'Freedom of speech doesn't exist for Muslim women in US Congress'

The benefit of doubt doesn't exist for Muslim women, says Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib defended her fellow Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Thursday after the House Democrat leadership criticised Omar over her tweet seemingly equating the US with the Taliban.

"Freedom of speech doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress," Tlaib said on Twitter.

Freedom of speech doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress. The benefit of the doubt doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress. House Democratic leadership should be ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of color.

— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) June 10, 2021

Her tweet came after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats said in a joint statement that drawing any comparison between the US and Israel and Hamas and the Taliban "foments prejudice and undermines progress towards a future of peace and security for all".

Tlaib said the House Democratic leadership should be "ashamed of its relentless, exclusive tone policing of Congresswomen of colour."

"The benefit of the doubt doesn't exist for Muslim women in Congress," she wrote.

Also read: Outcry as Muslim US lawmaker equates America with Hamas, Taliban

Omar triggered the backlash on Monday, posting a tweet after her questioning of Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.

"We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the US, Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban," it said.

We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.

We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.

I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021

Omar later clarified her remarks in a statement, saying: “On Monday, I asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken about … ongoing International Criminal Court investigations. To be clear: the conversation was about accountability for specific incidents regarding those ICC cases, not a moral comparison between Hamas and the Taliban and the US and Israel.”

“I was in no way equating terrorist organisations with democratic countries with well-established judicial systems,” she said.

It’s shameful for colleagues who call me when they need my support to now put out a statement asking for “clarification” and not just call.

The islamophobic tropes in this statement are offensive. The constant harassment & silencing from the signers of this letter is unbearable. https://t.co/37dy2UduW0

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021

TW: Every time I speak out on human rights I am inundated with death threats. Here is one we just got.

“Muslims are terrorists. And she is a raghead n*****. And every anti-American communist piece of s*** that works for her, I hope you get what’s f***ing coming for you.” pic.twitter.com/Kid7qUgZDZ

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021

This is incited directly by articles like this and far right politicians like this.

And it is enabled by a political culture—in both parties—that allows and often fuels Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/93ixmVCmMx

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 10, 2021