Elijah Lewis: “now is the time to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Congress must stand up and pass this legislation to send an…”

“now is the time to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Congress must stand up and pass this legislation to send an important message to the American people and the world, that hate crimes will not be tolerated. From the Justice Department demanding interviews from thousand of Arab-American men simply because of their heritage, to secretly detaining hundreds more, this country is sending the wrong message to its people and the world. Since September 11, we have seen a tendency in our citizens to strike out against those who they believe to be responsible. We continue to hear reports of harassment and discrimination against Arab Americans and Muslims. There has been a rise in all types of hate crimes. Congress must act now to send the right message. It must pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act before we adjourn. America is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, black, white, Hispanic, Asian American and Native American. We are gay and we are straight. We are one Nation. We are one people. We all must continue to live and work together to create one house, one family: the American house, the American family. The President has preached a message of tolerance and respect and has urged all Americans to be sensitive in this difficult time. This country, as a whole, must heal and move forward together as one Nation. We can do that by embracing the idea, the concept of the beloved community, a community based on hope, compassion, and justice, a community at peace with itself.”