[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2396]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             RADICAL ISLAM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Walker) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WALKER. Madam Speaker, in traveling throughout the district this 
past week, people shared with me their frustration at the ambiguous 
language from this administration in describing the evils of radical 
Islamist terrorism.
  Though I greatly respect the office of the President, I too have 
grown weary at the timidity. While other world leaders have come to the 
forefront, our President continues to be defensive, at best.
  At first glance, the silence appears to be passive or poor 
leadership. But I am inclined to believe that the President's posture 
is not one of weakness but, rather, an intentional directive in both 
rhetoric and action. It appears that his promise to take our country in 
a fundamentally new direction is being played out in realtime. Instead 
of defending our liberty and our way of life, which is the most 
charitable in the world, our President seems to scoff at the belief 
that our country has been uniquely blessed by God.
  I would be remiss today if I did not pause and remember our Egyptian 
Christian brothers in the recent barbaric attacks in Libya. ISIS 
murdered innocent husbands and fathers who clearly died for their faith 
and their beliefs.
  Just this morning, we hear further reports out of Syria that Islamic 
State militants have abducted dozens of Christians, including women and 
children. Weeks prior, the President chastised the Christian community 
for getting on their judgmental high horses. Yet, in describing our 
martyred brothers from Egypt, the President refused to even utter the 
word, ``Christian.''
  The undermining of our beliefs has become an issue with this 
President. This very week, we face a constitutional crisis that was 
created solely by this administration. House Republicans have passed 
legislation to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, yet this 
President is now asking me and my colleagues to do something that, for 
6 years and on more than 20 occasions, he said was outside the law.
  Throughout history, strong leaders have exhibited strength in times 
of crises. Recently, Tony Blair met with a few of us and gave a great 
speech on the concerns and the ills of extreme terrorism. He said this, 
and I haven't forgotten it. He said: America, it is not your job to be 
loved; it is your job to lead.
  Today, I beseech the President to lead by clearly defining this 
expanding extremism that is ISIS, al Qaeda, Boko Haram, al Shabaab, and 
other radical Islamic fundamentalists.

                              {time}  1245

  There are times when riding the high horse of justice is our only 
option. The American people are demanding strength. It is time to speak 
out. Defend our inalienable rights of liberty and life, be courageous, 
be a leader, Mr. President. The world is watching.

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