Hundreds of Rep. Ilhan Omar supporters faced off with President Trump supporters during a protest against the president’s Minnesota visit. Protesters lined both sides of the street in front of Nuss Trucking in Burnsville on Monday where Trump’s motorcade passed through.
Rep. Omar supporters marched along one side carrying “I Stand With Ilhan” signs, amongst others, in protest of Trump’s tweet sharing an edited video of Omar that connected her to 9/11.
“You put a target on the back of a sitting congresswoman,” Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of the Community on American Islamic Relations, Minnesota (CAIR-MN) shouted via megaphone to Trump’s motorcade as it made its way past the protesters.
“Today, Minnesotans came out to support Ilhan and to tell President Trump that Minnesotan values do not align with his values,” CAIR told the MSR. “Our protest is mixed with…different ages, groups, peoples’ backgrounds. Minnesota will continue to lead this nation by sending people like Congresswoman Ilhan Omar [to Washington] as well as to reject Trump’s policies.”
Since Trump’s tweet, Rep. Omar said she has been plagued with death threats. “I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life — many directly referencing or replying to the President’s video,” said Omar, who was not in attendance, in a recent statement.
Omar also shared that counties that hosted Trump rallies in 2016 saw a “226 percent increase in hate crimes” as well as increases in assaults.
“Violent crimes and other acts of hate by right-wing extremists and White nationalists are on the rise in this country and around the world,” said Omar. “We can no longer ignore that they are being encouraged by the occupant of the highest office in the land.
“Violent rhetoric and all forms of hate speech have no place in our society, much less from our country’s Commander in Chief,” she continued. “We are all Americans. This is endangering lives. It has to stop.”
Chris Juhn is a contributing photographer at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
White Sheets In The White House by Larry Long: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTKhq6Z9ABE
Music has always been a vehicle for expressing protest. Billie Holiday’s courageous challenge to racism in Strange Fruit back in 1939 inspires me. Through the encouragement of many I have recorded and released my new song White Sheets in The White House. May it inspire others to do the same. Please Like Love and Share.
– Larry Long
Larry Long: Lead Vocal & Guitar
Robert Robinson: Response & Harmony Vocals
Van Nixon: Harmony Vocal / Joe Savage: Dobro, Banjo
Sid Gasner: Bass / Daryl Boudreaux: Percussion
Recorded and filmed aCreation Audio Minneapolis, Minnesota
Steve Wiese & Miles Hanson: Recording & Mixing Engineers
Jake Long: Studio assistant / Produced by Larry Long
White Sheets In The White House.
Beneath your coat and too long tie
There’s a burning cross you can’t hide
Instead of bridges you build walls
All for you and none for all
White sheets in the White House
Everybody scream and shout
White sheets in the White House
Time to drive them white sheets out
Just like your father
Everybody knows
Dividing us on racial lines
With your old friend Jim Crow
White sheets in the White House
Everybody scream and shout
White sheets in the White House
Time to drive them white sheets out
If you lie long enough
And big enough it’s true
As you know, you have shown
Some will follow you
Now you’ve got them terrorized
Afraid we’ll be occupied
By someone darker than you
A migrant, Muslim, you know who
White sheets in the White House
Everybody scream and shout
White sheets in the White House
Time to drive them white sheets out
Tell me where were your soldiers
Down in Charlottesville
When those neo-Nazi’s marched
And that brave woman got killed
White sheets in the White House
Everybody scream and shout
White sheets in the White House
Time to drive them white sheets out
Them oceans are rising
Fires raging on the hill
The rich keep getting tax cuts
And we foot the bill
Let’s build a wall around you
Make you pay for it too
We will be great again
On the day when your term is through
White sheets in the White House
Everybody scream and shout
White sheets in the White House
Time to drive them white sheets out
Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 2018 / BMI
More information: http://www.larrylong.org