[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 13, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E704]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE CONCERNS OF THE SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN COPTIC CHRISTIAN 
                               COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 2011

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, last month, 13 Coptic Christians in Egypt 
were murdered by Muslim extremists. More recently, a Coptic church--
rich in culture and architecture--was destroyed, forcing many innocent 
Christians to flee their home communities in order to protect their 
lives. This comes only months after 24 Christians were killed in yet 
another church bombing.
  I am proud to represent a vibrant Coptic community in southeast 
Michigan and privileged to consider the clergy of St. Mark's Church in 
Troy, Michigan as my friends. I rise today to share their concerns 
about the future of their community and the desire to preserve their 
ancestral homeland. For millennia, Coptic Christians have lived and 
worshipped in Egypt but some extremists are attempting to capitalize on 
the political vacuum created by the uncertainty in the country to drive 
them out of their homes and places of worship.
  While we are hopeful for democratic change in Egypt, it is imperative 
that we maintain support for religious minority communities such as the 
Coptics and seek to preserve and allow for the continuity of their 
community. As a member of the Religious Minorities in the Middle East 
Caucus, I ask my colleagues to join me in being mindful of these 
Christian minorities that need a voice.

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