Ilhan Omar Calls for ‘Dismantling’ of America’s ‘Economy and Political Systems’

Tuesday at a news conference on systemic racism with Minnesota leaders, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) called for dismantling systems of oppression, including America’s “economy and political systems.”

Omar said, “Right now in Congress the Senate is sitting on a comprehensive bill to transform criminal justice and the policing system. All along with the Congressional Black Caucus, I helped led the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. And because of Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump, it is being ignored. I guess the president would rather attack the people who are protesting than actually address the issues people are out here protesting for.”

She continued, “We can’t stop at criminal justice reform or police reform for that matter. We are not merely fighting to tear down the systems of oppression in the criminal justice system. We are fighting to tear down systems of oppression that exist in housing, in education, in health care, in employment, in the air we breathe.”

She added, “The mortality rate for black Minnesotans to COVID is twice as high as it is with other races. And for me, this is very personal because I lost my own father to the coronavirus. I see the pain and the havoc it is wreaking on the black community in Minneapolis. We must recognize that these systems of oppression are linked. As long as our economy and political systems prioritizes profit without considering who is profiting, who is being shut out, we will perpetuate this inequity. So we cannot stop at criminal justice system. We must begin the work of dismantling the whole system of oppression wherever we find it.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN