Politico The text of a House resolution which has been described as a "rebuke" of Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar
The House of Representatives is expected to vote on Wednesday, on a resolution that’s being described as a “rebuke” of Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar. You can read the full text of that resolution here.
The four page resolution does not name Ilhan Omar and it does not refer to her recent statements about Israel. Instead, the resolution talks about the nature of anti-semitism, which it defines here:
“the definition [of anti-Semitism] includes ‘‘a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews’’,
including blaming Jews when things go wrong, calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or extremist view of religion, or making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews; Whereas Jewish people are subject to numerous other dangerous anti-Semitic myths as well, including that Jews
control the banks, media, and the United States Government or seek world domination and that Jews are obsessed with money…”
The resolution also doesn’t ask for any specific action to be taken against Representative Ilhan Omar. Instead, the resolution just “acknowledges the dangerous consequences of perpetuating anti-Semitic stereotypes” and “rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the value that define the people of the United States.”
The Resolution Talks About the ‘Myth of Dual Loyalty’
GettyIlhan Omar and her family at her swearing-in
Ilhan Omar has been widely criticized for recent remarks in which she seemed to talk about Jewish Americans demanding “allegiance” to Israel. At an event in Washington, DC last month Omar discussed the power of lobbyists and of AIPAC in particular. She said that she’s been accused of anti-Semitism and wondered out loud why it is acceptable for Democrats to criticize the NRA, but not to criticize AIPAC. In a widely-criticized statement, Omar said:
“I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.”
Many have criticized Omar for talking about “double alleigance” and “dual loyalty,” which is sometimes seen as a coded way to express anti-Semitism. A spokesman for AIPAC told the New York Times, “the charge of dual loyalty not only raises the ominous specter of classic anti-Semitism, but it is also deeply insulting to the millions upon millions of patriotic Americans, Jewish and non-Jewish, who stand by our democratic ally, Israel.”
The House resolution points out that part of the definition of anti-Semitism includes “accusations of dual loyalty.” The resolution says that such accusations “generally have an insidious, bigoted history.”
Here’s what the resolution says about dual loyalty (again, the resolution doesn’t have any concrete consequences and does not ention Omar by name):
“Whereas the definition [of anti-Semitism] further includes ‘‘accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations’’;
Whereas the myth of dual loyalty, including allegations that Jews should be suspected of being disloyal neighbors or citizens, has been used to marginalize and persecute the Jewish people for centuries for being a stateless minority; Whereas accusing Jews of dual loyalty because they support Israel, whether out of a religious connection, a commitment to Jewish self-determination after millennia of persecution, or an appreciation for shared values and interests, suggests that Jews cannot be patriotic Americans and trusted neighbors, when Jews have served our Nation since its founding, whether in public life or military service…”
The resolution then goes on to list examples of anti-Semitism in the US and around the world. Finally, the resolution resolves to denounce anti-Semitism as dangerous and hateful.