[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 2, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10067-S10068]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 74--CONDEMNING BIGOTRY AND VIOLENCE 
  AGAINST SIKH-AMERICANS IN THE WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN NEW YORK 
            CITY AND WASHINGTON, D.C. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Leahy, Mr. DeWine, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Biden, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
Allen, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Jeffords, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
Cleland, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Carper, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. 
Levin, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Reid) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary

                            S. Con. Res. 74

       Whereas all Americans are united in condemning, in the 
     strongest possible terms, the terrorists who planned and 
     carried out the attacks against the United States on 
     September 11, 2001, and in pursuing all those responsible for 
     those attacks and their sponsors until they are brought to 
     justice;
       Whereas Sikh-Americans form a vibrant, peaceful, and law-
     abiding part of America's people;
       Whereas approximately 500,000 Sikhs reside in the United 
     States and are a vital part of the Nation;
       Whereas Sikh-Americans stand resolutely in support of the 
     commitment of our Government to bring the terrorists and 
     those that harbor them to justice;
       Whereas the Sikh faith is a distinct religion with a 
     distinct religious and ethnic identity that has its own 
     places of worship and a distinct holy text and religious 
     tenets;
       Whereas many Sikh-Americans, who are easily recognizable by 
     their turbans and beards, which are required articles of 
     their faith, have suffered both verbal and physical assaults 
     as a result of misguided anger toward Arab-Americans and 
     Muslim-Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001 
     terrorist attack;
       Whereas Sikh-Americans, as do all Americans, condemn acts 
     of hate and prejudice against any American; and
       Whereas Congress is seriously concerned by the number of 
     hate crimes against Sikh-Americans and other Americans all 
     across the Nation that have been reported in the wake of the 
     tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) declares that, in the quest to identify, locate, and 
     bring to justice the perpetrators and sponsors of the 
     terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, 
     the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, 
     including Sikh-Americans, should be protected;
       (2) condemns bigotry and any acts of violence or 
     discrimination against any Americans, including Sikh-
     Americans;
       (3) calls upon local and Federal law enforcement 
     authorities to work to prevent hate crimes against all 
     Americans, including Sikh-Americans; and
       (4) calls upon local and Federal law enforcement 
     authorities to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all 
     those who commit hate crimes.

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today I rise with 31 of my Senate 
colleagues to submit a resolution condemning bigotry and violence 
toward Sikh-Americans.
  Last week, Amrith Kau Mago, a student at George Washington 
University, from my home State of Illinois, came to my office and 
brought the serious issue of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans in the 
wake of terrorist attacks on September 11, to my attention.

[[Page S10068]]

  On the morning of September 11, 2001, our world as we knew it changed 
forever. On September 11, terrorists coordinated an attack on the 
American people by hijacking four commercial airplanes and flying them 
as missiles into occupied office buildings, the World Trade Center in 
New York and the Pentagon in Virginia. The staggering loss of life of 
over 6,000 innocent people, more than in any other day in our Nation's 
history; firefighters and police officers crushed under the rubble as 
they risked their lives to assist victims; shaken sense of security and 
confidence in our society; and a national anxiety about our future.
  While we search for understanding, we must do our duty as Americans. 
We bury our dead. We comfort the wounded. We honor our heroes. And we 
work to protect and defend our Nation.
  Unfortunately, in the aftermath of September 11, there are those, who 
in misguided anger and fear turned on their neighbors and fellow 
Americans. They mistook symbols of religious belief, such as turbans 
and beards, for distrust, terror, and destruction. In a twisted gesture 
of revenge, some vigilantes across America have taken it up on 
themselves to threaten, harass, and even kill our fellow Americans 
simply because some share some outward appearance of these terrorists, 
turbans, beards, olive skin.
  In the past three weeks, the Sikh community has received nearly 300 
reported incidents of threats, assaults, violence, and even death. Of 
course this is wrong and every American must speak out against it. 
Sikhism, like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and 
Catholicism, is a religion based on teachings of peace, love, and 
equality. Over 22 million Sikhs around the world today follow there 
values everyday. That is why it was so painful to me to learn that Sikh 
Americans are suffering from injustice targeted at them simply for 
their dress and customs.
  We must embrace the diversity that makes America what it is, a 
diversity that our enemies cannot understand or accept. We are a land 
of immigrants, and from the beginning of our Nation's history, we have 
always welcomed people from other nations.
  Of the thousands who perished that tragic day of September 11, 
citizens of over 80 countries were included among Americans.
  Recent terrorist attacks should never cloud our judgment when it 
comes to our fellow Sikh-Americans. Sikh-Americans share with us the 
pain and sorrow of September 11 tragedy. Hate crimes and violence, 
especially violence stemming from bias and bigotry should never be 
tolerated.
  That is why today I am submitting a resolution condemning bigotry and 
violence against Sikh Americans. I am pleased to say that 31 of my 
Senate colleagues have already cosponsored the resolution and we expect 
that many others will join us in condemning hate crimes against Sikh-
Americans. Representatives Honda and Shays have expressed interest in 
introducing the exact same resolution in the House. Our country stands 
united with all Americans, including Sikh-Americans.
  More than ever before, this is a time for us all to stand together. 
We are, of course, the United States of America. But today, we are a 
United America. As we stand together strongly against terrorism, let us 
also stand together as a country against prejudice and injustice 
targeted at each other.
  Our enemies may hate us but we cannot be guided by hate, and we in 
America cannot hate one another. We are brothers and sisters under 
God's eyes. We are fellow American's under our Nation's flag and with 
this battle we must stand together, united by love and understanding.

                          ____________________