[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  MUSLIMS LOVE PEACE AS MUCH AS ANYONE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 14, 2001

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, almost 60 years ago during World War II, our 
Nation imprisoned Japanese Americans in internment camps simply because 
of their ethnic background. Today, we are all rightly horrified by this 
action. In the aftermath of this week's tragedy, we must not repeat 
this chapter in our history. Arabs and Muslims are NOT all terrorists 
bent on destroying our Nation. They too desire to live in peace with 
their families and communities. In fact, millions of Arabs live in this 
great land--2.2 million of whom are Arab Christians.
  Our Arab and Muslim compatriots in our nation also weep with pain and 
sorrow as they grieve the loss of loved ones. Many of them fled their 
homes and came to the United States as refugees to get away from the 
very same types of people as those who attacked our country.
  In the past few days, the outpouring of deeply sympathetic support 
and condolences my office personally has received has come from Islamic 
nations such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, 
Western Sahara, and Algeria, and from Palestinians.
  As our great nation pulls together, let us not turn to hate and 
violence, but to the underlying spirit of courage and compassion that 
has made this country a beacon of freedom and hope for a new life. 
Justice must and will be implemented--but it will be against those who 
deserve it, the savage terrorists--not our fellow Arab and Muslim 
citizens and friends here and around the world.

                          ____________________