[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9285-H9286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MANSOUR BROTHERS, HARD-WORKING AMERICANS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we considered H. Res. 234, 
condemning bigotry and violence against Arab Americans, Muslim 
Americans, South Asian Americans, and Sikh Americans.
  After September 11, Arab American-owned businesses were boycotted 
simply because of the ethnicity of their owners. These men and women 
came to this country to escape this kind of intolerance, to build a new 
life, to worship freely, and to do business freely. They did not expect 
to be blamed and ridiculed for something they did not do. This is not 
what America is all about.
  One such business was the Sunset Diner in Ephrata in my district. The 
diner is owned by Mike and Sam Mansour, two Egyptian-born brothers. 
Mike and Sam experienced significant

[[Page H9286]]

hardship after the terrorist attacks. Just as we should not single out 
anyone of German, Russian, or Japanese descent for what some of their 
countrymen may have done in the past, we should not single out people 
like Mike and Sam for what 18 men with similar ethnic backgrounds did 
on one terrible day. I am pleased that the House has considered this 
bill, and I hope our communities will all take this lesson to heart.

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