[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 36 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE EXTENT OF RADICALIZATION IN THE AMERICAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND THAT 
                          COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE

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                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 10, 2011

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to a 
hearing being held by our colleagues on the Homeland Security 
Committee. For those who may not be aware, the House Committee on 
Homeland Security is currently holding a hearing titled ``The Extent of 
Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community's 
Response.''
  I applaud my colleagues' diligence in ensuring that our Nation is 
safe. However, I am saddened to see that Members of this body feel the 
only way to do this is by singling out their fellow citizens, most of 
whom have done nothing wrong.
  Mr. Speaker, I was especially saddened to read a quote from the 
gentleman from New York, Mr. King, who is quoted in the New York Times 
as stating, ``The threat is coming from the Muslim community.'' This is 
a prime example of history repeating itself. I would like to remind my 
colleagues of the abysmal treatment our nation subjected Japanese-
Americans to during World War II. I encourage those who are not 
familiar with this disdainful period in our history to speak to those 
who had to live through that degradation and humiliation. In fact, they 
would not have to go far as our very own Mr. Honda of California can 
speak first-hand as to what he endured at an internment camp in 
Colorado.
  More recently, Mr. Speaker, civil rights groups in the 1960's were 
subject to espionage and charges of subversion.
  Examples such as this go to show us that time and time again this 
government has seen fit to exclude its own citizens and treat them as 
an internal threat. All of this, Mr. Speaker, without foundation.
  This nation, Mr. Speaker, has always been a rich, diverse landscape 
of different ethnicities, religions, and cultures. So much so that our 
founding fathers saw fit to include on our Great Seal the phrase ``E 
pluribus unum'', out of many, one. One. One people, one country, one 
identity. To single out a subgroup out of the greater American identity 
is blatantly un-American. Our recent history has far too many examples 
of domestic terrorist that did not stem from the Muslim community. 
Names such as Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, Ted Kaczynski, Eric 
Rudolph, The Weather Underground, and the KKK have, unfortunately, 
become all too familiar in our national dialogue.
  All of these, whether an individual or a group, was responsible for 
reprehensible acts of terrorism on their fellow Americans. None of 
these has been found to have any connection to the Muslim community--a 
community that has been helpful to law enforcement in catching 
suspected terrorists, such as the Times Square bomber.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues and our 
constituents of the words of Deputy National Security Advisor, Denis 
McDonough. Mr. McDonough, this past Sunday, reminded Americans that 
``In the United States of America, we don't practice guilt by 
association. And let's remember that just as violence and extremism are 
not unique to any one faith, the responsibility to oppose ignorance and 
violence rests with us all.''

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