The University of Minnesota’s incoming student body president posted a lengthy response to the shooting in Orlando in which she condemned Donald Trump, Republicans and Christians, but not the alleged shooter or his ideology.
Abeer Syedah, who was elected to serve as the Minnesota Student Association for the 2016-17, school year called the Muslim community exhausted, while writing that it is prepared to defend its peaceful lifestyle from, “the scapegoating and fearmongering of a largely Christian-normative and white supremacist base that pretends it’s not hateful while picking the xenophobic, bigoted, racist, misogynistic, ableist, queerphobic, Islamophobic, whiny bully of the decade as their desired nominee for President.”
While Syedah had harsh words for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, such condemnation was not forthcoming in regards to alleged shooter Omar Mateen, who called 911 moments before the attack pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Outgoing MSA President Joelle Stangler went on record in a string of Facebook comments endorsing Syedah’s remarks.
“I’d have said exactly what she did, word for word,” Stangler said, “So… that might not make you feel any better.”
Minnesota College Republicans Chair Amanda Peterson was none-too-pleased with Syedah’s comments regarding her political party and the shooting.
“I think it is incredibly disgraceful to the victims in Orlando to blame people who clearly had nothing to do with the incident, as well as incredibly dishonorable to politicize an issue where lives were lost,” Peterson said, “The Democrats simply don’t have the facts on their side in cases of gun control, which they push for every time something terrible like this occurs, so they have to resort to exploiting tragedy. It makes me sick.”
Syedah did acknowledge that the LGBT and Muslim communities do “have their tensions with each other,” while also claiming that there is no ill will between members of either community towards members of the other.
Sami Rahamim, President of UMN’s Students Supporting Israel chapter, declined to comment on Syedah’s statement, but did have words in regards to the attacks.
“SSI UMN condemns all terrorism in the strongest terms, from Orlando to Tel Aviv, to Paris,” Rahamim said, “We must stand united against those who wish to divide us.”
The latest casualty numbers from the shooting total 50 killed and 53 injured according to CNN.
“We remember the ones we’ve lost,” Rahamim said, “And pray for a full and speedy recovery for the wounded.”
