Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s tweets about the Jewish community were deeply hurtful and anti-Semitic. While we appreciate that she has since put out an apology, that statement contains an inherently problematic comparison that we feel compelled to address.
There is no reasonable comparison between lobbying entities like the NRA and the fossil fuel industry––organizations focused on leveraging influence to generate profit––and a nonprofit organization advocating for the security of a marginalized community. There are approximately 14.5 million Jews on the face of the earth––about 6.5 million of which live in Israel––representing roughly .02 percent of the entire global population. Jews who engage on this issue are doing so to protect ourselves from legitimate threats of extermination.
We recognize that historical manifestations of anti-Semitism are not widely understood by those who have not suffered under this pernicious form of bigotry––one of the oldest, most consistent and most deadly forms of hatred on earth. We commit ourselves to serving as a resource for those who sincerely want to engage to eradicate anti-Semitism, which, like all forms of bigotry, divides us and weakens our movements.