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Ilhan Omar on Principles & Values |
The images I had arrived at came mainly from the cowboy movies that we used to watch in Somalia. But I knew the scenes from Westerns--animals in the barnyard, people riding horses, cowboys shooting each other outside of the saloons--were not from present day America. The other source of information I had was from the orientation video, where the America presented to us--the America we watched go by in the pictures of immaculate suburbs, bountiful farms, and thriving malls--was perfect.
My twelve year old brain was freaking out, trying to reconcile the urban landscape before me in the video I had watched in orientation.
"Unity in Diversity," the coalition we eventually formed, met in the lounge area our principal had offered for our organizing. We had come up with what was essentially a training program around diverse leadership. I don't know that any of us thought ourselves as leaders at the time.
"My hijab?," I said sarcastically.
"No, it's that you walk in somehow like you're a man. A white man. Yes, a white man."
Constantly being underestimated has always been helpful to me. It was really hard for him to imagine that a ninety pound refugee hijabi could be confident enough to walk into a leadership role of a caucus whose most important incumbent she defeated. What did he expect? For me to walk around with an inferior complex? I didn't feel inferior to anyone in the State House. Having been elected by the people, I had just as much right as anyone else to be there.
Without any kind of social invitation or connections, time and time again she showed up in rooms filled with men and didn't have to do much to lead them to decide that she should be in charge. That she held office for eleven years, longer than any other British politician in the twentieth century, proves her level of confidence and intellect. It was her fearlessness and internal sense of equality, however, which made her able to pull off being a first.
As we continue to perfect our union, citizens, neighbors, co-workers, and family must keep expanding our circles of self interest to learn and re-learn the fundamental truth that we are all connected. The more invested we are in one another, the better the rest of us will be. This is the philosophy of interconnectedness that IO operate on as a legislator in a country where there is enough abundance to achieve all goals.
True to her word, Pelosi made sure she had no problem wearing her hijab for the swearing in. Then the new Congress voted to amend the rule to allow religious head coverings, a measure cosponsored by Pelosi, [Massachusetts Representative Jim] McGovern, and Omar.
Omar "unequivocally" apologized. "Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. At the same time, I reaffirm the problematic role of lobbyists in our politics, [including] AIPAC."
Nadler, a prominent Jewish lawmaker and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee: "It is deeply disappointing and disturbing to hear Representative Ilhan Omar's choice of words in her exchange with a journalist yesterday, wherein she appears to traffic in old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money. Her words are deeply hurtful and offensive, particularly as they build on a previous comment she made about Jews 'hypnotizing' the world in support of Israel."
Endorsements by Bernie Sanders' group, "Our Revolution," implying support of a progressive agenda and "organizing to win." OR's self-description: "Bernie Sanders launched Our Revolution--America's leading grassroots-funded progressive political organizing group--to empower everyday Americans to stand up to the corporate interests that seek to manipulate our government for personal gain."
Explanation of 1/6/21 Electoral Certification, by Emily Brooks, Washington Examiner:Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar led an objection to counting Electoral College votes from the state of Arizona, the first formal objection to state results in a series of moves that will delay the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election over President Trump. Cruz is advocating for an `emergency 10-day audit` of election returns in disputed states. The usually ceremonial joint session of Congress that convenes to count and accept Electoral College votes will be put on hold as the House and Senate separately debate the objection.
Bill summary:The select committee must (1) conduct an investigation of the relevant facts and circumstances relating to the attack on the Capitol; (2) identify, review, and evaluate the causes of and the lessons learned from this attack; and (3) submit a report containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations to prevent future acts of violence, domestic terrorism, and domestic violent extremism, and to improve the security of the U.S. Capitol Complex and other American democratic institutions.
CBS News summary, by Grace Segers on June 30, 2021:H.R. 3233 would have created a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the root causes of the breach of the U.S. Capitol, modeled after the 9/11 Commission.
On May 28, the House passed the bill by a vote of 222 to 190, including 35 Republican votes. It then failed in the Senate, where it received an insufficient number of Republican votes to advance.
In response, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on June 24 that the House would establish a select committee [appointed by House Democrats, instead of a bipartisan independent commission] to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection and general security issues related to the incident. Pelosi said its leadership and members would be announced later. The House passed the resolution to form the committee on June 29, 2021, by a vote of 222-190.
OnTheIssues note: The Senate voting record refers to the earlier rejected bill H.R. 3233, and the House voting record refers to the later bill H.Res.503. The later bill had no Senate vote (but the two House votes were almost identical).