Ocasio-Cortez Defends Rep. Omar: Why Was There No Resolution Against Rep. Meadows’ Racist Comments?
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) slammed critics of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), arguing it is unfair that they are calling Omar anti-Semitic without attributing equal labels to controversial comments made by other House members such as Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC). Furthermore, she said, the strong condemnation of anti-Semitism is not being matched by the condemnation of statements about Hispanics and other minority groups.
In a long thread on Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez slammed controversial statements coming out of the Republican party as well as those who overlook them while criticizing Omar.
“One of the things that is hurtful about the extent to which reprimand is sought of Ilhan is that no one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities (during the shutdown, a GOP member yelled ‘Go back to Puerto Rico!’ on the floor),” the young congresswoman tweeted.
One of the things that is hurtful about the extent to which reprimand is sought of Ilhan is that no one seeks this level of reprimand when members make statements about Latinx + other communities (during the shutdown, a GOP member yelled “Go back to Puerto Rico!” on the floor). https://t.co/MwrRN4v4DG
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019
In this administration + all others, we should actively check antisemitism, anti-blackness, homophobia, racism, and all other forms of bigotry.
And the most productive end goal when we see it is to educate and heal.
It’s the difference btwn “calling in” before “calling out.”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019
I often think about how I work with white or male allies when they say something insensitive.
The 1st thing I do is pull them aside + say “hey, you may not be aware of X thing regarding Latinx people, but here is the history and it’s hurtful. If you want to learn more, read Y.”
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019
And don’t even get me started on misogyny.
If we called resolutions on sexist statements, a good chunk of Congress would be gone.
To jump to the nuclear option every time leaves no room for corrective action.
So I ask *everyone* that we practice calling in before calling out.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 5, 2019
“…incidents like these do beg the question: where are the resolutions against homophobic statements? For anti-blackness? For xenophobia? For a member saying he’ll ‘send Obama home to Kenya’?” she tweeted, referring to a 2012 campaign rally where Meadows told voters his administration will “send Mr. Obama home to Kenya or wherever it is. We’re gonna do it.”
Ocasio-Cortez then retweeted Georgetown Professor Don Moynihan, who asked why Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is not being “held to the same standard,” and tweeted a series of advice on how and when to call out other people’s controversial comments. She especially urged her followers to “actively check” the “bigotry” that comes out of the current administration.
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