Political Quotes

“I urge strong support for H. Con. Res. 145, and I want my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage. This resolution was prompted by the Taliban's decree of May 22, forcing Hindus to wear identity labels such as this one on their clothing to brand and degrade this religious group even further. Unfortunately, this reprehensible policy is but a microcosm of the terrible actions taken by the Taliban against all minorities in Afghanistan. As the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination has stated, Afghanistan epitomizes the religious extremism, and it underscores that 'the Taliban uses religion as a political tool in the interests of power and has taken an entire society hostage.' In January of this year, for example, the Taliban issued a decree to apply capital punishment to Afghans who converted from Islam to either Judaism or Christianity. Just a few months ago, in the aftermath of the Taliban's destruction of sacred statues, Amnesty International reported that the Taliban massacred hundreds of civilians with impunity.”