U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (3rd L) listens during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 4, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Rep. Ilhan Omar Asks Judge to 'Show Compassion' for Hateful Man Who Threatened to Put Bullet in Her Head
"Who are we as a nation if we respond to threats of political retribution with retribution ourselves?"
After a man accused of threatening her life pled guilty to the crime in a U.S. District Court, Rep. Ilhan Omar on Tuesday released publicly a letter she wrote asking the federal judge presiding over the case to "show compassion" in his sentencing.
Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., a 55-year-old man from upstate New York, pled guilty on Monday on gun charges and for threatening to murder Omar in phone calls he made to her congressional office in March of this year. But in her letter to Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr., Omar said that while the charges were quite serious she did not think that an overly punitive sentence was the answer.
"The answer to hate is not more hate; it is compassion," Omar wrote.
"Who are we as a nation," her letter asks, "if we respond to threats of political retribution with retribution ourselves?"
The Minnesota Democrat posted the letter in its entirety on social media:
The formal complaint against Carlineo Jr. charged that he cited Omar being a Muslim before calling her a "terrorist" and threatening to "put a bullet in her [expletive] skull" when he called her office.
In her letter, Omar argues that punishing Carlineo "with a lengthy prison sentence or a burdensome financial fine would not rehabilitate him" or repair the harm he caused. Likely, Omar said, such a sentence "would only increase his anger and resentment."
Omar has been a vocal critic of mass incarceration during her first term in Congress, calling the system which locks up more than two million people "a scourge on this country."
In her letter, Omar said the U.S. must address the "systemic alienation" that victimizes people who often go on to commit acts of violence "through community reintegration and social services."
Carlineo's crime, Omar pointed out, is just a single example of the hate speech and political violence which "are an increasing feature in our public sphere."
"We will not defeat it with anger and exclusion," Omar wrote. "We will defeat it with compassion."
The congresswoman's letter garnered applause from progressives and critics of the U.S. prison system including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
After a man accused of threatening her life pled guilty to the crime in a U.S. District Court, Rep. Ilhan Omar on Tuesday released publicly a letter she wrote asking the federal judge presiding over the case to "show compassion" in his sentencing.
Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., a 55-year-old man from upstate New York, pled guilty on Monday on gun charges and for threatening to murder Omar in phone calls he made to her congressional office in March of this year. But in her letter to Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr., Omar said that while the charges were quite serious she did not think that an overly punitive sentence was the answer.
"The answer to hate is not more hate; it is compassion," Omar wrote.
"Who are we as a nation," her letter asks, "if we respond to threats of political retribution with retribution ourselves?"
The Minnesota Democrat posted the letter in its entirety on social media:
The formal complaint against Carlineo Jr. charged that he cited Omar being a Muslim before calling her a "terrorist" and threatening to "put a bullet in her [expletive] skull" when he called her office.
In her letter, Omar argues that punishing Carlineo "with a lengthy prison sentence or a burdensome financial fine would not rehabilitate him" or repair the harm he caused. Likely, Omar said, such a sentence "would only increase his anger and resentment."
Omar has been a vocal critic of mass incarceration during her first term in Congress, calling the system which locks up more than two million people "a scourge on this country."
In her letter, Omar said the U.S. must address the "systemic alienation" that victimizes people who often go on to commit acts of violence "through community reintegration and social services."
Carlineo's crime, Omar pointed out, is just a single example of the hate speech and political violence which "are an increasing feature in our public sphere."
"We will not defeat it with anger and exclusion," Omar wrote. "We will defeat it with compassion."
The congresswoman's letter garnered applause from progressives and critics of the U.S. prison system including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
After a man accused of threatening her life pled guilty to the crime in a U.S. District Court, Rep. Ilhan Omar on Tuesday released publicly a letter she wrote asking the federal judge presiding over the case to "show compassion" in his sentencing.
Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., a 55-year-old man from upstate New York, pled guilty on Monday on gun charges and for threatening to murder Omar in phone calls he made to her congressional office in March of this year. But in her letter to Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr., Omar said that while the charges were quite serious she did not think that an overly punitive sentence was the answer.
"The answer to hate is not more hate; it is compassion," Omar wrote.
"Who are we as a nation," her letter asks, "if we respond to threats of political retribution with retribution ourselves?"
The Minnesota Democrat posted the letter in its entirety on social media:
The formal complaint against Carlineo Jr. charged that he cited Omar being a Muslim before calling her a "terrorist" and threatening to "put a bullet in her [expletive] skull" when he called her office.
In her letter, Omar argues that punishing Carlineo "with a lengthy prison sentence or a burdensome financial fine would not rehabilitate him" or repair the harm he caused. Likely, Omar said, such a sentence "would only increase his anger and resentment."
Omar has been a vocal critic of mass incarceration during her first term in Congress, calling the system which locks up more than two million people "a scourge on this country."
In her letter, Omar said the U.S. must address the "systemic alienation" that victimizes people who often go on to commit acts of violence "through community reintegration and social services."
Carlineo's crime, Omar pointed out, is just a single example of the hate speech and political violence which "are an increasing feature in our public sphere."
"We will not defeat it with anger and exclusion," Omar wrote. "We will defeat it with compassion."
The congresswoman's letter garnered applause from progressives and critics of the U.S. prison system including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).