Pluralist, March 5, 2019

Women’s March co-chair Linda Sarsour went on a rant against Rep. Nancy Pelosi Monday night, saying she is unqualified to be a feminist or Speaker of the House.

Sarsour was reacting to a planned House resolution condemning anti-Semitism, an offense that both she and her movement have been accused of. She said “this is why” she wanted Rep. Barbara Lee, another California Democrat, to be Speaker of the House.

The prominent Muslim feminist went on to criticize Pelosi for being white and “doing the dirty work of powerful white men” – suggesting this disqualified her as a women’s right advocate.

“Nancy is a typical white feminist upholding the patriarchy doing the dirty work of powerful white men. God forbid the men are upset — no worries, Nancy to the rescue to stroke their egos,” Sarsour said.

{snip}

Sarsour also accused Democrats under Pelosi’s leadership of failing to adequately stand up to alleged anti-Muslim bigotry by members of Congress.

“For years, when members of Congress have spewed blatant anti-Muslim racism, islamophobia, propaganda against Muslims and even held racist hearings with our tax payer dollars, Democratic leadership were never swift to condemn said members or put out resolutions condemning islamophobia and/or standing in solidarity with Muslims on the record in Congress,” she said.

{snip}

“You want a resolution? Condemn all forms of bigotry. All forms of bigotry are unacceptable. We won’t let them pin us up against each other. We stand with Representative Ilhan Omar. Our top priority is the safety of our sister and her family.”

{snip}

Sarsour and the Women’s March have also been embroiled in scandals related to anti-Semitism, including over their reluctance to condemn Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, a notorious racist and anti-Semite. The issue is just one of a number of identity-based spats that have riven the movement.