The entire community bears responsibility for the violent acts of individuals. Targeting of the Muslim-American community for the actions of a few is unjust. Actually, all of us, all communities are responsible for combating violent extremism. Singling out one community focuses our analysis in the wrong direction. Throughout human history, individuals from all communities and faiths have used religion and political ideology to justify violence. Let's just think about the KKK, America's oldest terrorist organization, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the shooting at the Holocaust Museum by James Von Braun, and bombings at Planned Parenthood clinics. Did Congress focus on the ethnic group or religion of these agents of violence as a matter of public policy? The answer is no. Stoking fears about an entire group for political agenda is not new in American history. During WWII, the US Government internet Japanese-Americans and spied on German-Americans. During JFK's presidential campaign, his opponents portrayed a dire future for an America with a Catholic president. We now view these events of our past as a breach of our treasured American values.posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:22 AM on March 10, 2011 [40 favorites]
Let's talk about facts rather than stereotypes. In fact, the Muslim-American community rejects violent ideology. The Rand Corporation, a highly respected research organization, released a report last year that states the following: "Given the low rate of would-be violent extremists - about 100 amongst the estimated 3 million American Muslims - suggests that the American Muslim population remains hostile to Jihadist ideology and exhortations to violence. At a Justice Department press conference just yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder said "The Muslim Community has contributed significantly to the resolution of many things that have resolved over the course of the last 12-18 months. Tips have been received, information has been shared that has been critical to our effort to disrupt plots that otherwise might have occurred." The Muslim-American community across the country actively works with law-enforcement officials, from dialogues with Attorney General Eric Holder, to community meetings with local police in Minneapolis. Recently, tips from the Muslim-American community foiled two domestic terror plots, including the case of the Times Square bomber, and the Northern Virginia 5. Law enforcement officials depend on those relationships. A recent report from the Muslim Public Affairs Council stated that information provided by Muslim-Americans has helped to foil seven domestic terror plots, and 40% of all plots since 9/11. A 2011 study from the Duke University Triangle Center on terrorism reiterated that 40% of the domestic terror plots that have been prevented with the aid of Muslim-Americans. This cooperation with law enforcement is rooted in relationships and trust, relationships we should nurture. A witness of today's hearing, Los Angeles sheriff Lee Baca testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee last year. He said: "To effectively detect and manage extremists, police need to have trust and the understanding of the Muslim communites that live within and outside the United States. Simply, police need public participation.
As leaders, we need to be rigorous about our analysis of violent extremism. Our responsibility includes doing no harm. I am concerned that the focus of today's hearing may increase suspicion of the Muslim-American community, ultimately making us all a little less safe. We have seen the consequences of anti-Muslim sentiment, from backlash against Park51 Muslim community center, to the hostilities against the Islamic center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to a threatened Quran burning in Gainsville, Fl. Zoning boards in communities like Dupage, Il, are denying permits to build Mosques. At the height of the Park51 controversy, a man asked a cabbie whether he was a Muslim. When the man said "As-Salamu Alaykum", the individual stabbed him.
Denis McDonough, the president's deputy national security advisor recently spoke at the Adams center at the All Dulles American Muslim Society, Mr. McDonough noted that Al-Qaeda's core recruiting argument is that the West is at war with Islam. A chief goal of our national security policy is to undermine this argument. This requires active engagement with the Muslim community at home and throughout the world. As President Obama said in his Cairo speech, "Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism; it is an important part of promoting peace."
This brings me to my last point, and I will [sic] try to earn this Chairman, because I see the time.
The best defence against extreme ideologies is social inclusion and civic engagement. FBI agent Ralph Bolter, head of the Minneapolis FBI illustrates my point. He led a large-scale probe into counter-terrorism involving local Somali-Americans heading overseas to fight with terrorist organizations. He's now coming to D.C. to become the agency's deputy assistance director in charge of counterterrorism. Bolter's strategy: To fight extremism, the agency needs to establish sincere relationships within the community. "We had to be able to show people that they could trust me, trust us", Bolter said of the local community. FBI agent Bolter "showed a side to the FBI that people don't see" said Minneapolis police chief Tim Dolan. "They needed that. They needed a little more to make their case, and it paid off because of the connections he made. People came forward. He became somebody that they were willing to go to."
Unfortunately, I feel that this hearing may undermine our efforts in this direction. Recently, on a news program, it was stated "How about the number of young Somali men who went to Somalia and the imams and leaders in the Minneapolis Muslim community who refused to cooperate at all? They were denying for a long time that they had even left." This sweeping statement regarding the community I represent is innaccurate. Why weren't law enforcement from Minneapolis invited to testify before this committee about the effective counterterrorism work that is going on in Minneapolis today. I invite, and would welcome such an invitation. In January, the Department of Homeland Security convened a youth summit with Somali-American youth and law enforcement agencies in Minneapolis. The event attracted over 100 people including a US Attorney, three Somali-American police officers, myself, and several law enforcement and security agencies. The meeting provided an opportunity for Somali youth groups to learn more about the various roles and responsibilities of the US Department of Homeland Security, and to discuss community issues and concerns with government representatives. The meeting participants discussed ways in which Somali youth and government entities can improve communication.
Muslim-Americans have been part of the American scene since the nation's founding. A little known fact is Cedar Rapids, Iowa is home to one of the oldest mosques in America. The Muslim community is just like the rest of us. Muslims serve our nation as doctors, lawyers, teacers, business owners, cab drivers, and even members of Congress. Muslim-Americans live in every community in America. They are our neighbors; in short, they are us. Every American including Muslim-Americans suffered on 9/11. 29 Muslims died at the World Trade Center. Three Muslims died on hijacked airplanes - United Flight 175 and American flight 11. Muslims stood with the rest of America united in grief and in a resolve to protect America. Along with Americans of all faiths, Muslim-Americans rushed in to save and rescue victims of Al-Qaeda's terrorism. Let me close with a true story, but remember that it's only one of many American stories that could be told. Mohammed Salman Hamdani was a 23 year old paramedic, a NYC police cadet, and a Muslim-American. He was one of those brave first responders who tragically lost his life in the 9/11 terrorist attacks almost a decade ago. As the NYT eulogized, he wanted to be seen as an all-American kid. He wore #79 on the high-school football team in Bayside Queens where he lived. He was called Sal by his friends. He became a research assistant at the Rockefeller University and drove an ambulance part-time. One Christmas he sang Handel's Messiah in Queens. He saw all of the Star Wars movies, and it's well known that his new Honda was the one that read with the "young jedi" license plates. Mr. Hamdani bravely sacrificed his life to try to help others on 9/11. After the tragedy, some people tried to smear his character solely because of his Islamic faith. [Speech begins to become broken due to intense emotion] Some people spread false rumors and speculated that he was in league with the attackers because he was a Muslim, but it was only when his remains were identified, that these lies were exposed. Mohammed Salman Hamdani was a fellow American who gave his life for other Americans. His life should not be identified as just a member of an ethnic group, or just a member of a religion, but as an American who gave everything for his fellow Americans.
Disregarding the fact that the holding of these hearings may be politically expedient for Rep. King, is it patently offensive to hold hearings regarding Muslim radicalization?Not necessarily, although you'd have to be careful about how you did it. But it's patently clear that *these particular* hearings on Muslim radicalization, which are designed to obscure the fact that most American Muslims are not radicals, are not those inoffensive hearings. The issue here isn't hearings in general. It's the particular hearings that Rep. King has decided to hold, which are shaped by his bigoted, unsupported agenda.
Okay, seriously? The guy holding the "Muslim investigation" hearings was an IRA supporter? I seriously almost would have thought that was a joke.Calling him an IRA supporter actually significantly understates the situation. He wasn't just some dingbat Irish-American politician who said some stupid things at St. Patrick's Day. He was one of the most prominent IRA-spokespeople in America in the '80s and early '90s. He regularly spoke at fundraisers for IRA-front-group Noraid. He traveled to Belfast regularly to meet with IRA leaders. His voice was banned from the BBC under their anti-terrorism rules. The Irish government boycotted the New York St. Patrick's Day parade in 1985 because Pete King was chosen to be Grand Marshal. (And it's worth pointing out that he wasn't in Congress yet in 1985. He was comptroller of Nassau County, a truly obscure position. The reason that Pete King was chosen to be Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade was because of his prominence as an IRA-supporter, not because of his prominence as an American politician.)
I think that a lot of ignorance about Muslims exists in the Irish-American Catholic community.I don't think it's any worse in the Irish-American Catholic community than in any other American community. And honestly, I don't think that this stunt has much to do with the Irish Catholic community. I think that King is trying to get his name out there in anticipation of the New York Senatorial primary, in which he is planning to run as a no-nonsense, non-politically-correct conservative who is not afraid to tell it like it is. And that's pretty scary.
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posted by nevercalm at 8:03 AM on March 10, 2011 [2 favorites]