A panel discussion on CNN turned heated Monday night when conservative commentators took issue with Minnesota’s lieutenant governor for her choice to wear what some perceived as a hijab.
Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic lieutenant governor and current U.S. Senate candidate, donned the headscarf during an appearance on a Somali TV station. This moment comes amidst a significant fraud scandal involving residents of the Somali community in the state.
Flanagan emphasized, “The Somali community is part of the fabric of Minnesota,” addressing the camera directly.
For many Muslim women, the hijab symbolizes modesty and devotion to God. Interestingly, Flanagan—a Catholic who has been divorced and remarried—advocates for progressive issues such as abortion rights and transgender identity for minors. This juxtaposition between her socially progressive beliefs and the traditional Muslim attire generated quite a stir on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.”
Scott Jennings, a conservative commentator, remarked, “Isn’t it a little strange how the Minnesota Democratic Party is dealing with the Somali community?” He went on to liken her attire to something from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel *The Handmaid’s Tale*, suggesting that it was odd for Democrats to align themselves with a relatively small demographic.
CNN’s Abby Phillippe contested Jennings’ comparison, arguing that it wouldn’t be acceptable to make similar remarks about Orthodox Jews. “Why in the world is it acceptable to make comments like that about people—” she replied, cutting off Jennings as he suggested that the hijab was akin to an outfit worn by white liberal women.
Phillippe countered Jennings by stating, “You are denigrating the religious practices of a group for no reason.” Jennings retorted that Flanagan wasn’t religious herself.
I mean, the lieutenant governor’s spokesperson later clarified that Flanagan was simply showing support for small businesses under duress from ICE when she briefly wore the scarf as a gesture of respect. The spokesperson added that the real concern should center around more pressing issues such as apparent constitutional violations rather than the scarf itself.
