[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             STOP THE FIRES

                                 ______


                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 1996

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my outrage and that of 
good Americans across this great country at the wave of suspicious 
fires that have swept at least 30 churches in the South in recent 
months. Churches and synagogues are the cornerstones of our 
communities, providing the moral and spiritual cultivation that our 
society so desperately needs. I ask all my colleagues in the House to 
voice their condemnation of these deplorable acts. Vandalizing places 
of worship is not a partisan issue.
  I also call on all the moral leaders of our Nation and those of every 
religious background to stand against these acts of terror. Every 
synagogue, mosque and church is vulnerable to the same acts of 
terrorism committed against our black churches and it is crucial that 
leaders of every religious denomination speak out against the vandalism 
of our Nation's houses of worship.
  It is a shame that the history of violence and intimidation toward 
black people in this country is repeating itself. Will we allow hate 
groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, skinheads, and other 
white supremacist organizations to rise again? Will we allow the 
historic achievements of our courageous freedom fighters who sought to 
create a nation of fairness and racial harmony to be further defamed?
  In our society, arson of a church attended predominately by African-
Americans carries a unique and menacing threat to individuals in our 
Nation who remain physically vulnerable to acts of violence and 
intimidation because of their race. Such threats are intolerable and 
individuals responsible for such acts must be aggressively pursued and 
apprehended.
  As churches burn from flames of hate and intolerance, there are those 
in our society who would dismantle civil rights legislation and 
affirmative action that have provided assistance to groups in our 
Nation who have been discriminated against due to their race, sex, or 
religious beliefs.
  We as a Nation must not allow the practice of scapegoating others 
because they are of a different race or nationality or poor to 
continue. Our Nation was built on diversity and we must refute any 
beliefs that condone or support an atmosphere of blame and intolerance 
against those in our society who are defenseless, particularly our 
sick, poor, and aged. Just as the churches, synagogues, and mosques 
shelter our weak and defenseless, we as Americans have an obligation to 
protect those houses of worship from vicious attacks.
  I commend President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno on their 
quick responses to investigate these criminal acts of terrorism and I 
hope those who make such treats will be prosecuted and will serve 
sentences commensurate with the cowardly and despicable nature of their 
actions.

                          ____________________