Fox News host Tucker Carlson argued during his Tuesday airing that Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (Rep. for Minnesota's 5th congressional district) is a representation of what he said was “dangerous” immigration to the United States.
“Ilhan Omar is living proof that the way we practice immigration has become dangerous to this country. A system designed to strengthen America is instead undermining it”, said Carlson, proceeding to lament that his native countrymen lack the self-confidence to “make them [immigrants] assimilate, so they never feel fully American”.
“Some of the very people we try hardest to help have come to hate us passionately”, he went on.
The remarks prompted the Somalia-born lawmaker to strike back:
“Not gonna lie, it’s kinda fun watching a racist fool like this weeping about my presence in Congress”, she tweeted, moving on to patriotic rhetoric:
“No lies will stamp out my love for this country or my resolve to make our union more perfect”.
“They will just have to get used to calling me Congresswoman!” she rounded off.
However, her patriotism was questioned online, with one remarking that she has so far only been slamming her adopted homeland:
Bad example Joe. She has spent her entire time in congress bashing America. Zero gratitude. We do need to accept more refugees. They need to be settled in poor rural communities and places like Nantucket. It’s only fair.
— Tracey Altiero (@altierotracey) 10 июля 2019 г.
A number of likeminded netizens went as far as calling for the politician, “who married her
Doesn’t anyone know what the definition of racist or racism is?
— Don Riedel (@DonRiedel) 10 июля 2019 г.
The term is now strictly pejorative w/little to none of its original meaning.
Wanna hatefully call someone an ass? Call him a racist.
Wanna viciously belittle someone? Accuse him of racism.
A legal insult on Twitter.
own brother to steal citizenship”, to travel back to Somalia:
She married her own brother to steal citizenship. She can go back to the Somalia if it’s so bad here.
— Wanda Woman (@alphaMOMster) 10 июля 2019 г.
The "racist" card is what Omar flings out on the table when she doesn't have the intelligence to hold a meaningful conversation. What a loser she is, how horrible she's in our Country, Wish she'd just go back to where she came from.
— Kristy LeClair (@Missabe_2884) 10 июля 2019 г.
Another butted in by noting that there is now little understanding, if any at all, about the actual meaning of the word “racist”, which is typically used as a slur:
Doesn’t anyone know what the definition of racist or racism is?
— Don Riedel (@DonRiedel) 10 июля 2019 г.
The term is now strictly pejorative w/little to none of its original meaning.
Wanna hatefully call someone an ass? Call him a racist.
Wanna viciously belittle someone? Accuse him of racism.
A legal insult on Twitter.
Another took a dig at the “crazy, looney and expensive” agenda of Omar and “these people who have no place in Congress”, arguing that the US as it is cannot afford them now:
Tucker needs to keep after these people who've no place in Congress. They are going to destroy the country soon with their crazy, looney and expensive plans. Our country cannot afford her plans.
— fred owen johnson (@jedtfronson) 10 июля 2019 г.
Another netizen seemed hardly impressed, suggesting that the race card is often played by Democrats:
Tucker isn't a racist! He lives America and he is an American . He holds the American Values true ..She does not represent our values. She speaks ill of the united states has nothing to do with race..
— NeverGivingUp (@PatriotGirl71) 10 июля 2019 г.
However, one struck back at the host, arguing he is merely pulling “a victim card”:
When one has no factual retort, pull out the handy dandy: pic.twitter.com/rVnNV04dup
— William Gaines (@WilliamFGaines) 10 июля 2019 г.
…while some openly applauded Omar’s intention to bring positive change to America:
You're being too kind. He's a total ignoramous who says stupid things on Faux and gets paid for it. Omar makes you look like an ass Tucker!
— Progressives (@theRealCSPP) 10 июля 2019 г.
He has a show because he is a reflection of a subset of the population who are intellectually devoid but believe they would be further ahead if it weren’t for black/brown people. These people ignore their privilege & the decades of systemic racism minorities overcome to achieve.
— Light is a disinfectant! (@cyncynj) 10 июля 2019 г.
she's right and she should say it
— Madi (@pos_radiance) 10 июля 2019 г.
Omar, who was sworn in to her post as Rep. in January, became the first Somali-American legislator and one of the first Muslim women, along with Rashida Tlaib, to ever serve in the US Congress.
Omar regularly cites her own background as a refugee who escaped a warzone when she defends the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
The congresswoman has previously been embroiled in anti-Semitism controversies surrounding statements that she made, but in June, Omar raised eyebrows as she joined the newly-created bipartisan Black-Jewish congressional caucus. The latter has also been picked up on Twitter by some attentive users:
The antisemite calls someone racist.
— Jay (@CarltonBJohnson) 10 июля 2019 г.
