There Goes Ilhan Omar’s Islamophobia Card

Controversial Democrat congresswoman Ilhan and her apologists have cried Islamophobia whenever she has been called out for breaking the law or engaging in unethical behavior. But this time, the openly anti-American and particularly anti-white Democrat is sure to lose that card, if not her House seat in the November 2022 election.

Omar’s leading midterm challenger is Shukri Abdirahman, a black Somali Muslim woman who, like Omar, came to America as a refugee at a young age. But instead of boarding the leftist train of America-bashing and anti-white race-baiting, Abdirahman truly adopted America as her savior of a homeland—something Omar failed to do. Her first name “Shukri” reflects the essence of her character; derived from “Shukr” meaning gratitude, “Shukri” translates into grateful.

Growing up in Minnesota, Shukri Abdirahman proved her gratefulness to America by joining the US military after she finished school. Now as a 10-year veteran of the Iraq War, Abdirahman is set to combat again—this time in the boots of a political warrior running as a Republican to unseat Ilhan Omar from Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. On her campaign website, Abdirahman lists 3 fronts of political combat: Fight Socialism, Defend Freedom, and Restore America. Her story and message are powerful. But she already has beaten Omar on an important front: the Islamophobia excuse.

Omar has used the Islampphobia shield to protect herself from criticism and accountability over her failures and multiple alleged crimes and corrupt practices, including (but not limited to) immigration fraud and funneling campaign money to her current husband’s firm. Seeing that it is effective for media campaigns and left-wing propaganda, Omar came up with a bill to combat Islamophobia, passed by the House in December 2021. However when the one questioning an Islamist is also a Muslim, the Islamist’s cry of Islamophobia falls flat. 

The challenge to Omar here is both interesting and important. Shukri Abdirahman is a Muslim and can’t be labeled an Islamophobe. She is also black and a Somali immigrant, like Omar, so can’t be called a racist or xephonphobe while she advocates for protecting borders against illegal aliens. What’s worth noting, and kind of amusing, is the limitation placed on leftist media when attempting to put down Abdirahman. Insulting a black Muslim immigrant woman makes the media violate their own standards—whatever is left of them—and can turn off the liberal audience that worships these talking points of identity politics. What the media can do best against Abdirahman is ignore her—a strategy whose power can’t be overstated.

Perhaps Ilhan Omar can still use the Islamophobia card against her other main Republican challenger, former NBA player Royce White, who is a man (toxic masculinity in liberal terms) and a native-born American (xenophobe by liberals), not to mention having White as his first name. In case of Shukri Abdirahman, there is no identity politics card left in Omar’s hands. That makes Abdirahman her real nemesis.