The 2018 midterm elections yielded what will be the most diverse Congress in American history, and some people — like far-Right pastor E.W. Jackson — are pressed about it.
Jackson took issue with a push from the incoming Democratic majority to strike down the prohibition against headwear in the House chamber. While many Americans hadn't been aware of the ban before, it rose to public knowledge shortly after the election of Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who just became one of the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress (along with Rashida Tlaib of Michigan).
Omar's free expression of her religion moves her to wear a hijab, but under the current House rules, it wouldn't be permitted on the floor.
Though discrimination on the basis of religion is illegal, Pastor Jackson seems to think that the law applies only to Christians, saying on his radio show:
“We are a Judeo-Christian country. We are a nation rooted and grounded in Christianity and that’s that. And anybody that doesn’t like that, go live somewhere else. It’s very simple. Just go live somewhere else. Don’t try to change our country into some sort of Islamic republic or try to base our country on Sharia law.”
In addition to being wrong, the statement from Jackson enraged many. However, Omar was completely unbothered.
The response reminded Americans everywhere why Omar won her district.
And they weren't done with Jackson either.
Though Omar gave the perfect response, some still thought there were words left unsaid (she is still an imminent Congresswoman after all).
So they did the real dragging for her.
While a Congress actually reflective of its nation may have ignorant people like Jackson quaking in their boots, Omar's election — and the 2018 midterms as a whole — shows that Americans are buying into hope instead of fear.
Judging by Omar's response, she's more than up to the challenge.
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