​​Omar Says Bigotry of Senator Kennedy 'Just the Tip of the Iceberg'

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing earlier this week on the rise in hate crimes since last October was historic for its inclusion of testimony on crimes against Palestinians, Muslims, and Arab Americans, said Rep. Ilhan Omar on Friday—but the event also served to illustrate how Islamophobia is still widely accepted—and practiced—among top government officials, including elected lawmakers.

The Minnesota Democrat responded to comments made by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) to witness Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, in which the lawmaker accused Berry of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and told her to "hide [her] head in a bag."

"It was telling that Kennedy along with his Republican colleagues could not avoid actively engaging in anti-Muslim hate speech during a hearing about the rise in hate crimes," said Omar in an op-ed published by The Guardian. "As unfair remarks were hurled at [Berry], the American people witnessed the very purpose of the hearing in plain view for all: The normalization of hate speech is alive and well."

Omar applauded Berry's "grace, sensitivity, and poise" as she spoke out against hate speech and violence against all groups in a departure from how bigotry has been approached by Congress since October, when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel.

The congresswoman noted that while "the rise of antisemitism has sparked many hearings in Congress... this was the first hearing since October 7 that addressed hate targeting Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian Americans. Fighting bigotry requires us to condemn it wherever we see it. For far too long, hate speech made against Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian Americans goes ignored."

Berry said at the hearing that "hate against any one group is inseparable from hate against all and hate prevention should be done collectively—in coalition and partnership with all communities affected by hate."

But the acceptance within Congress of hatred against Muslims and Arab Americans was made clear on Tuesday not just by Kennedy's remarks, but also those of Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Graham rejected the inclusion of bigotry other than antisemitism in his opening remarks, while Cruz said the Democratic Party has a "pro-Hamas wing," apparently referring to those who oppose the U.S.-backed Israeli military's assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 41,000 people—the majority of whom were civilians—since last October.

"Islamophobia sells to their base and that is why they remain hellbent on ginning up hate speech at the expense of communities across this country they deem as 'other,' including their own constituents," wrote Omar. "The reality is, Kennedy will face no consequences for his actions because of his power, position, privilege, and incompetence. But for millions of Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian Americans across this country, it is imperative that we call out this speech in order to bring needed change and for the safety of those communities."

"Not only should his comments be unequivocally condemned by every single sitting member of Congress," added Omar of Kennedy, "but his remarks raise serious concerns about the normalization of Islamophobic hate speech in our country."

Numerous rights groups including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Center for American Progress, and the ACLU have denounced the senators' remarks, but has not faced wide condemnation from his colleagues.

Omar warned that allowing Kennedy's remarks to stand without wide condemnation from his congressional colleagues could have "tangible consequences"—noting that Arab Americans have faced deadly violence since last October. Three students of Palestinian descent were shot in Vermont weeks after Israel began its assault on Gaza, leaving one paralyzed, and six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, a Palestinian American, was murdered in Chicago soon after.

As Omar's op-ed was published on Friday, the right-wing National Review published a political cartoon showing Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) with an exploding pager—a reference to Israel's deadly bombings this week using communications devices in Lebanon. Rights advocate and Dearborn, Michigan mayor Abdullah Hammoud denounced the drawing as "absolutely appalling."

"As someone who has been the subject of frequent death threats and offensive Islamophobic speech, I know the harm of hate speech firsthand," said Omar. "This speech is corroding our democracy, the fabric of our communities, and the future of our country."

But if Kennedy felt comfortable openly accusing an Arab American rights advocate of supporting terrorism in a public hearing, the congresswoman suggested, Islamophobia is proliferating throughout Congress and the Republican Party.

"Kennedy's comments were just the tip of the iceberg," said Omar. "It is incumbent upon all of us to call out hate speech whenever we see it because fighting bigotry of any kind means fighting bigotry of every kind."