Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.), one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, has faced constant threats of violence since her election in 2018. They include public threats from Republicans set to join her in the House in January — and absolutely no condemnation from congressmembers on the other side of the aisle, she tells the The New York Times Magazine.
In an interview with the Times, Omar discussed “hateful” attacks against her from Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, as well as the rise of Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican House candidate in a far-right Georgia district who held a gun next to a photo of Omar’s “Squad” in a campaign video. Greene’s video is just one of many “dangerous” people spouting “bizarre, ill-informed conspiracies” about Omar and other Democrats and “terrorizing so many of us,” Omar said.
But despite receiving “a few death threats that have been very publicized where people have been arrested and are incarcerated for it,” Omar said she has received no support or condemnation from Republicans. “I can’t remember a public statement or private comment of support,” she continued.
Despite being “discouraged” by this lack of unity “sometimes,” Omar said she “have hope” that “the lived reality of what exists in American cities and towns” isn’t the same as what’s online. Read more at The New York Times Magazine.
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