Bin Laden’s niece ‘wonders what hating America looks like’ in Twitter attack on Ilhan Omar… and is immediately reminded
Noor Bin Ladin, whose uncle masterminded the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has drawn much ridicule online after “wondering what hating America looks like” as part of apparent attempt at humor during a political attack.
Bin Ladin, a vocal Donald Trump supporter, was trying to go after one of the president’s many Democratic nemeses, congresswoman Ilhan Omar, on Wednesday. The politician previously told MSNBC that she “reckoned” herself and some other prominent liberals recently criticized by Trump loved America “way more” than him.
“Ilhan Omar says she ‘loves’ America. Gee, I wonder what hating America looks like then,” Bin Ladin tweeted.
Ilhan Omar says she 'loves' America.Gee, I wonder what hating America looks like then. https://t.co/HGEgLf3tmD
— Noor Bin Ladin (@NoorBinLadin) October 21, 2020
The potential irony was apparently lost on the late terrorist’s niece – but it wasn’t lost on Twitter commenters.
Bin Ladin’s post was flooded with replies trying to jokingly tell her what “hating America” really looks like. Most commonly, users sent her pictures of her uncle Osama and photographs of the September 11 attacks, or described them in text. “Probably something like this,” responded one person, attaching an image of the World Trade Center towers burning.
I'm gonna hazard a guess and say this dude pic.twitter.com/JBDkqb3rZK
— 🎃👻 Gay Marriage 👻🎃 (@TheEpicDept) October 21, 2020
Probably something like this. Just a guess. pic.twitter.com/7Fe12f6KFa
— Chukwu D. (@ProsodiJ) October 21, 2020
Many Twitter users agreed Bin Ladin’s post was a “self-own,” and the “congratulations, you played yourself” meme was a frequent reply to it.
The self-own here is absolutely tremendous
— 🌈🦠 rainbow blight | #WearAMask 🌈🦠 (@AshleyEsqueda) October 21, 2020
— Buffalo Headed Hiker 🇮🇪🇪🇺🇬🇱🇫🇷🇮🇸 (@DermotNCosgrove) October 21, 2020
Noor Bin Ladin defended herself, however, saying that she “did not choose” to be related to a terrorist, and that the connection was beside the point. Instead, she “urged” users to look at “the behavior and actions of Ilhan Omar.”
For those judging my comment based on my name which I did not choose, I would urge focus to be put on the behavior and actions of Ilhan Omar since she came to your country.
— Noor Bin Ladin (@NoorBinLadin) October 21, 2020
The controversial Trump supporter also brought up a video clip of Omar, often circulated in US conservative circles, where she referred to the 9/11 attacks in passing as “some people having done something.” Bin Ladin used the video as proof that she had more reverence for the subject than the target of her initial critique.
While some are busy trying to remind me of my unchosen link to the tragedy of 9/11 - despite my condemnation of the attacks from day one & even though not a day has gone by since that I haven’t thought about the victims and their families,Let me remind them of these words: pic.twitter.com/qGQ4g3S0is
— Noor Bin Ladin (@NoorBinLadin) October 21, 2020
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