OK, I have a new respect for Ilhan Omar. She's kinda badass actually...

[SKKY]

Did you see the video of her getting something sprayed on her from a lunatic in the front row? She didn't hide or back down. She actually went after the dude like she wanted to give him that smoke!!! Respect Queen!!!

[Mysterian]

1. New?

[applegrove]

2. Yes here is CBS News:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rep-ilhan-omar-attack-sprayed-at-town-hall/

[SKKY]

3. New found?! I've always liked her, but now I have a new reason...

....she's kinda thug. And I like that. A lot!

[Jack Valentino]

9. All the "thugs" are on the other side!!!!!

I agree with your sentiment, but object to your choice of that particular word---
regardless of how 'popular' or 'edgy' it might seem to use----

we're currently getting an object lesson in how
being described as a "thug" is NOT a good thing!




She just refused to let the 'thugs' win, in this situation,
and refused to be silenced by a 'thug' !!!

[SKKY]

15. And she out thugged him. We'll just agree to disagree on the minutia...

....and join in our appreciation for her fearlessness. Right?

[Jack Valentino]

16. She didn't shoot anybody or beat them up,

which I would assume were requirements to be described as 'thug'.

comprender, amigo ?


(Not that I would disapprove had she actually physically kicked the s*** out of him---
but she was more dignified than that--- or possibly, he was out of reach
and already subdued by individuals who would not shot him in the back
six or seven times....)


NO, I still disagree with your choice of the word 'thug'
to describe a fearless Democratic congresswoman----

but I agree with the admiration for her response to this!


(And as I understand the world today, the word 'thug' is most often used
by right-wingers to describe non-white Americans---
so you might take that reality into consideration!)

[FascismIsDeath]

21. It means something totally different in hip hop culture.

Its just another way to say someone is tough.

I might be in my mid 40s but I try to keep up on slang so I can still communicate with the young folks. Words change meaning all the time. Like, decades ago when people said "bad" to mean something was awesome. You might as well just roll with it because you aren't gonna change it.

[Jack Valentino]

22. Ok, FINE, but outside of 'hip-hop' culture, especially among people

who are statistically more likely to VOTE (older white males like myself),
the meaning of 'thug' has shifted even MORE dramatically to the negative---

especially in the past month!


OK, agree to disagree---
but I challenge you to find BETTER words to describe the courage of the congresswoman----

'Courage' might be one choice.

[reACTIONary]

32. Note that he did not say she is "a thug", he said ....

,,,, she is "thug", no article. That's a clue. You could also say she's OG.

[Jack Valentino]

41. Regardless of whether the word "a" was used before "thug",

I still find the choice of the word "thug" inappropriate in this circumstance---
and I don't know what 'OG' means either....


HOWEVER, I would have no opposition to Democrats, especially the rank and file,
(or just decent American Patriots)
employing more tactics which might be described as 'thug' by some people,
against some people who ACTUALLY ARE 'THUGS'
as some of us older white people understand the word!

and I would describe those such people as TRUE PATRIOTS---
rather than 'thug'---

but IF people more 'in touch' with 'hip hop culture' than myself,
wish to use that word about it in addressing such 'hip hop culture' about this incident,
more power to them! but this isn't the place to do it, in my humble opinion!


REAL patriots are NOT 'thug' !!!
(although King George III probably had a different opinion....)

[FascismIsDeath]

34. No point in challenging me, I'm not the poster that said it.

I was just pointing out what it means. If you want to stay in "get off my lawn" mode, have at it.

[Jack Valentino]

42. Pardon me.

My lawn is open to anyone, especially if they MOW it for me!

Just don't knock on my door, because I won't answer it!

[NJCher]

24. what about being a "gangsta'?"

My students used to call me, their speech communication professor, "gangsta'."

Somebody took a few desks out of our classroom and my students didn't have enough seating. I asked where those desks went. One of the students who had been in the next classroom said the professor in that classroom took them.

I said anyone who doesn't have a desk, come with me. We went to the classroom next door and retrieved our desks.

After everyone was seated, a student named Dwayne said, "Professor, you're so gangsta.'

I got a laugh out of that.

[Jack Valentino]

28. OK--- but you didn't beat up or shoot anyone, either---

and even as an older white man, I don't define 'gangsta' as the same as 'thug'....


They meant it as a compliment, and you were wise to receive it as such....

but would you have considered it just as complimentary
if they had called you a 'thug' instead ???


Yeah, words have meaning---- and in the present, 'thug' is much worse than previously had been....


Thanks for your comments!

[H2O Man]

47. Interesting conversation.

Now, I self-identify as the oldest living human being, as well as Ilhan Omar's first and biggest supporter, especially in the context of the DU community. I try to not be rigid, but sometimes when it comes to words, I question: Is nothing sacred? My four children started using words in a manner that their generation understands, but that annoyed me. It is distinct in every meaningful way than when my generation became the first to engage in the youth culture. Different hair, different clothing, different music that experts my age recognize as the best ever, different drugs, and different values. Oh! And different language.

Of course, my now adult children still use words in ways foreign to me. That includes words like "gangsta" and "thug" to describe me to their friends. To my generation, those words might sound violent. But, it's no use -- what am I going to do? Threaten my very large son, the state Golden Gloves light heavyweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight champion? Not happening, no matter how "violent" the description is. My daughters have explained that "gangsta" is their way of saying I boldly challenged authority when I was young, and "thug" is how some people still view me.

More important than anything I have said here is that we do want more people to vote for our candidates. I'm not sure if anyone will have greater success than I did in insisting they speak in the exact manner that I find most pleasing. I'm trying to become comfortable with the concept that things have changed over the last fifty-odd years -- this, despite my wishing the Beatles either didn't break up, or would reunite. I'm good with change, just so long as it does not involve anything in my life.

Since I see the DU community as representative of a tiny yet important part of the Democratic Party, I think it's worth noting that relatively few have made an issue over those two words.

[thought crime]

31. Yeah, good example

Problem is, we now have classic thugs, goons, stooges, and gangsters running our government. 1930's style stuff. Gregory Bovino's costume says it all. It's like a mashup of Nazi Germany and a Batman Comic book.

[reACTIONary]

35. OG!

[mysteryowl]

26. The fool was arrested and is in county jail

Per Minnesota Star Tribune

...a man quickly grabbed by security guards and later booked into Hennepin County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault.

[flamingdem]

4. What substance smells like vinegar?

Also reported that it was a horrible smell.

Insane behavior!

She's tough!

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Vinegar is 5-10% acetic acid. You can buy 100%.

Probably seemed like an obvious choice to someone; I hope it's nothing worse than that.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

5. My kind of woman. A badass that doesn't take shit. She even had her fist drawn back.

[SKKY]

13. Right!!?? That was my first reaction...

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Unflappable. ❤️

[hatrack]

8. 1 Year, 8 Years or 20 Years for assault on a member of Congress - have fun at Club Fed, dipshit!

(a) In General.—Whoever—

(1) forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person designated in section 1114 of this title while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties; or

(2) forcibly assaults or intimidates any person who formerly served as a person designated in section 1114 on account of the performance of official duties during such person’s term of service,

shall, where the acts in violation of this section constitute only simple assault, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both, and where such acts involve physical contact with the victim of that assault or the intent to commit another felony, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.

(b) Enhanced Penalty.—
Whoever, in the commission of any acts described in subsection (a), uses a deadly or dangerous weapon (including a weapon intended to cause death or danger but that fails to do so by reason of a defective component) or inflicts bodily injury, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

(c) Extraterritorial Jurisdiction.—
There is extraterritorial jurisdiction over the conduct prohibited by this section.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/111

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1114&num=0&edition=prelim

[dem4decades]

25. Has he been pardoned yet?

[Jack Valentino]

33. He *could be* pardoned by Trump for any federal charges which could arise

from this incident---- but the supposed President of the United States
can NOT pardon him from any STATE or LOCAL charges about the same incident,
because the president has no jurisdiction over such charges---

and any charges about 'assault' are mostly state or local charges,
in my "I am not a lawyer" opinion....

[ecstatic]

49. That immediately crossed my mind as well when I learned

of the incident. It's a shame we even have to think like that. tRump has been such a disgrace and disaster for this country. If he even dares to pardon another terrorist that should be immediate grounds for impeachment.

Enough is enough refugs! Wo/man the fuck up! 🤬

[NJCher]

27. a sprayer sounds innocuous

But poisonous stuff could be in it.

What a dumbass. Who would go to prison just to express something like what he did.

[thought crime]

36. My first thought was acid attack.

Her courage was remarkable, but be cautious about that stuff.

[newdeal2]

10. This is scary

I can see copy cats trying this with other elected Dems as they get more desperate before the elections. Maybe with more lethal substances.

And Trump won’t lift a finger to stop it.

[SouthBayDem]

11. Actually he would...

to pardon the attackers.

[thought crime]

37. and call them patriots

[thought crime]

40. Trump's hate speech incited this violence

[Rhiannon12866]

12. ICE in Minnesota: Ilhan Omar sprayed at north Minneapolis townhall - FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

https://www.democraticunderground.com/132165283

[OGBuzz]

19. "Shockingly" the A-hole youtube commenters....

are already claiming that this was staged by Ilhan. I guess that's happens when you spend your entire miserable life in the MAGAt conspiracy sewer.

[Rhiannon12866]

20. Good Grief?? Who in their right mind would ask for that??

[Dave Bowman]

38. They're projecting again.

[mr715]

14. Her security guard saved the guys life.

She was going to wreck him.

[pfitz59]

17. Acid attacks on women are common in some cultures

She could have been seriously hurt. Hope the asshole gets the max sentence. Watch Trump pardon him.

[SKKY]

29. And knowing all of that, she still went forward with that smoke!!!

I'm telling ya, she got a lot of cool points in my book after that.

[thought crime]

39. Glad she's on OUR side!

Is this the Warrior Ethos?

[Bob_in_VA]

30. Can't happen

He's being charged under MN state law. While he could also be charged under Federal law, only the Federal charges would be pardonable. So he would still spend time in jail.

[yliza]

18. The orange menace has been badmouthing her recently

This is on him. It was only a matter of time before one of his deranged mouthbreathing supporters attacked her.

[choie]

23. He's been badmouthing her

forever.

[angrychair]

43. Security should be fired

Should never get close enough to a principal to do that.
Second, fucking magats in the WH caused this bullshit to happen.

Republican Party is a terrorist organization and should be disbanded immediately and every leader arrested.
It's not a fucking difference of opinion. It's the difference between right and wrong.

[Justice matters.]

44. Yes! And the coward was afraid of her reaction

coming after him as he was walking back looking at her ire!

[leftstreet]

45. This is a geat clip of her winding up!

Link to tweet

?s=20

I almost wish she'd clobbered him. He's lucky her security grabbed him first

[Aussie105]

46. Quick google on the lady:

"Ilhan Omar was born Ilham Abdullahi Omar on October 4, 1982, in Mogadishu, Somalia, the youngest of seven siblings. "

Not exactly a peaceful and polite country to grow up in, and with 6 siblings, wading in fists raised in any conflict is probably her learnt response.

Her background and response there demand respect.

[ecstatic]

48. She and other Democratic women in politics are tough as nails.

I'm proud of her.