaib and Omar by name, citing, among other things, the controversy over Hamideh as well as Omar's statement that "Israel has hypnotized the world."

Asked for comment on the photo, Tlaib told CNN through a spokesman, "I oppose hate and violence in all forms and will continue to work for peace. It is also important to note, I've taken thousands of photos over the course of my campaign and now during my tenure. A photo does not mean I agree with anything someone says. It is obvious this man thrives on media attention from his recent posts. It's unfortunate that he was successful. I do not agree with the statements brought to my attention."

The congresswoman also recently gave a lengthy statement to The New York Times in which she said, "It is unfair to be held responsible for the statements of others, especially when my actions ... make clear that I oppose all forms of hate and condemn those who dehumanize others."

She added, "It is disappointing that some of my colleagues are feeding into the hate and division and mislabeling me to ignite fear."

[calm]

First one to stop clapping is an anti-semite.
I edited #Netanyahu's speech to Congress to include only the applause, there was 17 minutes of it.
March 03, 2015
(Flash Video)
https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/947640509886951424

[yankeedoodle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNbBEh5FLOY

[yankeedoodle]

Bernie Sanders Called Ilhan Omar to Offer His Support Amid Anti-Semitism Controversy
https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-called-ilhan-omar-to-offer-his-support-amid-anti-semitism-controversy



Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reached out to Rep. Ilhan Omar on Tuesday to offer his support amid criticism from both Democrats and Republicans that the progressive freshman lawmaker trafficked in anti-Semitic tropes on Twitter.

Omar's office confirmed that the congresswoman spoke with Sanders—who is Jewish—but the conversation was off-record and so they could not go into further details about the contents of the discussion. A source familiar with the conversation confirmed to The Daily Beast that Sanders expressed support for Omar.

Earlier on Thursday, Jewish Insider reported that Sanders was asked about Omar's tweets on a conference call hosted by James Zogby, founder of the Arab American Institute and a former member of the Democratic National Committee's executive committee.

"I talked to Ilhan last night to give her my personal support," Sanders was quoted as saying. "We will stand by our Muslim brothers and sisters."

Zogby told The Daily Beast the call was off-record when contacted about the veracity of the reporting, but the source familiar with the lawmakers' conversation confirmed the Jewish Insider story.

[maz]

My take for what it's worth; This was a put up job by the Jews themselves.

There is nothing worse than having a divisive,  Black Muslim invader, who is openly anti-white, up there talking about obvious things that dissidents have been saying for years and years so that the Jews can go "Hey look goyim, there is this weird black Muslim lady in a hijab talking about Jews and money and our greatest ally Israel."

The fact that she is not being forced out is proof of that. Remember how they busted Ocasio-Cortez and how quickly she changed her tune. They are just going to let this Muslim lady go a little bit further than Cortez because it suits their agenda to have Muslim there for conservatives to throw eggs at.

It's also dog-training the goy to keep their mouths shut about BDS laws going in place all over the US.

Attacking Ilhan Omar Isn't Fighting Anti-Semitism. It's Upholding White Supremacy.

On February 10, Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar came under fire for a few tweets. Omar was responding to a comment by journalist Glenn Greenwald, which was itself about Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy's attacks against Omar and Michigan Rep Rashida Tlaib for their pro-Palestinian stances. Greenwald saw these Republican attacks as a manifestation of US political support for the Israeli government.

When pressed for further comment by Forward Opinion Editor Batya Ungar-Sargon, Omar seemed to attribute the phenomenon to funding from AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group.

The tweets set off a flurry of controversy, with some commentators claiming that Omar had invoked anti-Semitic stereotypes of "Jewish money" controlling US politics. One of Ungar-Sargon's follow up tweets seemed to draw comparisons between the words of Omar and her supporters and "a cartoon octopus with a hook nose."

This highly inflammatory response set the scene for a massive punchdown where Omar's tweets were taken increasingly out of their original context. Over the course of a day that began as Omar's joking response to an islamophobic Republican campaign to silence her, quickly became a situation where she was roundly condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike.

If your "criticism of AIPAC" can be replaced with a cartoon octopus with a hook nose, you need a lesson in Jewish history. And if you're out here saying "Yeah, using the word Benjamins was bad BUT" you're abetting the normalization of anti-Semitism by an elected official.— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) February 11, 2019

Omar was quick to issue an apology, saying "[m]y intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans."

Still, the controversy continued to grow, culminating in Vice President Pence tweeting out a call for Omar to face "consequences" and President Trump demanding that she resign.

While Omar's tweets did not mention Jews, and were made in specific reference to a smear campaign led by a conservative Christian politician, her critics read between the lines and created an association between AIPAC and the entire Jewish community that Omar herself clearly did not intend.

The rush to publicly condemn and punish Omar reflects a long-standing pattern in which Black leaders who show solidarity with Palestinians find their words twisted by critics portraying them as inherently hateful, ignorant, or having hidden intentions when they advocate for the rights of Palestinians and themselves.These anti-black stereotypes further entrench white supremacy, instead of fighting against it.

Many in the Jewish community and beyond have pushed back on the claim that Omar was engaging in anti-Semitism at all, asserting that her words simply describe how lobbying works for AIPAC and many other similar groups. This included an Israeli-American former democratic campaign staffer who described in detail AIPAC's use of indirect political funding to push their desired policies.

But there is no need to stretch the words of many of Omar's right wing critics to understand them as anti-Semitic. Rep McCarthy, who launched the islamophobic silencing campaign that Omar was responding to, has long trafficked in blatantly anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Jewish billionaire George Soros, including on Twitter, and has never issued an apology for his tweets.

See what they did there?

They were able to turn this into a black-white issue where the upstanding Christian white people are on the side of Israel and the evil black people and leftists are on the side of the Palestinians.

And then they can double back and blame the attacks, which were all coming from various internet Jews, on white supremacy. All sides covered!

That is Talmudic as fuck!

How To Speak About The Israel Lobby In A Non-Anti-Semitic Way

Ilhan Omar's tweets blaming "the Benjamins" and AIPAC for U.S. politicians' support of Israel launched a national conversation about anti-Semitic tropes, money in politics, and the role of lobbies in U.S. politics.

Many, including the entire Democratic leadership, felt that Omar's words invoked an anti-Semitic trope. Her tweet conjured the image of a Jewish cabal using cash to control the levers of power, which was reinforced when she named AIPAC (in response to a query from me); in the wake of Democratic censure, Omar duly apologized.

But others felt that Omar needn't have apologized, and defended her on the grounds that she was simply pointing out a fact: that AIPAC does lobby for Israel — hard — raising millions of dollars to lobby for what it considers pro-Israel policies on the Hill, and sending U.S. representatives on fancy trips to Israel to convince them to support the Jewish state. These voices have insisted that it's not anti-Semitic to point out the truth and criticize the "Israel Lobby."

Of course it's not. AIPAC does have a lot of financial muscle. It is a powerful, well-run, well-funded lobby which is worthy of attention, discussion, and criticism. But it's all about how you do it. Here are a few tips for avoiding anti-Semitic language while discussing the "Israel Lobby."

Be Accurate

Our entire history is littered with stories of entire Jewish communities being ethnically cleansed and murdered by people who accused them of scheming, money-grubbing, subverting the good of their countries for their own purposes, and causing whatever ill happens to be plaguing a society. It is a long and awful history, and the grammar of these accusations is one that most Jews recognize instinctively.

It was that long, devastating history that Omar evoked in her tweet, perhaps unwittingly.

Of course, it's fair to criticize AIPAC. But Omar did not criticize AIPAC. She characterized it, in a way that is false, and that got the story of AIPAC's influence wrong in a way that played right into anti-Semitic tropes.

For starters, AIPAC's influence comes not from "Benjamins" or even from Jews, but from the American people, who are incredibly pro-Israel overall, especially on the right. What AIPAC leverages is not campaign contributions, which it does not make, but the already existing popularity of Israel among many politicians' constituents.

Compare Israel to the Gulf state lobby and you'll see how this works. As Evan Gottesman put it in Haaretz, "Spending on lobbying and PR efforts on behalf of several Arab governments well outpaced similar pro-Israel expenses last year. Yet you don't see American officials parading their support for Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates in front of voters."

They don't parade it because it's not popular. So while AIPAC does have a lot of support, it is hardly controlling U.S. politicians with money. It is rather offering them a pro-Israel credential.

If this bothers you, your problem is not really with AIPAC, but with the millions of (mostly non-Jewish) Americans who want to know their elected officials support Israel unconditionally.

The best proof for this is that as Democratic support for Israel has been on the wane, so has AIPAC's clout. The fact that all the Democratic presidential hopefuls save one – Amy Klobuchar – voted against legislation that would allow states to boycott Israel's boycotters shows that AIPAC is not all-powerful, and that its abilities are on the wane.

Of course, AIPAC spends money. It spent around $3.5 million on lobbying in 2018. But as Aiden Pink has pointed out in these pages, most of its power comes from citizen activists and donors. This comes down to individual Americans looking to AIPAC to know how best to work on behalf of something that personally matters to them — as is their constitutional right.

Not everyone has to be up on all the details of different Jewish organizations. But if you want to criticize a people who have been literally mass murdered on the basis of the ideas you may be invoking, you should be careful to stick to the facts.

When it comes to AIPAC, be familiar with their successes as well as their failures, like their failure to stop the Iran nuclear deal. Surely if they were invincible, they could have found some Benjamins to use to stop that deal?

Be Specific

We can argue about whether AIPAC should be allowed to take U.S. politicians to Israel business class. We can even argue about whether AIPAC should register as a foreign agent, though given that 92% of American Jews consider themselves "pro-Israel," this might be a hard case to make.

But if you want to avoid conjuring an anti-Semitic stereotype, even unwittingly, stick to the specifics.

If you're upset the U.S. gives Israel unconditional support despite anti-Democratic measures like the racist Nation State bill and the entrenchment of the Occupation of millions of Palestinians, and that the U.S. makes no demands that Israel stop oppressing the Palestinians in exchange for the billions of dollars in aid we supply it, you're not alone. Many Jews share this frustration. And as an American taxpayer, you are absolutely entitled to this non-anti-Semitic opinion.

So say that. Stick to actual things AIPAC does in your criticism. Talk about specific problems you have with Israel's conduct and the U.S.'s support of that conduct, and the people who lobby for this support. Be specific about the things you wish AIPAC, or the U.S. government didn't do.

Do not allow your criticism to balloon into the kinds of vague attacks that well-known anti-Semites use when discussing Jews.

Avoid Blaming Jews And Jewish Money For Things That Only Happen Because Christians Exist

As Pink notes, the pro-Israel group with the largest membership is Christians United for Israel.

In other words, don't talk about Israel buying off politicians. Just talk about the Israeli-Palestinian issue because its racist and blame the evil racist Christian whitey for doing that.

[yankeedoodle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLqN066uGQ4

[maz]

That Blackstone video is fantastic.

Rep. Ilhan Omar deletes the controversial tweets that drew charges of anti-Semitism

WASHINGTON – Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar seems to have deleted the tweets that drew accusations of anti-Semitism from both Republican and Democratic colleagues two weeks ago.

Critics from across the political spectrum denounced Omar's tweets for playing into old anti-Semitic tropes and conspiracies about Jewish people, money and political influence. Omar apologized unequivocally for the tweets in a statement the next day.

It was not immediately clear exactly when or why the tweets were taken down, but users on Twitter began to take notice on Sunday.

I still think it was a put up job to corral the normiecons.

[maz]

Following yet another reportedly "anti-semitic" remark by Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, one of two Muslim women elected to Congress last fall, Democrats in the House are reportedly planning a resolution to officially condemn anti-semitism (which these days seems to be any form of Israel bashing), and could vote on the measure as soon as Wednesday, according to Bloomberg.

The resolution was written over the weekend in a collaboration between staffers from the offices of Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer Eliot Engel and Jerry Nadler, though one aid said the text hadn't been finalized, and another aid no final decisions about the measure had been made.

Omar was first accused of using an anti-semitic trope in a now-deleted tweet about pro-Israel money in US politics. During the fallout from that tweet, Omar was widely condemned by Republicans and Democrats, and President Trump even demanded that she resign. In a second incident, Omar tweeted on Sunday about needing to "pledge allegiance" to Israel to serve in Congress.

While her tweets have drawn widespread condemnation from most of the American political establishment, the anti-Israel faction of the American left has embraced her, arguing that her tweets weren't anti-semitic and that she was simply criticizing the foreign policy of Netanyahu-led Israel, as well as the two-party consensus of unquestioning support for Israel.

As staffers finish work on the resolution, there has been intense debate about whether to specifically castigate Omar. Earlier this year, the House passed a similar resolution condemning "white nationalism" following controversial remarks by Iowa Republican Steve King.

They are just using this Omar women's obvious observations to whip up some fake outrage while they continue to draw up plans to shut everyone down on Israel.

If they really cared about her words or tweets on the internet they would just force her out of Congress. If they don't try to get her involved in some kind of stunt like they did McKinney, then you know that she's not legit and is just an actor playing along with the establishment.

[yankeedoodle]

They are just using this Omar women's obvious observations to whip up some fake outrage while they continue to draw up plans to shut everyone down on Israel.

Super-accurate, Maz.  Everybody whipped up in a frenzy, ready to attack "anti-semites" if and when there is an "event."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0t2tMVpiK0&t=3s

[yankeedoodle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIAQQkQVk9M&bpctr=1552766046

Surrealism In Omar's Antisemitism

Salvador Dali couldn't have drawn a more "surreal" painting than this.

For with a montage of faces, accusations, inflated exaggerations, and even spontaneous blessings over Ilhan Omar's 'anti-Semitic' tropes, a bizarre exhibition takes shape.

It opens with—who could've predicted this?—a tweet feud between a Somalian and a Jewess.

[Clip: "Congresswoman Ilhan Omar sparking bi-partisan backlash again for anti-Semitic comments. This time, igniting a Twitter feud over the weekend with a fellow Democrat from New York, Nita Lowey, after suggesting US politicians were being forced to quote 'pledge allegiance to Israel,' unquote. Congresswoman Lowey fired back Sunday tweeting, "I believe we can debate important policy without using offensive, painful stereotypes."]

No 'types' here since Omar never cited Jews, Jewish, or Judaism, but rather named AIPAC as the 'all-about-the-Benjamins' gifters in slanting foreign policy toward Israel.

It's a mixed up matzah ball soup with a Jewish lawyer, a compromised president, and a Jewish rabbi slurping the soup.

[Clip: "Uhm, what's going on here?" "Well, she is very anti-American. Put aside the anti-Israel. She's so anti-American. She accuses American members of Congress, men, women, Jewish, Christian, uhm, she accuses them essentially of doing it for the money."]

Calling out political bribery sounds very American to me.

[Clip: "One other thing I might want to say is that anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress. And Congressman Omar is terrible what she said. And I think she should either resign from Congress or she should certainly resign from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. What she said is so deep seated in her heart."]

What you say? What she say? "It's all about the Benjamins."

You said so yourself.

[Clip: "You're not going to support me even though you know I'm the best thing that could ever happen to Israel and I'll be that. And I know why you're not going to support me. And you know, you're not going to support me because I don't want your money. You don't want to give me money, okay, but that's okay. You want to control your own politician, that's fine, good. But I will tell you, think about that folks, don't worry about it, I understand. Hey! Five months ago I was with you. Who was better than me? Who was better than me? I gave $350,000 dollars to the Republican Governors Association, I never even got a letter of thank you!']

Neither did Omar for prying open the campaign coffins of politically targeted money.

Why don't you freeze Omar's assets, Mister Trump?

Then have Bolton sanction everyone who voted for her. Who's better at this than you and him? It's sooooo American!

[Clip: "Yeshiva World!" "We feel obligated to do this because we are Jews and she's being attacked as being anti-Semitic. Or making anti-Semitic statements. We are terribly pained by this, and we feel as Jews that we have to clear her name and to come up and show our support and sympathy and solidarity with her and offer the blessings of the Jewish community who are true to their religion, Judaism."]

Well, even Jewish Jacob Tapper 'blesses' Omar too, if only to strike a blow at Trump.

[Clip: "An Amen came from Vice President Pence who tweeted 'to those who engage in anti-Semitic tropes should not just be denounced, they should face consequences for their words.' "Congresswoman Omar specifically suggested that financial donations from American Jews are what fuels support for Israel. She tweeted 'it's all about the Benjamins baby.' "And when asked to whom she was referring, she tweeted 'AIPAC,' the pro-Israel lobbying organization. Because there is nothing that this White House finds more offensive than a politician feeding into stereotypes about Jews and Jewish money and controlling politicians which is what Congresswoman Omar is accused of having done."
'Is there anybody that doesn't renegotiate deals in this room? This room negotiates up. I want to renegotiate — this room, perhaps more than any room I've ever spoken to. Maybe more. It's OK. You know, I've been called on that a couple of times too. You don't want to give me money, OK, but that's OK. You want to control your own politician, that's fine.' "I'm sorry. That was the wrong clip. That was then-candidate Trump in front of the Republican Jewish Coalition suggesting that haggling Jews like to control their politicians with their money. We wanted the clip of Congresswoman Omar. Control room, I want the Omar clip. Give us the Omar clip."]

Got it Jake, try this.

[Clip: "One of our colleagues invokes the classic anti-Semitic tropes, the anti-Semitic language, that Jews control the world, Jews care only about money, Jews cannot be loyal Americans if they also support Israel. This too must be condemned."]

Oops, wrong clip.

That's Jewish Congressman Ted Deutch putting words in Omar's mouth she never said.

If she did who could accuse her of touting old wives' tales of stereotypes and tropes?

Even I don't have to say a thing. Let them hang themselves by their own ropes.

It's all so surreal, with a cast of characters plunging deep within the American psyche that rises from the subconscious into a display that only Salvador Dali could've portrayed.

But the heck with it. The House finally passed their Resolution.

It's not against Anti-Semitism but against "Hate" that protects Gays, Hindus, Mexicans, Muslims, LGBTQs, and...yes, Jews!

Were you left out? Almost every folk and trope is sheltered and roofed.

Don't worry, it's okay to be white. I was once a teenage werewolf too.

[yankeedoodle]

Wonder what "passport" he's talking about.  Is it that passport to Israhell that cause the "dual loyalty" charge?

"We felt we had a home there," said Mark Schwartz, the Democratic deputy mayor of solidly blue Teaneck, NJ. "And now we feel like we have to check our passports."   

Jewish voters are furious at Dems' defense of Ilhan Omar
https://nypost.com/2019/03/16/jewish-voters-are-furious-at-dems-defense-of-ilhan-omar/

Jewish voters furious at Democrats' defense of Rep. Ilhan Omar say they're done with the party that has held their support for generations.

"We felt we had a home there," said Mark Schwartz, the Democratic deputy mayor of solidly blue Teaneck, NJ. "And now we feel like we have to check our passports."

Jordan Manor of Manhattan, who calls himself a "gay Jewish Israeli-American," laments, "The party I thought cared about me seems to disregard me when it comes to my Jewish identity."

Mark Dunec, a consultant in Livingston, NJ who ran for Congress as a Democrat in 2014, says, "I'm physically afraid for myself and for my family," adding, "I see my own party contributing to the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States."

Omar, a freshman congresswoman from Minnesota, sparked the firestorm in February for using anti-Jewish tropes: saying that support for Israel was "all about the Benjamins" and accusing Jewish-American legislators of "dual loyalty."

Many, including some fellow Democrats, deemed her comments anti-Semitic — but the party's lefty activists pushed back.

"No one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities," complained Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a March 5 tweet.

Omar issued only a partial apology.

In response, the House passed a resolution condemning all "hateful expressions of intolerance" with kitchen-sink language that named nearly a dozen different groups.

"I feel confident that [Omar's] words were not based on any anti-Semitic attitude," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Many Jewish Dems in the city aren't buying it.

"The fake defense she doesn't know what she's saying? I don't believe it," said Sara, a Queens teacher who asked not to be fully identified. "This is a grown woman and a member of Congress. Trying to excuse this as naivete is inexcusable."

For her and others, anger is sparking immediate action.

Rep. Ilhan Omar slammed yet again for 'anti-Semitic' tweets
"The watered-down resolution triggered my decision to walk away from the Democratic Party," said Allison Gangi of Manhattan.

"I never dreamed anti-Semitism would have become mainstream on the left, but it has."

Sara said she is "not comfortable anymore being a Democrat" and will register as an independent.

Among his Teaneck neighbors, Schwartz said, "Our only question now is, do we start voting Republican, or do we become Republicans?"

Others say they feel like the wandering Jew of legend.

"I'm homeless. I don't think I can vote for Trump, even though he's great for Israel," said Jason, a start-up owner from Long Island who asked that his surname not be used. "But as a Jew, I can't see a way to support the Democratic Party. It's supporting your own destruction."

Last week, President Trump issued two tweets boosting "Jexodus," a new advocacy group — advised by a prominent GOP strategist — that encourages moderate and conservative Jews to find a new political home. More than 4,000 people have signed on, organizers said.

"Since launching this, the anti-Semitism we are seeing is so blatant and obvious it's terrifying," said Elizabeth Pipko, the group's spokeswoman and a volunteer on Trump's 2016 campaign.

The organization's Instagram and Facebook pages are regularly targeted with hateful messages, she said.

"I leave them up, because people have got to see it," Pipko said.

[yankeedoodle]

Little Ilhan has got these fucking kikes going crazy. 

Brooklyn lawmaker blasts Rep. Omar, says 'Palestine does not exist'
https://nypost.com/2019/03/27/brooklyn-lawmaker-blasts-rep-omar-says-palestine-does-not-exist/

A Brooklyn lawmaker set off a social media storm Wednesday by denying the existence of Palestine and accusing Rep. Ilhan Omar of being an anti-Semite.

"Palestine does not exist," tweeted Councilman Kalman Yeger, who represents Midwood and other neighborhoods with large Jewish populations.

"There, I said it again. Also, Congresswoman Omar is an anti-Semite. Said that, too. Thanks for following me."

The tweet was a direct response to a post by Zainab Iqbal, a writer for the blog Bklyner, who had posted a story she wrote in March 2018 citing Yeger's previous anti-Palestine remarks.

The councilman's comments drew 1,900 responses, — including from colleagues in the council.

"I denounce Council Member Yeger's comments as they are unhelpful and unwelcome," Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted.

"Comments like these do nothing to foster a peaceful solution, which is something we should all be working towards."

"I love you, brother, but this isn't helpful," agreed Councilman Justin Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge and other sections of southern Brooklyn.

"As u know, I proudly represent one of the largest Palestinian communities in the country... Please don't tell my constituents their homeland doesn't exist."

Omar, a Minnesota freshman, issued a public apology after causing a furor in February by saying the relationship between the US and Israel is "all about the Benjamins."