Ohio Congressmen and ministers agree: no room for anti-Semitism in Congress

NORTH CENTRAL OHIO – Just three months in office, freshmen Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Min) is finding herself in hot water after suggesting that Israel’s supporters are pushing U.S. lawmakers to take a pledge of “allegiance to a foreign country.”

A petition is demanding Omar be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee after she tweeted that Israel’s allies in American politics were motivated by money rather than principle. This came off the heels of an interview defending her statement that “Israel has hypnotized the world, ” and a Yahoo! News interview where Omar said she “chuckles when people label Israel a democracy.”

Both congressional and faith leaders in North Central Ohio are not happy with the embattled Rep.’s anti-Semitic overtones. In a formal statement to Frontlines Ohio, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) of the 7th District stated “Israel is one of our most important allies and a beacon of freedom in a troubled part of the world.  If these are the views she holds towards our ally and the Americans who support Israel, Rep. Omar has no business being on the Foreign Affairs Committee.”

Congressman Troy Balderson, (R-OH) of the 12th District echoed the same sentiments, “Bigotry of any kind has no place in our country. I condemn Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s anti-Semitic remarks, just as I condemned Congressman Steve King’s white nationalist views.”

Local clergy did not hold back their criticism of Rep. Omar’s comments. “Rep. Omar’s rhetoric could incite violence against Jewish people in the United States,” says Reverend Jerry O’Brien of Faith Harvest Fellowship in Wayne County.

Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States

An Anti-Defamation League report states that there was a dramatic increase of attacks on Jewish people in 2017 compared to 2016. Several months ago the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in recent U.S. history occurred at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue. O’Brien along with several other clergy support the removal of Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Either she apologizes for her inflammatory comments or resign,” says Reverend J.C. Church of Victory in Truth Ministries in Crawford County. Simply put, there is no room for hate, racism, and divisive remarks such as these; they certainly do not reflect the heart of this nation.”

Reverend El Akuchie of Godsfield House of Prayer in Richland County agrees and notes the profound difference between Ilhan Omar’s Minneapolis-St. Paul congressional district and the congressional districts of North Central Ohio. “Clergy throughout North Central Ohio have shown staunch support for the Nation of Israel, sending an apology letter to the Israeli Prime Minister, lobbying the County Treasurer towards the investment of Israeli bonds, publicly supporting the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem, and by hosting the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset last fall.”

“When coming to America to seek asylum as a refugee from her native war-torn Somalia, one would think Ms. Omar would have a sense of gratitude,” says Akuchie.

“Judeo-Christian values did not cause Rep. Omar to leave her country under duress, those values are what brought her here. I came from Nigeria to the United States and have seen firsthand the peace, prosperity, and stability that Jews and Christians living together in harmony has brought.”

National security analysts have expressed concern over Omar who in 2016 asked a judge for leniency for nine Minnesota men charged with planning to join ISIS. According to FBI statistics, Omar’s district is the “terrorist recruitment capital of the U.S.” The Twin-Cities have the largest Somali population in the nation.

Reverend John Bouquet of Bethel Baptist in Ashland County takes an unconventional approach on Rep. Omar. “I do not believe the main issue is Omar’s anti-Semitic remarks, I believe the bigger issue is bad immigration policy. A large influx of Somali refugees have moved into Omar”s congressional district, so naturally they voted for a an Arab candidate who matches their worldview. Truth be told, the case could be made that she is also anti-American and does not respect the U.S. Constitution.

“This is a perfect example of what happens if we do not change our immigration policies and teach the Constitution in our public school classrooms: there are going to be more cities like Minneapolis sprawling across this country if our elected leaders do not secure our sovereign borders.