Omar Fateh: Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh compared to actor Barkhad Abdi's pirate character in Captain Phillips on social media
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Critics have hurled slurs, accused him of being a terrorist, and even told him to 'go back to Mogadishu.' And in one of the most bizarre and offensive moments, some on social media are comparing him to Barkhad Abdi's pirate character in Captain Phillips as if his Somali heritage makes him synonymous with hijackers and villains. It's not just tasteless. It's textbook racism.
This isn't a minor smear campaign. It's part of a broader and much uglier conversation about what leadership should look like in America. And it's making a lot of people ask: what does it really take to run for office as a Black Muslim immigrant in 2025?
Fateh isn't just some fringe hopeful.
He's a sitting state senator known for bold, progressive ideas. His platform includes raising the minimum wage in Minneapolis to $20 by 2028, protecting city authority against federal interference, and keeping local police from collaborating with ICE. It's a platform rooted in equity and justice.
But that hasn't stopped trolls from turning his identity into a punchline. On X (formerly Twitter), he's been targeted with everything from 'you look like a terrorist' to 'what's wrong with your head shape?' And yes, more than a few users have called him 'the Captain Phillips guy,' reducing a serious candidate to a Hollywood caricature.
Never mind that Barkhad Abdi is a talented actor—or that he, too, is Somali-American. The reference isn't about admiration. It's a racialized dig meant to dehumanize, to say: 'You're foreign. You don't belong.'
Why it's bigger than just social media
Some defenders argue, 'It's just the internet. People joke.' But let's not kid ourselves. These aren't jokes. They're racialized attempts to discredit a man based on his ethnicity and religion. And they don't stay online.
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They shape narratives, influence voters, and embolden extremists.
When a mayoral candidate is told he looks like a movie pirate instead of being discussed for his policies, something's gone seriously wrong with our discourse.
These online attacks seep into real-life conversations, showing up at town halls, campaign stops, and coffee shop debates. They chip away at public trust. And worse—they discourage others from stepping into public service.
In times like this, social media becomes both the battlefield and the amplifier. Trolls throw their punches behind anonymous profiles.
These attacks aren't about harmless memes or quirky movie references. They're an attempt to reduce a man to a stereotype. They're about denying a community its right to representation.
Minneapolis voters have a choice: fall for the distractions or focus on the issues. Ignore the pirate memes and Somali jokes—and ask: What are the candidates actually saying? Who's working to improve lives? Who's showing up for the city?
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