It’s not unusual for Congress members to get into shouting matches on the House floor. What makes Tuesday’s outburst on the House floor by a Florida Republican so noteworthy is that Omar is an outspoken Muslim who just found herself at the center of an intense feud that began over statements she made that many people who are offended by. Here’s what Omar said:
“It has been brought to my attention that my remarks on the House floor today, as stated, have hurt members of the Jewish community. I retract those remarks and recognize the pain that they have caused to my constituents and their Jewish friends. My intention is never to hurt anyone.
“The jewish community has been and continues to be one of my greatest allies and I hope one day to be able to offer a sincere apology to them. Until then, I am here to say that we need to stop victimizing Muslims and other marginalized communities. Islamophobia pervades our culture, politics and even policy decisions. Islamophobic violence and hate speech has increased since Trump’s election.”
GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin started the verbal fray by shouting at Omar, “anti-semitism is real” and prompting a response from Democrats that quickly escalated. But while she did condemn anti-Semitism, she also said hate speech is also a problem and should be treated as such.
Omar’s statements and reactions to them have been met with a sharp rebuke from Republicans and Republicans in the Jewish community.
Which do you think is more problematic: her statements or her response? If Omar resigns from Congress, whose job would she hold?
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