Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, stirred controversy again with an anti-Semitic tirade last week, declaring to a packed audience, “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK to push for allegiance to a foreign country [Israel].”
According to the Media Research Center, “CBS This Morning” devoted 30 seconds of air time to Omar’s comments Monday—while the other two broadcast networks didn’t cover it at all.
Many in the media have downplayed this incident. ABC News even called it a, quote, “family feud.”
And others in the media seem to be making excuses for the representative.
Liberal economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman actually argued that he’s not worried about anti-Semitism when it comes from the left, and insinuated that only right-wing anti-Semitism is bad.
He wrote in a Tweet: “There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes (unless you’re Donald Trump), and persistence of anti-Semitism. But only one brand of antisemitism scares me – and it’s not on the left.”
There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes (unless you’re Donald Trump), and persistence of anti-Semitism. But only one brand of antisemitism scares me – and it’s not on the left pic.twitter.com/bvWmFfM945
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 6, 2019
Amazingly, bigotry is now excused as long as you are on one side of the political spectrum.
While the dismaying surge of anti-Semitism in Congress is a worrying sign, it does not represent the American people in general.
As a whole, America has been a shining city upon a hill for Jews, a place where all may live according to the dictates of their conscience under just and equal laws.
In 1790, George Washington set the tone for his new country when he wrote to a Jewish congregation in Newport, Rhode Island.
Washington wrote, quote: “May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants—while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
The words of Washington should stand as a rebuke to those maligning Jews, who have contributed greatly to the history of this country and our success today.
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