[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 28, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9888-H9893]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REPUDIATING ANTI-SEMITIC SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, 
                  OUTGOING PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 409) repudiating the recent anti-Semitic 
sentiments expressed by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the outgoing prime 
minister of Malaysia, which makes peace in the Middle East and around 
the world more elusive.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 409

       Whereas the outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr. 
     Mahathir Mohamad, has become notorious over the years for his 
     overt anti-Semitism and opposition to the State of Israel;
       Whereas Dr. Mahathir opened the 57-nation, October 2003 
     summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 
     Malaysia by characterizing Israel and Jews around the world 
     as ``the enemy'' who ``rule the world by proxy'';
       Whereas incendiary rhetoric of this nature can be neither 
     excused nor rationalized;
       Whereas Dr. Mahathir's anti-Semitic remarks are despicable 
     and could serve to incite further sectarian violence;
       Whereas, among the 57 national representatives in 
     attendance, none raised their voice in protest and many 
     applauded Dr. Mahathir's statements; and
       Whereas President George W. Bush traveled to Thailand to 
     attend the October 20-21, 2003, meeting in Bangkok of the 
     leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and 
     rebuked Dr. Mahathir for his ``wrong and divisive'' remarks: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) thoroughly repudiates the damaging rhetoric of the 
     outgoing prime minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, 
     which embodies age-old stereotypes of Jewish global 
     domination and grotesque anti-Semitism on an international 
     scale;
       (2) reaffirms the rebuke made by President George W. Bush 
     of Dr. Mahathir and his injurious sentiments on October 20, 
     2003, stating that the remarks ``stand squarely against what 
     I believe'';
       (3) calls upon other governments and international bodies, 
     notably the European Union, to condemn these remarks as 
     dangerous incitement; and
       (4) deplores the tacit acquiescence of those national 
     representatives in attendance at the October 2003 
     Organization of the Islamic Conference as willing complicity 
     in spreading a message of hate and incitement against Jews.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).


                             General Leave

  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 409.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of a resolution repudiating 
the recent anti-Semitic sentiments expressed by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, 
the outgoing Prime Minister of Malaysia.
  At the outset, let me thank the majority whip, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Blunt), as well as the distinguished minority whip, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for their introduction of this 
thoroughly appropriate and timely resolution.
  On October 16, Dr. Mahathir, the outgoing Prime Minister of Malaysia 
gave an address before the summit of the Organization of Islamic 
Countries in Kuala Lumpur which has drawn the condemnation of decent 
citizens throughout the world. In a speech, the Prime Minister made the 
widely reported comment, ``Today the Jews rule the world by proxy. They 
get others to fight and die for them.''
  Dr. Mahathir chose to repeat Jewish conspiracy theories of world 
domination that first surfaced with the infamous anti-Semitic screed 
published in Russia by the Tsar's secret police back in 1905 known as 
``The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.''
  While in the same speech the Prime Minister properly rejected 
terrorism and urged Muslims to embrace modern knowledge and technology, 
he nevertheless strongly implied that he viewed Islam and the West to 
be in fundamental historical conflict. While the totality of the 
remarks might have been intended to reflect some sort of ill-perceived 
leadership balancing act, the fact that they were uttered, 
premeditatively crafted, by a modern head of state, makes them 
particularly irresponsible and reprehensible. They deserve the 
strongest condemnation. Nothing can be more damaging to peace on this 
fragile planet than to perpetrate the most invidious myths about any 
ethnic or religious group. Particularly at this time when the Middle 
East is a seething cauldron of tension, it is imperative that 
thoughtful leaders underscore the need for understanding, rather than 
foment thoughts that lead to conflict.
  Madam Speaker, it is with the deepest regret and concern that I urge 
passage of this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support for House Resolution 
409, repudiating the recent damaging rhetoric of the outgoing Prime 
Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir.
  Despite my steadfast and unequivocal support for this resolution, I 
rise today with a heavy heart. I am heavy-hearted not because I 
question the necessity of such a resolution, but because its necessity 
exists at all. I am heavy-hearted because in the year 2003 overt 
prejudice, racism and virulent anti-Semitism still exist. And I am 
heavy-hearted because I must take to the floor of the United States 
House of Representatives to condemn what should be an unfortunate relic 
of our past. To the contrary, anti-Semitism seems to grow stronger with 
every passing day. But I am not only heavy-hearted; I am outraged by 
this.
  Madam Speaker, there are problems to be solved, world-wide problems, 
and

[[Page H9889]]

problems at home, homelessness, joblessness, poverty, famine, drought, 
flood, disasters. There are people that need our help and challenges we 
need to confront. But instead, today we take to the floor of the House 
not to confront these problems, but to confront a moral outrage and an 
affront to world civilization, overt racism and anti-Semitism on a 
massive scale.
  This past week, Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr. Mohamad, opened a 57-
nation Summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference by 
characterizing Israel and Jews as the enemy who rule the world by 
proxy. He continued by calling worldwide Jewry an arrogant people who 
forget to think and will continue to spread oppression and domination.

                              {time}  1730

  Prime Minister Mohamad has made what amounts to a call for a global 
war against the Jewish people and a holy war against the State of 
Israel. This is incendiary rhetoric of the worst kind. It is 
scapegoating, and it is racist, and it serves only as an incitement to 
violence and death and destruction. Not only are the comments of this 
nature dangerous and morally repugnant, they are beyond the pale of 
civilized dialogue.
  Nine decades ago, my grandparents walked across Europe to come to 
this great country. They sought a better life for their family and a 
better future for their children and their grandchildren. They came 
with nothing more than the clothes on their back, fleeing prejudice and 
hardship and oppression and, had they remained, almost certain death by 
the hands of the Nazis.
  It has been 90 years since my grandparents came to this great 
country. In those 90 years, we have won two world wars, conquered the 
evil of totalitarianism, and congratulated ourselves for a new era of 
globalism and plurality in which we celebrate our differences and 
embrace our diversity.
  Americans believed that the rest of the world have been celebrating 
with us. How wrong we have been. The senseless, mindless hatred and 
prejudice that my grandparents experienced in Europe still exists 
today. It exists in the burning of synagogues worldwide. It exists in 
the attacks on Holocaust memorials in Europe, and it exists in remarks 
made by a head of state at a conference, remarks that not one of the 57 
nations in attendance, not one, raised a voice of protest over or left 
the room in disapproval or disgust.
  As world leaders and elected officials, we share a great 
responsibility. We are looked to for wisdom and guidance. In times of 
crisis, we are called upon to lead with fortitude and courage. In times 
of sadness, we are called to lead with strength and conviction, and in 
times of joy, we are called to lead with our hearts, but never, never 
are we called to lead with hatred.
  Words and actions by an elected leader have far-reaching 
consequences. They have the power to make policy, and they have the 
power to change hearts and minds. National leaders must set an example. 
Not only are the unconscionable statements of the Prime Minister 
damaging in their own right, and they are, they are damaging at this 
critical time as the Palestinians and the people of Israel struggle to 
form a lasting peace.
  By inflaming tensions between the Islamic and the Jewish world with 
hatred-filled bigotry, he has only helped to make an all-too-elusive 
peace more difficult to achieve. Once again, he has attempted to 
delegitimize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish State and demonize the 
Jewish people.
  I am pleased that we will be voting today to condemn the offensive 
and damaging rhetoric of the Prime Minister. His words and the thoughts 
behind them are inexcusable. I am also pleased that we will be 
condemning the violence of other world leaders, silence that in the 
past has been deadly to millions.
  I call upon my colleagues to join us in taking this strong stand 
against bigotry and intolerance, racism and anti-Semitism.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York 
(Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Foreign 
Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her very 
strong, important statement and for offering this resolution.
  I join my colleagues in condemning the hate-filled speech given by 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the opening of the 10th Organization 
of the Islamic Conference in Malaysia on October 16. Many of my 
colleagues and I signed the letter that was sent to the Prime Minister 
directly, and today, we pass this resolution to make clear that the 
House of Representatives repudiates the Prime Minister's message of 
hate and intolerance.
  In my judgment, the Malaysian Prime Minister's speech was a failure 
of leadership. At a conference focused on issues confronting Islamic 
Nations around the world, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad missed the chance to set 
a positive and constructive tone by talking about how more Islamic 
Nations can achieve prosperity and development and what those 
achievements would mean for the Islamic people around the world.
  But, sadly, the Prime Minister did not take the opportunity to call 
for better educational opportunities or greater investment in Islamic 
countries or better trade, health care and economic development, all 
essential elements when creating stability and prosperity. The Prime 
Minister could have done such good, set an example, as Malaysia has 
done before, by discussing the Arab Human Development Reports, which 
place strong emphasis on increasing freedom, knowledge and women's 
empowerment. The Prime Minister's speech should have been a call for 
tremendous improvements in these areas. Instead, he gave a caustic, 
intolerant, hateful statement against Jews and Israel. What a tragic, 
missed opportunity. Following the negative sentiments of the Prime 
Minister will lead to more years of poverty, oppression and hate.
  I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge the 
leaders of the world who support economic development and educational 
opportunities as the best way to a secure future to make themselves 
heard in opposition to the Prime Minister's speech.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our Democratic whip and an original 
cosponsor of H. Res. 409.
  Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Nevada for 
yielding me the time, and I congratulate her for her leadership on this 
critically important issue. She is the principal author of this 
resolution, and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and I are 
pleased to join her in this important statement.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to associate myself with the very thoughtful 
remarks of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) on this issue.
  I rise to also thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), my 
friend and counterpart on the Republican side of the aisle, the 
majority whip, for working with us closely and ensuring that this 
resolution, which is nothing less than a shared expression of our 
American values, receives prompt consideration tonight.
  Madam Speaker, intolerance based on one's religious belief, ethnicity 
and race is a poison that has coursed throughout the body of human 
history, and it has caused untold suffering, pain and strife. This 
great Nation itself, Madam Speaker, was settled by people who fled 
religious persecution, and I submit that we, the elected 
Representatives of the strongest and freest Nation on earth and the 
progeny of that proud legacy, have a moral responsibility to expose and 
combat such intolerance and prejudice wherever and whenever it rears 
its head.
  On Thursday, October 16, as has been said, Malaysian Prime Minister 
Mahathir Mohamad made hateful and repugnant anti-Semitic remarks at the 
Islamic Summit Conference, and those remarks deserve and demand our 
condemnation in this resolution today.
  Among other things, the Prime Minister stated, ``The Europeans killed 
6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today, the Jews rule the world by 
proxy. They get others to fight and die for them.''
  He added that, ``They,'' referring to the Jews, ``have now gained 
control of the most powerful countries, and they, this tiny community, 
have become a world power.'' He urged Islamic Nations to unite against 
being ``defeated

[[Page H9890]]

by a few million Jews.'' And throughout his remarks, he referred to 
Jews as the enemy.
  Madam Speaker, these anti-Semitic comments are not simply outrageous 
and hateful, they are divisive and dangerous. They serve only to foment 
the destructive lie preyed upon by Hitler and other anti-Semites 
throughout history, the baseless accusation of a Jewish conspiracy to 
control the world, to which the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) 
referred to earlier, and we, without question, must emphatically and 
without reservation, and in the strongest possible terms we can summon, 
reject these toxic untruths.
  But let me add, Madam Speaker, that what is perhaps even more 
disturbing, as the gentlewoman from Nevada has so correctly pointed 
out, more disturbing than one man's malignant invective and his 
ignorance of the Jewish people's persecution today and throughout 
history, more disturbing is the fact that he received a standing 
ovation from many of the leaders of Muslim Nations in attendance. Not 
only as the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) pointed out did they 
not walk out, they applauded. They applauded approval.
  Madam Speaker, that must be unacceptable, not just in this land but 
throughout the world. Agreeing with or acquiescing in such religious 
and ethnic bigotry is every bit as dangerous as an incitement to it, 
and neither the acquiescence nor the incitement can go unchallenged in 
the civilized world.
  As the British politician Edmund Burke wrote more than 200 years ago, 
``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to 
do nothing.'' We must not do that.
  I thank the gentlewoman for her time.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for 
those poignant remarks, and I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), the ranking member on the 
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding 
me the time.
  I want to thank the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley), my good 
friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt) and the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my good friend, as chief sponsors of this 
legislation, and I also want to thank my colleague and good friend the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), the chairman of our the Subcommittee 
on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on International Relations.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to lend my support to the provisions of H. Res. 
409 to repudiate the comments made recently by Prime Minister Dr. 
Mahathir Mohamad of the Republic of Malaysia. The prime minister's 
speech was given on October 16, about 2 weeks ago, at a meeting of the 
Organization of Islamic Nations. The conference was held in Malaysia 
and was attended by heads of states and government leaders and other 
political leaders from some 57 nations whose majority populations are 
followers of Islam.
  Madam Speaker, Prime Minister Mohamad claimed that his speech was 
taken out of context. So I thought perhaps, in fairness to him, I would 
read his speech in its entirety, which I did, but I thought perhaps we 
also needed to examine the Prime Minister's prior statements, this very 
issue of anti-Semitic, this hatred of the people who are of Jewish 
ancestry. What I found out was a consistent pattern of anti-Semitic 
statements.
  There was a great article in the Boston Globe written recently by Mr. 
Jeff Jacoby, who did some research on Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's 
utterances as a political leader of Malaysia. Thirty years ago, Prime 
Minister Mohamad wrote, ``The Jews are not merely hook-nosed, but 
understand money instinctively.'' The same Prime Minister, Madam 
Speaker, described the Jewish people as monsters.
  In 1994, this same Prime Minister issued a ban in Malaysia not to 
show the movie Schindler's List because it showed too much favoritism 
towards the Jewish people, and in 1997, the same Prime Minister also 
accused an American businessman, an investor by the name of Mr. George 
Soros, as the cause of Malaysia's economic instability and currency 
collapse, specifically citing Mr. Soros as the ``Jew who triggered the 
currency plunge'' and coincidentally citing that he is Jewish.
  Madam Speaker, this is not the first time Prime Minister Mohamad has 
made hateful and bigoted statements against the Jewish people. How 
convenient it is for a Muslim political leader like Prime Minister 
Mohamad to always blame the Jewish people for the failures of Muslim 
political leaders to solve the many socioeconomic problems that 
concurrently confront the needs of some 1.3 billion people who are 
associated with Islam or the Muslim religion.

                              {time}  1745

  Prime Minister Mahathir claims that the Jews rule this world by 
proxy. I say, in response to such an outrageous statement by the Prime 
Minister, the contributions over the years by those of the Jewish 
ancestry have been truly a blessing to our world community. In the 
fields of medicine, of law and of physics, literature, and social 
sciences, I need only to mention the name of Dr. Jonas Salk, who 
discovered the cure for the dreaded disease of polio, the names of Dr. 
Albert Einstein, Dr. Teller, and Dr. Oppenheimer as the founding 
fathers of modern nuclear physics and the theory of relativity.
  Time will not allow me to elaborate further the many positive 
contributions made for the benefit of mankind by those in the Jewish 
community given generously to the world community. Suffice it to say to 
political leaders like Prime Minister Mahathir, if it was your 
intention to tell your fellow Muslims that the sacred writings 
contained in the Koran have been misinterpreted by your own Muslim 
scholars, and partly the reason why there is so much divisiveness among 
your own adherers to Islam, then say so; but do not blame the Jewish 
community for your own failures.
  Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope as we contemplate the beginning of 
this sacred month called Ramadan among the adherents of Islam as a 
period of fasting and prayer and for greater patience and greater love 
towards all mankind, which in my humble opinion is the essence and the 
heart and soul of the religion of Islam as taught by the prophet 
Mohammed some 400 years ago, I do not believe, Madam Speaker, that 
Prime Minister Mahathir's statement reflects the real meaning and 
teachings of Islam.
  This resolution will announce to the world that this institution, the 
Congress of the United States of America, will not tolerate and does 
not support the Prime Minister's statement. And I also reflect upon 
statements made earlier by my colleague, that I too remember what was 
said by Martin Luther King, Jr., years ago: ``At the end, we will not 
remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.''
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished 
colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this 
time, and I want to raise my voice in opposition to what Prime Minister 
Mahathir said. He is a racist, a bigot, and an anti-Semite who 
represents his country very poorly, a country which depends on 
international trade.
  Madam Speaker, let me read some of the names of Malaysian companies 
who depend on U.S. trade. It is these companies whose livelihoods are 
now threatened by the remarks of their own Prime Minister: Telekom 
Malaysia, Maxis, Celcom, Digi, Time dotCom, Jaring, Celcom Berhad, 
Mimos Berhad, and Proton, all of whose business in the United States is 
now threatened by the remarks of the Malaysian Prime Minister.
  If the Malaysian Prime Minister continues, he threatens Malaysian 
jobs in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Seremban, Ioph and Kuching. It is 
something that he should think very clearly about, understanding that 
so many people in his country depend on trade with the United States.
  We have been very disappointed by this speech and very disappointed 
also by the reaction of one of our friends in the Middle East, Egypt, 
and the comments of their foreign minister, who, when he read Prime 
Minister Mahathir's statement, said, ``I saw nothing controversial in 
the statement.''

[[Page H9891]]

  Now, we are subjecting Malaysian exporters to a withering analysis, 
and their dependence on the U.S. market is now in jeopardy. I would 
hope that the Government of Egypt would think twice before that same 
kind of analysis applies to their own exports. For us here, the message 
should go forth to the Malaysian Government: Your exports are now at 
risk, and jobs which depend on the U.S. market are in jeopardy. 
Continue down this road, and you continue down a road of unemployment 
for Malaysian jobs.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman 
from Guam (Ms. Bordallo).
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time, and I rise in support of House Resolution 409. I too want to 
associate myself with the remarks of my colleagues. We should speak out 
against anti-Semitic and prejudice comments made by any leader of the 
world, or anyone for that matter.
  Just this past weekend, I met with the Jewish community of Guam and 
shared with them my wonderful impressions of my recent visit to Israel. 
Guam is located in the Asia-Pacific area, and I am very concerned, 
Madam Speaker, with intolerance or any kind of racism in our region of 
the world.
  Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume, and before I yield time back to the majority to close, I would 
like to thank the majority whip, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Blunt), the minority whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), as 
well as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor), the gentleman from 
Iowa (Mr. Leach), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for helping to move this 
legislation to the floor and helping to ensure its quick passage.
  I am pleased this was handled in a bipartisan manner, and I thank my 
colleagues from both sides of the aisle for their assistance. I also 
want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) as well.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
In conclusion, let me first thank the gentlewoman from Nevada for her 
tremendous leadership on this issue. Second, let me, in a broad way, 
stress that philosophically the three great monotheistic religions of 
the world, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are each rooted in the Ten 
Commandments. They embrace the Ten Commandments. And the Ten 
Commandments, above anything else, outline how we should live together 
in society; and they are doctrines of love and compassion, not hatred 
and revenge.
  One of the things we are all going to have to think through in all 
societies is how we emphasize what brings us together and not what 
tears us apart. Fundamentally, what is of deep concern to this body is 
that a leader of a great Muslim country, a country with which we are 
very close, a leader who is considered one of the most modern leaders 
in the Muslim world, has uttered words that, from an American 
perspective, seem out of context with the times, with good judgment, 
and with decency.
  What we have to emphasize to our friends, as well as to ourselves, is 
that we are going to have to think through differences in the world in 
such ways that we can reach compromise, based on a set of feelings that 
bring us together. Unfortunately, these remarks seem to move in the 
other direction.
  It is extremely unusual--not unprecedented but virtually 
unprecedented--that the Congress of the United States would deal with a 
resolution about the words of a head of state of another democracy, a 
country which we admire, yet we are obligated to do just that today 
because we want to bring the world together.
  So we say to Dr. Mahathir, we hope you repent and think through these 
words. We also say that we are willing to listen to differences of 
judgment, but we want to listen to differences of judgment that are 
based on decency in values, not in intolerance of views. It is this 
decency of values that we want to emphasize at this time.
  Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise with great concerns over this 
legislation--both over its content and what it represents. First, I 
think it is absurd that the U.S. Congress believes it has the 
responsibility and authority to rectify the inappropriate statements of 
individuals in foreign countries. Have we moved beyond meddling in the 
internal affairs of foreign countries--as bad as that is--to even 
meddling in the very thoughts and words of foreign leaders and 
citizens? It is the obligation of the U.S. Congress to correct the 
``wrong thoughts'' of others that have nothing to do with the United 
States? Additionally, is it our place to demand that other sovereign 
states, such as the members of the European Union, react as we say they 
must to certain international events?
  More troubling than what is stated in this legislation, however, is 
the kind of thinking that this approach represents. The purpose of this 
legislation is to punish inappropriate thoughts and speech--to free 
debate on difficult topics and issues. In this, it contains a whiff of 
totalitarian thinking. This legislation advances the disturbing idea 
that condemnatory speech that does not explicitly incite violence is 
nevertheless inherently dangerous. It asserts that even debating 
controversial topics inevitably leads to violence. This is absurd on 
its face: it is only debate that leads us to come to understandings 
over controversial topics without violence. That is why nations engage 
in diplomacy.
  Those who feel aggrieved over an issue can either broach the issue 
through discussion and debate or they can attempt to address the 
grievance through the barrel of a gun. Which is preferable? I think the 
answer is self-evident. Once persuasion is taken from the realm of 
possibility, the only approach left to address grievances is violence.
  Is the prime minister of Malaysia wrong in his statements? Debate 
him. Invite him to one of the various multilateral gatherings with 
someone who disagrees with him and have a debate and discussion over 
the issue. This approach is much more likely to result in a peaceful 
resolution of the dispute than what we are doing here: a blanket 
condemnation and a notice that certain difficult issues are not subject 
to any inappropriate thoughts or statements. This is chilling for a 
nation that prides itself on its tradition of protecting even the most 
distasteful of speech.
  Dr. Mahathir has long been known for his statements on the Middle 
East. His views are no secret. Yet even President Bush, who invited 
Prime Minister Mahathir to Washington in May, 2003, chose the path of 
debate over blanket condemnation. President Bush said at a joint press 
conference that, ``we'll also talk about the Middle East, and I look 
forward to hearing from the Prime Minister on the Middle East. So we'll 
have a good discussion.'' Abandoning our beliefs and traditions--
especially those regarding the right to hold and express even abhorrent 
thoughts and ideas--when it comes to our foreign relations is hardly 
the best way to show the rest of the world the strength of our system 
and way of life.
  A careful reading of the prime minister's speech did not find any 
explicit calls for violence. Actually, Dr. Mahathir called for Muslims 
around the world to cease using violence to seek their goals. He 
stated, ``is there no other way than to ask our young people to blow 
themselves up and kill people and invite the massacre of more of our 
own people?'' Also, he advises against ``revenge'' attacks and urges 
Muslims to ``win [the] hearts and minds'' of non-Muslims including 
``Jews...who do not approve of what the Israelis are doing.'' While we 
may agree or disagree with the cause that Dr. Mahathir espouses, the 
fact that he calls for non-violent means to achieve his goals is to be 
commended rather than condemned. This is not to agree with every aspect 
of his address--and certainly not to agree with some of the ridiculous 
statements contained therein--but rather to caution against the kind of 
blanket condemnation that this legislation represents. Do we not also 
agree with his words that Muslim violence in the Middle East has been 
counterproductive? President Bush himself in May invited Dr. Mahathir 
to the White House to, in the president's words, ``publicly thank the 
Prime Minister for his strong support in the war against terror.''
  I strongly believe that we need to get out of the business of 
threatening people over what they think and say and instead trust that 
our own principles, freedom and liberty, can win out in the marketplace 
of ideas over bigotry and hate. When the possibility of persuasion is 
abandoned, the only recourse for the aggrieved is violence. Haven't we 
seen enough of this already?
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly condemn the hateful 
anti-Semitic slurs made by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad 
in his October 16 address to the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference.
  In his address, Prime Minister Mohammad called Israel, and I quote, 
``the enemy allied with the most powerful nations.'' He also said, and 
again I quote, that ``the Jews rule the world by proxy'' and that ``the 
Muslims will forever be oppressed and dominated by the Europeans and 
the Jews.''

[[Page H9892]]

  Madam Speaker, there is no place in international diplomacy for this 
baseless and hateful rhetoric.
  World leaders have a great responsibility to avoid the use of such 
incendiary rhetoric that could incite further hatred or violence 
against any racial or ethnic minority. This kind of hatred and 
scapegoating, including the blaming of Jews for all the ills of the 
Muslim world, has no place in civilized society, especially by elected 
officials. Words and actions, especially at a conference such as this, 
have far reaching consequences--they not only have the power to make 
policy, they have the power to change hearts and minds. To blame Israel 
and the Jewish people for problems and difficulties experienced by 
other cultures is wrong and has led to senseless bloodshed and 
violence, including the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime in the 
1930s and 1940s.
  These words are especially damaging at a crucial time when the 
Palestinian people and Israel struggle to reach a lasting peace. 
Actions that inflame tensions between the Islamic and Jewish worlds 
serve only to make that struggle become complicated and the all-too-
elusive peace more difficult to achieve.
  Mr. WAXMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 409, 
which condemns the appalling anti-Semitic remarks made by Malaysian 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during his keynote address at the 
recent Islamic Summit Conference.
  Sadly, Dr. Mahathir's remarks were only a culmination of years of 
bitter anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric that have been hallmarks 
of his political career. Only months ago, he handed out the Protocols 
of the Elders of Zion during his political party's annual meeting. When 
the Asian financial crisis caused the collapse of the Malaysian 
currency, Dr. Mahathir often used Jews as scapegoats for political and 
economic setbacks claiming that they were the result of a Jewish 
conspiracy. In a 1986 speech he stated that ``the expulsion of Jews 
from the Holy Land 2,000 years ago and the Nazi oppression of Jews have 
taught them nothing. If anything at all, it has transformed the Jews 
into the very monsters that they condemn.''
  While Dr. Mahathir's outrageous comments have caused fury in the 
past, the reaction to this speech by the leaders of the Islamic world 
dangerously signals the mainstream acceptance of his hateful and 
extremist views. In the days following the conference Dr. Mahathir's 
remarks were glorified in the Saudi newspaper Ar-Riyadh, deemed 
``brilliant'' by the supposedly moderate President Mohammad Khatami of 
Iran, affirmed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, admired by the Foreign 
Minister of Egypt, and defended by the Foreign Minister of Yemen.
  Just as troubling as this effusive praise was the silence that 
followed from the leaders of most Western European nations. These 
countries have seen first-hand an alarming rise of anti-Semitic attacks 
because of the explosion of anti-Semitic hatred and intolerance in 
European Muslim communities. They lived through the Holocaust and World 
War II and should know they must not repeat the mistake again of 
silence and/or participation in anti-Semitism.
  Although Dr. Mahathir's reign is thankfully coming to an end, the 
international community must recognize the pervasive growth of anti-
Semitic and anti-Western literature, television shows, and political 
platforms in Arab and Muslim countries and take action. If not, the 
world will suffer the consequences for generations to come.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
resolution. The statements made by the Prime Minister of Malaysia are 
shocking and show the anti-Semitism that exists around the world and is 
unfortunately growing at a frightening rate. Even after nations from 
around the world condemned his remarks, Dr. Mahatir continued to make 
anti-Semetic statements claiming that our condemnations of his remarks 
proved his statements to be true. That is just simply ridiculous.
  Madam Speaker, his statements only poison the thoughts of people, and 
incite hatred toward the Jewish people. While I would like to say that 
his remarks were unusual or surprising, the fact of the matter is that 
these sort of inflammatory remarks have become standard for the 
Malaysian Prime Minister. It is truly disheartening that the tremendous 
economic success of the Malaysian people is being overshadowed by the 
outrageous comments of its Prime Minister. It is sad but fitting that 
these forceful comments will be the most recent and strongest of 
memories of Dr. Mahatir as he begins his retirement.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H. Res. 409, and to join my colleagues in repudiating Dr. Mahathir 
Mohamad for his recent comments made to the Organization of the Islamic 
Conference.
  It is distressing to me that an individual such as Dr. Mohamad--often 
portrayed as a moderate Muslim leader--would feel the need to issue 
what I view as a call to arms to the Muslim world. In doing so, his 
characterization of Jews as vast cabal that ``rules the world by 
proxy'' serves no constructive purpose whatsoever. Rather, it merely 
perpetuates hateful and destructive millennia-old sterotypes that have 
long made Jewish people scapegoats for any number of societal ills.
  I call upon my colleagues to join me in condemning the anti-Semitic 
comments of Dr. Mohamad, and I echo the language of H. Res. 409 in 
calling on the European Union to also repudiate these remarks. I thank 
Mr. Blunt for his leadership in bringing this timely resolution to the 
floor, and urge my fellow members to give it their full support.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H. Res. 409 that condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made by outgoing 
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. As a Member who is 
actively trying to support understanding between the Islamic world and 
the West, I am disturbed by the Prime Minister's derogatory comments. 
There can be no room for anti-Semitic or bigoted speech by any head of 
state.
  The Prime Minister's speech touting the idea that ``Jews rule the 
world by proxy'' was inappropriate and deserves the reprimand of this 
body. Such comments cannot be justified; they only serve to fulfill a 
hateful myth about the Jewish people. Furthermore, his allusion to the 
Holocaust and the 6 million Jews who died in Europe is deeply 
disturbing. The fact that the Jewish people survived the horror of the 
Holocaust should not be looked upon as proof of a global conspiracy, 
but instead as a story of hope for people who have suffered through 
oppression.
  Prime Minister Mahatir's speech marked the opening of the 57-nation 
Islamic Summit being held in Malaysia. Had he not made his anti-Semitic 
remarks, many in this body would have considered his speech monumental. 
I welcomed his call for Muslims to end the use of suicide bombing. 
Furthermore, his comments that strict theological interpretations of 
the Koran had tainted its message showed that he could be a progressive 
leader. However, any progress made in his speech was crushed by this 
blatantly anti-Jewish remarks. The Muslim world will not be able to 
flourish if it holds the Jewish people responsible for all its ills. 
The Islamic Summit provided an opportunity for Islamic nations to 
condemn terrorism and open dialogue with the Jewish people; instead 
Prime Minister Mahathir's speech only furthered ignorance.

  The continued dissemination of anti-Semitic rhetoric by leaders of 
Islamic nations can only weaken the chances for peace between the 
Palestinians and the Israelis. Comments such as those made by Prime 
Minister Mahathir taint the minds of both the Palestinians and 
Israelis. We cannot hope to achieve peace when both sides are 
continually made to believe they are mortal enemies. Nations such as 
Malaysia should act as intermediary promoting dialogue and 
understanding between both the Palestinians and Israelis. This is why 
it is important that the new Malaysian government distance itself from 
the comments made by the outgoing prime minister. In fact all Islamic 
nations need to take this opportunity to condemn all forms of hatred 
against the Jewish people.
  I welcomed President Bush's condemnation of Prime Minister Mahathir's 
remarks made at the Islamic Summit in Malaysia. However, President Bush 
must also take this opportunity to censure and reassign Lieutenant 
General William Boykin for the derogatory remarks he made against 
Muslims. General Boykin's assertion that this war against terrorism is 
a war between Christians and Muslims must not be allowed to stand. We 
must condemn all forms of bigoted speech especially when they are made 
by a high-ranking member of our military. President Bush must take this 
action in part to demonstrate to people like Prime Minister Mahathir 
that their skewed view of the United States is wrong.
  It is due to my dismay over Prime Minister Mahathir's speech that I 
recently signed on to a letter with a number of my colleagues asking 
him to apologize for his anti-Semitic remarks. Unfortunately, he has 
not apologized and in fact has defended his outrageous remarks. It is 
due to this stance that this entire body must support H. Res. 409.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 409.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LEACH. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further

[[Page H9893]]

proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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