George Miller: “Yesterday a special congressional panel heard stories of growing threats and attacks against public officials, law…”

“Yesterday a special congressional panel heard stories of growing threats and attacks against public officials, law enforcement officers, environmentalists, and women advocates by extremist right-wing groups and militia in this country. This week the Nation was shocked by extremist campaign material produced by the National Republican Congressional Committee in the name of Speaker Gingrich that suggested Democratic Members of the House are wanted criminals just for disagreeing with the Republican Contract for America. That extremist rhetoric endangers democracy and encourages a lunatic fringe of this Nation. As a Nation we have learned that when you preach hate; you get hate, when you preach violence, you get violence. Thirty-two years ago another wanted poster was distributed in Dallas, TX, on November 22, 1963, accusing President Kennedy of selling out America to the United Nations and being anti-Christian. This wanted poster ended in a tragedy. We should understand that we cannot have the leading politicians of this Nation preaching hatred, preaching the suggestion that politicians who disagree are somehow criminals. Speaker Gingrich should repudiate this poster and withdraw this campaign rhetoric from the public.”