Rep. King Calls Kaepernick and his Arab American Fiancé "ISIS Sympathizers" #HummusHaters
With all the anti-Arab bashing we see in the news every week, Arab America is determined to expose those who discriminate against our community. We will recognize those who vilify the positive influence and contributions Arabs have made to the fabric of American society. And we will use hummus as our weapon. By naming those who vilify the Arab American community as #HummusHaters, we can express our culture positively while showing intolerance to bigotry.
BY: Adriana Murray/Contributing Writer
Among the many right-wing conservatives speaking out against Colin Kaepernick’s decision to not stand during the national anthem, Iowa representative Steve King has made an outrageous claim that earns the hummus.
On September 13, Steve King of Iowa linked Kaepernick’s right to peaceful protest to ISIL, claiming it made the football player “sympathetic” to the terrorist organization.
King then went on to falsely associate Kaepernick’s Arab American Muslim fiancé with being sympathetic towards ISIL. His Arab American fiancé, Nessa Diab, is an MTV personality known for being on the shows Girl Code and Guy Code. She is also the host for several other MTV shows, as well as her own nationally syndicated radio show. Her childhood was spent traveling to and from the Middle East with her family.
Colin Kaepernick with Nessa DiabIn an interview with Newsmax, the Rep. King said, “I understand that he has an Islamic girlfriend that is his fiancée, and that this has changed him and has taken on some different political views along the way. This is activism that’s sympathetic to ISIS.”
King also argued that Kaepernick’s relationship “has changed him” and Nessa Diab is the reason to blame for Kaepernick’s “sympathetic activism.”
During the interview, King was asked to discuss his feelings on Kaepernick’s use of his First Amendment right to peacefully protest. King said that if he were coach, he wouldn’t allow Kaepernick to play on the field again unless he begged for forgiveness.
The question of what exactly King wants Kaepernick to apologize for poses a frightening thought. Is King upset that Kaepernick is protesting against injustice and police brutality or because he is in a relationship with an Arab American Muslim woman?
King’s outrageous comments have gained support from many Americans, who are now making comments like, “Kaepernick should play for the ISIL football league,” “he has to be a part of ISIL because of his girlfriend,” and – a personal favorite – “his hair makes him un-American.”
The ridiculous attempt to link Kaepernick and his girlfriend to ISIL symbolizes the hate and injustice Kaepernick kneeled down for in the first place.
Who knew kneeling down for injustice or dating an Arab American could define the thin line between being labeled a patriot or terrorist.
Perhaps Rep. King is feeling a little lonely right now, which is why he chose to attack Kaepernick and his successful fiancé Nessa Diab. But hummus makes great company, so try a dish, Rep. King, and watch your loneliness and hateful remarks vani
Watch Rep. Steve King’s comments here: