Despite how hyperbolic this may sound, Ilhan Omar’s election to congress in late 2018 was a momentous event in history. Never before had a black Muslim woman served in office in the US, and it seemed as though it could be the start of a new wave.
When Omar was sworn in at the beginning of this year, it must have ignited a sense of hope across many marginalised communities, as though their voices could finally be heard and elevated. And America’s claim that it is a nation of free speech and democracy rang true. However, this all changed in a short space of time and Ilhan Omar now faces what can only be described as a ‘witch hunt’.
There have been a string of controversies surrounding Omar, the most recent of which being the negative comments she has made against Israel which have been perceived by some as being anti-Semitic. If we look at Omar’s words carefully we can see that her comments were not against the Jewish religion but rather the political state of Israel and its actions. There are plenty of politicians globally, and indeed within America (including Bernie Sanders) who have voiced their similar concerns over Israel’s domestic policies, but it appears news outlets are claiming that Omar is driven by religious ideologies rather than political ones and her hijab is a target.
Over the weekend, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro suggested that Omar’s hijab was against the constitution. Pirro referred to the Quran and suggested that Ilhan was guided more by her religion that her allegiance to the United States. This was all frankly bemusing and, ironically, itself in direct contradiction of the US constitution, which states: ’Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion’. If the constitution is secular, then how is Omar’s hijab in breach of it?
Again, there are plenty of politicians who practice their respective religions without facing such comments. Omar wasn’t the only Muslim woman elected to congress, Rashida Tlaib was also elected last November. However, Tlaib does not wear the hijab and is not black. So, what is the issue here? Is the problem that Omar is Muslim? Or a woman who freely chooses to display her religion? Or, worse yet, black? It strikes me as though it is a combination of all of the above.
As a black, Muslim Somali woman myself I can identify quite strongly with Ilhan Omar. Many of us are familiar with the ‘difficult black woman’ narrative, and this is one image that Omar stirs up with her decision to remain visible. Her refusal to accept social and political pressure, her foreign and domestic policies in addition to her race, gender and religion have meant that she has been easily ‘othered’ and to some extent ostracised by the press.
Omar’s domestic policy platform roots for the American people. She supports means-tested free tuition for college students, ‘Medicare for all’ and the minimum wage. She has been repeatedly critical of Trump’s budget, and her tweets read like an infomercial for the ‘American Dream’. But these policies are being shrouded by her race, gender and religion, as she instead she spends a considerable amount of time defending herself against the vicious news cycles surrounding her, rather than performing her political duty.
I have little doubt that Ilhan Omar is a very important figure to many displaced communities across the globe. Of course wouldn’t be right to advocate for the media to show her ‘positive’ bias, but it’s important that she is treated as fairly as her contemporaries in the press.
We need less focus on her exterior, less twisting of her words, and more healthy debate. If we want to protect free speech and promote a more diverse political landscape, then this witch-hunt has to stop.