Embattled Congresswoman Ilhan Omar weighed-in Wednesday on a pair of mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio; saying “White nationalism is a terroristic threat” across the United States.
“This is absolutely right. White nationalism is a terroristic threat. But we must not repeat the mistakes of the ‘War on Terror.’ The way to defeat white nationalist terrorism is to defeat the ideology that allows it to take hold!” posted Omar on social media.
This is absolutely right. White nationalism is a terroristic threat. But we must not repeat the mistakes of the “War on Terror.” The way to defeat white nationalist terrorism is to defeat the ideology that allows it to take hold! https://t.co/uV7S05rVzd
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 7, 2019
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez made similar statements in recent days, likening ‘White Supremacy’ to a virus.
“There is a difference between white supremacists & white supremacy. White supremacy is like a virus. Supremacists are those who have been completely overcome by the disease, but supremacy – the virus – exists on a larger scale beyond just the infected. It also lays dormant,” posted AOC on Twitter. White supremacy is often subconscious. & Clearly, our nation has not been inoculated. WS is our nation’s original sin; the driving logic of slavery, of Native genocide, of Jim Crow, of segregation, of mass incarceration, of “Send Her Back.” It never went away. It was just dormant.”
“Healing ourselves of white supremacy will be hard. It will be hard because it requires us to confront *ourselves.* We wish it was as simple as denouncing a white hood, a burnt cross, vile language. But we need to address where supremacy *begins,* not just where it ends,” she added.
White supremacy is often subconscious. & Clearly, our nation has not been inoculated. WS is our nation’s original sin;the driving logic of slavery, of Native genocide, of Jim Crow, of segregation, of mass incarceration,of “Send Her Back.”
It never went away. It was just dormant.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 8, 2019
Perhaps more than the obvious last steps of the supremacist,we must examine the nuance of their first steps.
That is a painful inquiry, bc for many, we may see familiarity in those first steps. And that familiarity is very difficult to see + admit. We’d rather not talk about it.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 8, 2019
But it is incredibly important that we recognize that perfectly normal, good people are capable of aiding racism & white supremacy.
Recognizing that is not about pillorying people. It’s about learning to recognize *the virus* & end an oppressive system designed to hurt us *all.*
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 8, 2019