(C) Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press
After a disastrous week for Donald Trump, the Right Wing Media Machine is doing everything it can to insulate the president from the damage caused by the Cohen hearings, the sentencing of Paul Manafort and the failed "summit" with North Korea. How? By deflecting the president's damage by hyping the claim that there is a division within the Democratic Party over Anti-Semitism and Illan Omar's insensitive comment about Jews. Any look at history will reflect the dangerous and hateful use of the "Dual Allegiance" canard against (American) Jews.
Lost in the media is the fact that not only did Omar apologize for her insensitive remarks, she also voted in favor of the House Resolution calling for the end of hate against everyone, no matter their religion. (See: www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/72/text). Who could vote against such a positive measure? 23 Republicans of course! See, they want to claim that because the measure did not single out Jews for protection against hate, the measure was a sell-out to Muslims. What? Moreover, the Right Wing Media Machine not only will not let go of Omar's comments and the Resolution being "unfair to Jews," some Right Wing Media "personalities" have railed against Omar just for being a Muslim. What? As an aside, please note the Constitution in Article VI specifically states that one's religion does NOT bar them from being elected to Congress (or the presidency). (See: www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlevi ,
thehill.com/homenews/media/433446-fox-news-condemns-pirros-remarks-about-omar).
Ironically, I'm willing to bet most Jews themselves have no problem with the Resolution. But you wouldn't guess that, based upon the coverage Fox News has given to this "controversy." Ironically, this House measure got a lot more attention this past week than the alleged "National Emergency" (not) occurring on our Southern Border. Go figure?!
Yet, what does Trump do? What he always does. He lies! He panders not to Jews, but to the outraged Evangelicals "defending Jews" by publicly repeating a claim that the Democrats' Resolution condemning hate is really a vote against Jews. And, such action really proves Democrats "are the Anti-Israel and Anti-Jewish Party!!" (See:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/08/donald-trump-rips-democrats-passing-anti-hate-resolution/3102528002/). Ironic the president sees a political opening to attack Democrats for being insensitive to Jews when they actually passed an aspirational resolution calling for the safeguarding of freedom and liberty for all Americans (including Jews).
So we have elected officials opposed to an Anti-Hate Resolution because it included freedom for Muslims? This may fly with those Trump identified as "very fine people". Those who voice and practice overt racism and Anti-Semites on the Far Right, but Racism and Islamophobia as a Trump platform is really designed to tear some more of the rich fabric that ties our great nation together. You see, Trump and the GOP must divide us in order to maintain their hold on power - and it appears, power is more important that any real patriotism. Which not only is sad, but should be enough for Americans to wake up and move towards replacing this administration in the upcoming 2020 elections. Since his election, Donald Trump and the GOP have shown their true colors. They care about power - which comes from money and they willingly opt to leave behind Americans that have neither - until they can con them for their votes and then be tossed aside until the next election cycle.
As President Lyndon B. Johnson once wrote;"The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men." We don't need more walls, we need equality, justice and integrity in our government! Have a great week!
Lost in the media is the fact that not only did Omar apologize for her insensitive remarks, she also voted in favor of the House Resolution calling for the end of hate against everyone, no matter their religion. (See: www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/72/text). Who could vote against such a positive measure? 23 Republicans of course! See, they want to claim that because the measure did not single out Jews for protection against hate, the measure was a sell-out to Muslims. What? Moreover, the Right Wing Media Machine not only will not let go of Omar's comments and the Resolution being "unfair to Jews," some Right Wing Media "personalities" have railed against Omar just for being a Muslim. What? As an aside, please note the Constitution in Article VI specifically states that one's religion does NOT bar them from being elected to Congress (or the presidency). (See: www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlevi ,
thehill.com/homenews/media/433446-fox-news-condemns-pirros-remarks-about-omar).
Ironically, I'm willing to bet most Jews themselves have no problem with the Resolution. But you wouldn't guess that, based upon the coverage Fox News has given to this "controversy." Ironically, this House measure got a lot more attention this past week than the alleged "National Emergency" (not) occurring on our Southern Border. Go figure?!
Yet, what does Trump do? What he always does. He lies! He panders not to Jews, but to the outraged Evangelicals "defending Jews" by publicly repeating a claim that the Democrats' Resolution condemning hate is really a vote against Jews. And, such action really proves Democrats "are the Anti-Israel and Anti-Jewish Party!!" (See:
www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/03/08/donald-trump-rips-democrats-passing-anti-hate-resolution/3102528002/). Ironic the president sees a political opening to attack Democrats for being insensitive to Jews when they actually passed an aspirational resolution calling for the safeguarding of freedom and liberty for all Americans (including Jews).
So we have elected officials opposed to an Anti-Hate Resolution because it included freedom for Muslims? This may fly with those Trump identified as "very fine people". Those who voice and practice overt racism and Anti-Semites on the Far Right, but Racism and Islamophobia as a Trump platform is really designed to tear some more of the rich fabric that ties our great nation together. You see, Trump and the GOP must divide us in order to maintain their hold on power - and it appears, power is more important that any real patriotism. Which not only is sad, but should be enough for Americans to wake up and move towards replacing this administration in the upcoming 2020 elections. Since his election, Donald Trump and the GOP have shown their true colors. They care about power - which comes from money and they willingly opt to leave behind Americans that have neither - until they can con them for their votes and then be tossed aside until the next election cycle.
As President Lyndon B. Johnson once wrote;"The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men." We don't need more walls, we need equality, justice and integrity in our government! Have a great week!
RSS Feed
