Political Quotes

“this week, thousands of people in New York and Washington lost their lives in a brutal assault on our Nation that was a calculated strike at the heart of our freedom and national unity. Millions of Arab Americans, South Asian Americans and American Muslims around the country have shared our sorrow and outrage at Tuesday's terrorist attacks. They have donated their blood, their money, their food and their time to the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Now these same individuals who have mourned and prayed with us have come under suspicion by their neighbors and the threat of additional violence in the form of hate crimes at their homes, schools, community centers and mosques. As a part of our effort to protect America from violence, we must unequivocally condemn the attacks against these groups and pledge to protect their civil rights and civil liberties. My district is home to one of the largest Arab and Muslim communities in the country. It is vital that we distinguish the beliefs of these Americans from the perpetrators of Tuesday's violence, and recognize that American Muslims share our values and contribute significantly to our communities. If we fail to do so, then we will have seriously undermined freedom--the same principle we find ourselves vigorously defending in the wake of Tuesday's attacks.”