We've noticed that some on our favorite rural Minnesota anti-Muslim activists are sharing a post on Facebook by anti-Muslim author Pam Geller. Here's a screengrab of her post:
There's only one Muslim currently serving in the Minnesota legislature, and that would be Ilhan Omar. Since the Minnesota House voted on HF2621, we can see who voted yes for the bill, introduced by state representative Mary Franson, R-Alexandria. Here's a screengrab:
It's clear that Omar voted yes. We're not sure who the stealth Muslims are in the Minnesota legislature, but perhaps Geller can share that. Of the four Demcorats who voted no, David Bly is Congregational, Rena Moran is Methodist, while Tina Liebling is a Jewish Minnesotan and Susan Allen is the daughter of an Episcopal priest
The headline for the post on Geller's website is Democrats legislators OPPOSE Minnesota bill against female genital mutilation, which doesn't clear much up, since "Democrats legislators" seems like sloppy editing. The passage in Geller's article--a direct quote from the Star Tribune article--is a bit murky:
"The bill won support from all but four of the 128 House members who voted, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, the country’s first Somali-Muslim legislator."
Is Omar grouped with the 123 other House members who voted "yes" or does that ambiguous comma group Omar with the four? Those coming to the article from Facebook might not look twice after seeing Geller's Facebook headline about Muslim legislators.
Update: A reader reminds us that Representive Omar also voted for the bill in Civil Law committee. [end update]
The Star Tribune copy within the article also broke from the standard journalistic convention of identifying lawmakers' party affiliation (see recent example here in the Strib). Geller opens:
This is evil. There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil.
Now, the author of the Senate version is voicing second thoughts about approving the legislation yet this session, though Senate GOP leadership have not committed to a course of action. “We all agree this practice is absolutely horrible, and something needs to be done,” said the author, Sen. Karin Housley. “How can we empower communities to address this practice from within rather than having Big Brother come down and say, ‘This is wrong?’ ”
Is this the new approach to law and order? Why have laws against murder or rape? Why not say, “How can we empower communities to address this practice from within rather than having Big Brother come down and say, ‘This is wrong?’”
Unsuspecting readers might be forgiven for thinking Housley is a Democrat, given both of Geller's headlines, but the author of the senate version of the bill is indeed a Republican from St. Mary's Point near Stillwater. The Star Tribune's copy editors didn't catch that omission.
One might think Geller could create yet a third headline to reflect that fact that state Senate Republican inaction, not "Democrats and MUSLIM legislators," is responsible for the upper chamber's lack of follow through.
It's not surprising why the anti-Muslim network in Minnesota is confused about this topic if they're swallowing the nonsensical spin in Geller's headlines.
Photo: Karin Housley, the Republican state senator with cold feet about an anti-FGM bill she authored. Its companion bill passed in the Minnesota House. Bonus: here's Willmar anti-Muslim activist Bob Enos' sharing of the Geller piece; note the screaming caps in the Geller Facebook post. Just as on Geller's own Facebook page, the factually incorrect headline persists, days later.
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