[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 42 (Friday, March 8, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF PASSAGE OF THE HOUSE RESOLUTION AGAINST ANTI-
                      SEMITISM, BIGOTRY AND HATRED

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 8, 2019

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, today, Congress 
made clear that there is no place for anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, or any 
other hate-based rhetoric in America. In doing so, we are echoing the 
words of George Washington who pledged to the Jewish community in 
Newport, Rhode Island, that `the Government of the United States, which 
gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires 
only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves 
as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual 
support.'
  The language of anti-Semitism is often subtle, but it is very painful 
to Jewish Americans: they hear the implied threat and the `othering' of 
them as Americans. We all must be mindful of the impact of our words. 
All hatred on the basis of religion is abhorrent, including the 
suggestion that all Muslims are terrorists or that Catholics owe 
allegiance to the Pope, accusations that have tarnished our political 
discourse in recent memory.
  We are currently witnessing an alarming spike in anti-Semitic 
rhetoric and hate crimes. Just a few months ago, we witnessed the 
deadliest attack on American Jews in our nation's long history, with 11 
worshippers murdered while praying at Tree of Life Synagogue in 
Pittsburgh. In my community in New York City, we've had a 72 percent 
increase in hate crimes against Jews with Jewish men being attacked and 
beaten on the street; schools and walls defaced with Nazi symbolism; 
and synagogues vandalized. Elsewhere in the U.S., attacks on Jews are 
growing.
  Last year, we heard the shameful chants of white supremacists in 
Charlottesville saying, `Jews will not replace us.' Recently, we've 
heard the suggestion that Israel hypnotizes the world into overlooking 
its actions. We've heard that pro-Israel groups purchase U.S. support 
for Israel, as if the only reason American politicians would support 
Israel is campaign contributions and not because of our shared values 
and interests. We've heard the ancient anti-Semitic trope of dual 
loyalties--one that goes back thousands of years.
  Words and ideas lead to action. Anti-Semitic language and hate-filled 
rhetoric have no place in this country and must be condemned in the 
strongest possible terms, which is why I was proud to join my 
colleagues in voting for today' s resolution.
  But we also need to be proactive, and not just reactive, in our fight 
to combat hate and anti-Semitism, which is why I have introduced the 
Never Again Education Act, H.R. 943, so that all Americans can learn 
about the Holocaust and the impact of anti-Semitism. We must do 
everything we can to eliminate anti-Semitism in the United States.

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