Speaking at a banquet for the Los Angeles chapter of Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Saturday, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar told Muslims in attendance to “raise hell” and challenge discrimination against Muslims at school, in the workplace, and in the healthcare system.
And conservatives were totally cool with this idea, not making any fuss whatsoever over Omar—whom they’ve constantly attacked with allegations of anti-Semitism since she took office two months ago—encouraging other Muslims to stand up for themselves in the face of hate!
Just kidding. They were not cool with this idea.
“No matter how much we have tried to be the best neighbor, people have always worked on finding a way to not allow for every single civil liberty to be extended to us,” Omar said at the banquet. “So to me I say, raise hell, make people uncomfortable. Because here’s the truth: far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second class citizen, and frankly I’m tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it.”
Omar’s comments came just over a week after a self-described white nationalist killed 50 people and injured 50 more at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and one day before a mosque in Escondido, CA, was briefly lit on fire in a suspected arson attempt. A letter left at the scene of the arson even mentioned the New Zealand attacks.
Alas, no amount of visceral hatred toward a group of people suffering at the hands of white terrorism could convince the protesters who picketed the banquet on Saturday, continuing to call Omar an anti-Semite for continuously calling attention to the financial influence of Israel upon U.S. politicians. Among them were failed alt-right grifters Laura Loomer and Jacob Wohl, who have been personally obsessed with Omar and appeared to be a part of the demonstrations around the hotel at which the banquet took place.
“There are very fascinating people outside who for so many years have spoken about an Islam that is oppressive, that lessens and isolates women,” Omar told the crowd. “And today they gather outside to protest a Muslim woman who is in Congress.”
Fox News, never missing an opportunity to rile up its viewership, live-streamed Omar’s entire speech on Facebook. And MAGA chuds on Twitter later shared the clip of Omar telling Muslims to “raise hell” against discrimination, dangerously implying that Omar’s call to action was anything more than an encouragement for advocacy against hate and violence.
But as Omar said, these idiots are going to stay mad no matter what. And in the face of hatred and discrimination when the rest of the world is apathetic at best, raising hell is the only option.