This argument started with something Omar said at a CAIR event which took place on Saturday, March 23rd. A Twitter user who goes by @Imamofpeace criticized Omar for referring to the 9/11 attack on the United States with the dismissive phrase, “some people did something.”

https://twitter.com/Imamofpeace/status/1115454942536327168

That caught the attention of Rep. Crenshaw who said Tuesday that describing a terrorist attack that killed thousands of Americans that way was “unbelievable.”

First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as “some people who did something”.

Unbelievable. https://t.co/IKtoZWWmIT

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 9, 2019

Earlier today, Rep. Omar responded by claiming Crenshaw’s tweet (plus criticism on Fox News) was a “dangerous incitement.” “We are ALL Americans!” she said.

This is dangerous incitement, given the death threats I face. I hope leaders of both parties will join me in condemning it.

My love and commitment to our country and that of my colleagues should never be in question. We are ALL Americans! pic.twitter.com/foTZMpiZKv

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) April 10, 2019

Here’s Crenshaw’s response which accurately points out that he never said she was un-American or incited any violence.

1. I never called you un-American.

2. I did not incite any violence against you.

3. You described an act of terrorism on American soil that killed thousands of innocent lives as “some people did something.”

It’s still unbelievable, as is your response here. https://t.co/SsfWYepOS1

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) April 10, 2019

I’m not sure where Rep. Omar can take this from here, except maybe to accuse Rep. Crenshaw of racism or maybe Islamophobia. In any case, her dismissive reference to 9/11 isn’t defensible and she should admit it rather than try to make herself the victim.

Here’s the full speech from the CAIR event. I have this cued up to the moment where Rep. Omar refers to 9/11 as “something.” She’s in the midst of arguing that Muslims shouldn’t be made to feel they need to stay quiet to avoid offending anyone. She says they should “raise hell” and “make people uncomfortable.” That’s fine. It’s what Americans of all backgrounds do. But she can do that without dismissing the murder of nearly 3,000 fellow Americans as if their violent deaths at the hands of terrorists was a minor point whose most significant result was the creation of CAIR.

We are all Americans as Omar said, and one of the few things we all still have in common these days is respect for the victims of 9/11, ordinary people who were murdered simply because they were Americans. Does Rep. Omar not understand that this is the closest thing American has to holy ground? Everyone (even those who aren’t Americans) knows to tread lightly and respectfully around this topic. Why doesn’t she seem to get it?