[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 35 (Wednesday, March 9, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H1629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RADICALIZATION OF THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA

  (Ms. SPEIER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, the House Homeland Security 
Committee will hold a hearing that will actually have the potential to 
make our Nation less safe. The title of the hearing is ``The Extent of 
Radicalization in the American Muslim Community,'' but what's truly 
radical is using committee time and resources to profile and demonize 
whole communities of people based on their faith. American Muslims are 
peaceful, law-abiding citizens, and many have cooperated with the U.S. 
authorities to help prevent terrorist attacks. We should target 
terrorists based on actions, not religion.
  When law enforcement agencies were asked to identify terrorist groups 
within their States, Muslim extremist groups ranked 11th out of 18. 
Neo-Nazis, environmental extremists, and anti-tax groups were all more 
prevalent. Radicalization and homegrown terrorism are serious and 
legitimate concerns and deserve thoughtful examination, not an 
ideologically motivated charade.
  We must continue efforts to defeat al Qaeda wherever they exist, but 
one key to combating extremism is winning the hearts and minds of the 
next generation of Muslims.

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