You can find any number of stories in the media today with titles like “Democratic leaders call on Omar to apologize for remarks” (CNN) and “Pelosi, Dem leaders urge Omar to apologize for ‘anti-Semitic’ tweet” (The Hill).
All contain fundamentally the same information. All, for example, quote a statement issued jointly by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders accusing Rep. Ilhan Omar of using “anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel’s supporters” and calling on her “to immediately [sic] apologize for these hurtful comments.”
This is an exercise in cynicism and dishonesty, driven by a nakedly political agenda. Omar’s blatant hatred of Jews and Israel, manifested most recently in her admission on CNN that she finds the debates sparked by her controversial views on Israel to be “exciting,” is generating headlines, which threaten to tarnish the Democratic brand. The party elders are therefore telling her to cool it, which is tantamount to telling a tiger to change its stripes.
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This is in no way a defense of Omar’s anti-Semitism, which is as indefensible and noxious as any other form of bigotry. It is rather to observe that by forcing her to deliver an apology — which she has done grudgingly and no doubt insincerely — is asking her to live a lie.
The media, in dutifully reporting the Democrat’s demand and acknowledging Omar’s “apology,” are perpetuating a fraud.
The only real solution to the problem of Omar is for her to resign. Unless Democrats are willing to demand that she step down, they will have a tough time persuading American voters going forward that they do not condone anti-Semitism.
