Last week, Rep. Ilhan Omar awkwardly but factually spoke publicly about Muslims in the United States being recipients of racial targeting after 9/11. Data backs that up: in 2001 there were 481 hate crimes towards Muslims. From 2002 to 2014 there was a minimum of 105 hate crimes towards Muslims every year (FBI, 2014).

Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw used Twitter to attack her, implying Omar has a lack of awareness about the severity of the 9/11 attacks. “First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as ‘some people who did something’. Unbelievable.”

Let me tell you who the outraged representative has stood up for with his votes: no one.

On Jan. 10, Rep. Crenshaw voted against H.R. 266, an act appropriating additional funds to environmental research, more importantly providing additional loans to farmers who are being negatively impacted by the China-Trump trade feud. March 27: Crenshaw voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would make it a crime to not pay men and women equally for equal work. April 4: Crenshaw voted against reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act; on the same day, the veteran voted against U.S. troop withdrawal from Yemen. Crenshaw has voted “nay” on all proposed funding measures and workplace protections that have come to the House floor (OpenVotes, 2019).

Crenshaw declined to be a co sponsor for the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. He has no interest in genuinely helping people, only in scoring political capital through fear mongering.

Have no doubt: 9/11 was a heinous act by terrorists who wish to divide us with fear. However, Crenshaw is buying into that. He’s knowingly using his public platform to baselessly imply Omar, a Muslim woman, has no regard for the 9/11 attacks.

 

Noah Robidoux

South Portland

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