Saturday, during the opening monologue of her Fox News show, "Judge" Jeanine Pirro took aim at the Right's current favorite target, the "very scary" Rep. Ilhan Omar. She wondered what set the congresswoman apart from others in the "Democrat Party," who she believed aren't collectively "anti-Israel" like she claims Omar is. Pirro suggested the answer rested on top of Omar's pretty Muslim head.
PIRRO: Think about it. Omar wears a hijab, which according to the Quran 33: 59, tells women to cover so they won't get molested. Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?
Pirro is presumably a judge of more than just beauty pageants and hot-dog eating contests. She should understand that the First Amendment of the Constitution protects the right of a Muslim politician or even a random American citizen to wear a hijab, a yarmulke, or even a nun's wimple. Pirro basically accused Omar of having a "dual loyalty," which is the exact same anti-Semitic trope everyone has denounced Omar herself for invoking.
This is outrageous. @JudgeJeanine’s statements are blatantly Islamophobic, hateful, and conspiracy theorist. This i… https: //t.co/PmNA8je0nm
— Sophie Ellman-Golan (@Sophie Ellman-Golan) 1552232207.0
It's been pointed out that Pirro is a Catholic, and bigots had once questioned whether President John F. Kennedy would secretly take orders from the Bishop of Rome (the pope, for those of you who didn't watch "The Tudors"). However, Pirro is probably like the historic Catholics who were behind the Spanish Inquisition no one ever expected. There is only one faith worthy of free religious expression, and that is conveniently her own. She's a known Islamophobe, but her comments Saturday were apparently too much even for Fox News, which quickly rebuked them.
"We strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments about Rep. Ilhan Omar," Fox News said in a statement. "They do not reflect those of the network and we have addressed the matter with her directly."
People from all political corners united to denounce Pirro this weekend. It was the Twitter version of the famous Coke ad. When both Bret Stephens and Linda Sarsour think you're a "disgrace," you should reevaluate your life choices. Pirro's blundering bigotry put a crimp in the Republican strategy of defining the entire Democratic Party as "anti-Semitic" because one of its 235 members said something stupid.
Third-ranking House Republican and corrupt charlatan Liz Cheney slithered onto "Meet the Press" Sunday to lie about Democrats without any pushback. We don't know what NBC pays Chuck Todd, but we're fairly sure we could just sit there while politicians talk out their ass for at least half the price. We are also capable of growing a full beard.
CHENEY: The Democrats have been in charge for about 2 1/2 months in the House. In that time, they've been the party of anti-Semitism, the party of infanticide, the party of socialism.
It's obvious Republicans don't really care about anti-Semitism when they cynically tack it on to other trumped-up, inflammatory charges against Democrats. If freshman House members saying words about Israel constitute the official stance of a political party, then God knows what that makes the GOP. Donald Trump tried to institute a Muslim ban within the first two seconds of his seemingly endless administration. Then his now mercifully fired attorney general went after transgender students. These aren't thoughtless tropes. These are actual policies that had the support of the majority of Republicans. There is already talk of a primary challenge against Omar in 2020. It's an open question as to whether she could survive one if she doesn't get her act together. However, we suspect that Republicans secretly hope Omar remains in the House and gaffe prone for a very long time.
[ USA Today / CNN / RealClearPolitics ]
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Sing it LOUD, sing it PROUD!!!
Until pretty recently (about 60 years ago), grown women in the US and Europe covered their heads in public one way or another. (Downton Abbey was correct in showing women wearing all those fashionable hats). Some Christian religions still require women to cover their heads in church.