It’s true that this has been Trump’s ugly America, with all the racism, misogyny, hatred, fear, and self-loathing that comes with it. Yet a new generation is leading the charge for a better America, one that represents our diversity, tolerance, strength, and celebration of unity. Despicable people who only know how to belittle and degrade are being taken on by those who inspire: the Parkland students, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sharice Davids, and now….
Ilhan Omar.
This is the new face of America, and I like it.
Omar ran a very competitive primary against four other well-funded, establishment candidates with an unapologetic progressive platform.
She won. Bigly.
The district is heavily Democratic, and she will win handily in November.
Like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who campaigned for Ilhan Omar, she supports Medicare for all, as well as cancelling student loan debt. (These are winning issues, Democrats.) Moreover, she did so as a dark-skinned, female, Muslim, Somali-born refugee. Unlike her other political colleagues, Omar had to contend with Trump’s bottom feeders who attacked her at every turn. She was stalked and interrupted repeatedly by the alt-right at multiple events, including O’Keefe flunky Laura Loomer, who doesn’t think Muslims have any right to campaign.
They failed.
Ilhan not only won her primary, so did Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian Muslim woman who will likely go on to win her district in Michigan.
Just like Rashida and Alexandria, Ilhan strikes fear in the bigoted hearts of Trump country. This is who they are afraid of when they keep saying people are “coming for them”.
I got news for you.
We are.