Representative Ilhan Omar references George W. Bush 9/11 quote

Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar is responding to claims that she "downplayed" 9/11 by pointing out that former President George W. Bush once used similar language when describing the terrorist attack.

Blue Telusma

Apr 12, 2019

Ilhan Omar AP thegrio.com — Democrat Ilhan Omar, (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has been steeped in controversy for several weeks due to her willingness to voice unpopular opinions about international affairs and terrorism. Now she is responding to claims that she “downplayed” 9/11 by pointing out that former President George W. Bush once used similar language when describing the terrorist attack.

According to Mediaite, Rep. Omar once again pointed out the hypocrisy of Republicans who continue to identify her as a bigot and anti-semite, while systemically ignoring those very traits in their own party.

This time the freshman congresswoman, went digging through the archives and managed and shared a quote that the former Republican president made in 2001, just three days after the twin towers were struck.

“The people — and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!” Bush said in a famous speech at Ground Zero.

Which sounds pretty similar to when Ilhan recently said, “CAIR was founded after 9/11, because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.”

Omar’s 20-minute address to a Muslim rights organization was broadcast live, and spawned controversy from those who believed she was being dismissive and downplaying the impact of 9/11.

“First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as “some people who did something”. Unbelievable,” wrote Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX).

First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as “some people who did something”.

Unbelievable. https://t.co/IKtoZWWmIT

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 9, 2019

Ilhan was condemned by conservatives and even made the cover of Thursday’s New York Post.

“Was Bush downplaying the terrorist attack?” Omar tweeted in response to the backlash. “What if he was a Muslim.”

“Given the death threats I face… I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it,” she added. “My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans!”