[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 119 (Thursday, September 13, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H5594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AMERICANS SHOULD NOT TURN ANGER AGAINST ONE ANOTHER
(Ms. SCHAKOWSKY asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, this is a time for Americans to stand
together through our grief and our frustration and even our anger. But
I wanted to come down here this morning to say how important it is that
we do not turn our anger on one another.
We are beginning to hear some disturbing reports of acts of bigotry
against people who are perceived to be or who are Arab Americans or
people who are wearing turbans; of angry mobs, angry crowds coming to a
mosque; a person wearing a turban being thrown off a train. It is only
a victory for those who would perpetrate acts of terrorism against us
if we begin to turn against one another.
There are millions of Arab Americans who contribute, who died in the
explosions and the attack and who are mourning, along with all the rest
of Americans. We cannot as a Nation allow our grief to turn into acts
of violence or acts of bigotry against one another.
I would just urge that we hold hands, that we stand firmly together
to oppose this terrorism, that we stand with our allies around the
world, and that we look to embracing each other as Americans to fight
this enemy.
____________________