Keith Ellison To Peter King: Muslim 'Radicalization' Probe Will 'Vilify' Community (VIDEO)

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim elected to Congress, responded Monday to recent comments by a GOP colleague who promised to hold hearings on the "radicalization" of American Muslims next year.

"I got so concerned that when I heard about it I actually approached Congressman King on the House floor and told him that, you know, look, we all need to be concerned about violent radicalization, but not just against Muslims, against anybody," Ellison said on MSNBC's "The Ed Show." "What about the guy who flew a plane into the IRS or what about the guy who killed a guard at the Holocaust museum?"

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), who will take the reins as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee next year, announced his plans to investigate Muslim Americans last week.

"When I meet with law enforcement, they are constantly telling me how little cooperation they get from Muslim leaders," King told The New York Times. "It is controversial. But to me, it is something that has to be discussed."

Ellison claimed that King's rhetoric would only succeed in further fraying trust between Muslims and the authorities, as well making a significant portion of the American populace feel increasingly isolated.

"I'm willing to engage with Congressman King and say, 'Look, you want to talk about these things, let's do it responsibly.'" Ellison said. "Let's investigate this thing in the right way, let's talk about how we're gonna make America safer and enlist Muslim Americans to help safeguard our country and look at anybody that might get radicalized."

Ellison continued:

"I'm fearful that if you attack a discrete, insular community, that you will make people, good people, withdraw, and I would like to see Muslim leaders, if they feel that there is some national security threat in their midst, feel comfortable talking to the FBI, talking to local law enforcement, and this kind of stuff can really discourage that."

Rep. King also suggested in a recent Fox News interview that he was willing to be called a "bigot" over his plans, but that criticisms over his hawkish new calls to combat Muslim "radicalization" were simply "politically correct nonsense."

Ellison responded by airing his broad concern over radicalization, before arguing that King's choice to aggressively target only Muslims would "vilify" the community.

"You know it is worthwhile to find out what turns somebody from a normal citizen into a violent radical, but to say that we're only going to do it against this community and we're about to change the debate to vilify this community is very scary and clearly has McCarthyistic implications," Ellison said.

WATCH:

Comments

[Debussey Clidela]

10:51 AM on 12/25/2010

Apparently Ellison is worried.
He knows a probe will uncover radicals...and perhaps a lot of them.
Ellison may even be implicated in radicalness.

I support such an investigation.
Forward, Mr. King.

[Manny Peddy]

06:20 PM on 12/27/2010

I have to agree. If there is nothing to worry about (and even the Attorney General thinks there is, and he is a huge Muslim supporter), then what is the problem?

[mulegino]

05:35 PM on 12/22/2010

This is a periodic phenomenon in American society, whenever the powers that be decide that the public needs an easily identifiable, sufficiently exotic, "enemy".
More people should read history- and glimpse the present phenomenon mirrored in the demonization of Germans, German culture, German literature, music, and even dachsunds(!) before and during World War I, or the wild, totally unfounded hysteria regarding Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
In the latter case, their expropriation and internment- a permanent blight on this nation's escutcheon- was done in large part due to the influence of one of the most prominent supposed civil libertarians-the future Chief Justice Earl Warren!
The present outbreak of this nativist sickness is, of course due primarily to the fact that an uninformed and easily misled majority has bought into an official mythology- 19 Muslims performed miracles of destruction on 9/11- in a knee jerk, reactionary fashion without even bothering to ascertain the facts of the case; a mythology with a long prologue stoked by a willingly mendacious and duplicitous MSM, with a steady diet of "A-rab" or "Islamic fascist" boogeymen over the past thirty or so odd years- the H- itlers de jour have, for the most part, been men like Khadafi, Hussein, Bin Laden, now, the Persian Ahmadinejad.
They and their correligionists are cast in the role of "existential threat" and "terrorist" when, in fact, the real ulterior motive is to kindle the flames of hatred and revanchism in the hearts of a misled populace.

[George R Williams]

06:48 PM on 12/22/2010

What quasi-intellectual rot! What really amazes me is that people like you can't recognize that a real threat that's been widely manifested in the rest of the world couldn't possible appear here. Congress has a duty to investigate anything that would threaten this country. King is having hearings and before the first one is held, he's condemned as a racist. You have not one shred of evidence that these hearings will be disrespectful or inquisitions. On the other hand you Democrats have probably been witness to too many of your favorite Congressmen or Senators abusing witnesses to make you believe otherwise.

[mulegino]

07:12 PM on 12/22/2010

Since Congress has never seriously investigated 9/11, your point is moot. This anti-Muslim hysteria is all about the agenda of the neo-cons and one particular foreign client state- and they, not the Muslims, are the true threat to the US.
Abu Ghraib, Iraqi "Freedom", "Enduring Freedom", Cast Lead, Extraordinary rendition, torture, predator drones, targetted assassinations, government mandated radiation and groping, "shock and awe"- good God, man- where is your sense of justice or humanity?

[Doc P]

09:13 PM on 12/22/2010

There is quite a bit more than a "shred of evidence" as King has a long and archived list of bigoted, arrogant, and inflammatory actions and words.
OTH, i havent read of or seen any Democratic legislators "abusing" witnesses. Care to expound?

[DannyGee]

07:46 PM on 12/22/2010

what a load of horse poo! no person with an ounce of intellect think anyone other than "19 Muslims" carried out 9/11. The Islamists make no bones about espousing their plans, yet you pretend it doesn't exist? Take your head out of the sand for allahs sake.

[Manny Peddy]

06:28 PM on 12/27/2010

I have noticed that more than once. al Qaeda spokesmen have been annoyed that such a large group of deniers believe that they had nothing to do with 911, their greatest triumph and accomplishment.

[feat moi]

05:26 PM on 12/22/2010

How interesting. My post (below) in which I speak of positive relations between the American public and Muslim Americans was flagged and removed. Why are people afraid to hear from peaceful Muslims? Does it damage their credibility and undermine what fools like King believe?
Here's the post:

I'm a liberal Muslim and I feel more persecutio­n these days than I did after 9/11. I understood the psychological effects of the attacks so I didn't take remarks by the public to heart. But things have a different feel now. Anger has quietly magnified over time and has been intensifie­d by the wars.

I believe King is trying to capitalize on this sentiment. The reason I believe this is pure politics is that the FBI is already planting undercover agents in mosques across the country.

The rhetoric of the talking heads and Tea Partiers scares the hell out of me. Shouts of "kill them" aren't uncommon. I'm a liberal Muslim born and raised in the US with a graduate degree in humanitari­an aid. I cared for Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban. I've seen the irreparabl­e damage the Taliban incurred; Americans don't seem to grasp that moderate Muslims despise extremists more than they do; It's our religion being bastardize­d, after all.

Investigat­ion of Muslims in the manner suggested by King will only isolate American Muslims. Yes, I fully agree there are Muslims in the U.S. who are violent and dangerous. So why not work together to eliminate this menace?

[Manny Peddy]

06:21 PM on 12/22/2010

I would be incredibly surprised if a bunch of retirees at Tea Party Rallies are screaming "kill them" about Muslims, or about anyone. Do you have evidence of this? Come on, really...

On the other hand, I have watched HUGE crowds of Muslims, from around the world, numbering hundreds of thousands, marching every so often and calling for my death ("Death to America" etc). There have been at least 3 fatwahs or threats against the life of all Americans by Muslim leaders (''96, '98 and 2010). FBI statistics show that hate crimes against Muslims have dropped since just after 9/11 and are not particularly high now.

http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/11/12/anti-mulsim-hate-crimes-down-since-2001-liberals-warn-against-%E2%80%9Cbacklash%E2%80%9D-ignore-rise-in-anti-semitic-hate-crimes%E2%80%94from-muslims/

http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/fbi-stats-anti-muslim-hate-crimes-in-u-s-9x-less-than-anti-jew/

The last year has seen a huge increase in attempted terrorism against the US public, and there have been over 16,000 Muslim terrorist actions SINCE 9.11.

The President of Turkey Abdullah Gül and the White House advisor on Islam Dalia Megahed both say that Islam has not been hijacked or batardized and there are no Islamic extremists and Islam is Islam, period.

What "liberal" Muslims have to do is to stand up against the Islamists and denounce them, protest them, burn them in effigy, march against them, demonstrate against them. Or else...

[HarpoSnarx]

07:00 PM on 12/22/2010

So the regularly tossed off phrase, in numerous regional accents and twangs, "We should just bomb them all," doesn't count?

Spare us the contrived nobility of homegrown scape-goatists - their reeking rhetorical records and motives are quite clear. Their short list of targets revolve on a dime.

[feat moi]

02:55 PM on 12/23/2010

Manny Pedi:

It's funny how you use material provided to you by a Wordpress site. Your sources are also more than a bit questionable. Anyone can use a wordpress site to fabricate any type of data.

You must not live in the U.S. if you deny that Tea Partiers have chanted "kill them" or "bomb them" to Muslims. Here's a quote from a Tea Party site: "Breed like rats until they are the majority, then get elected to Congress and change the Constitution? Never mind the logistics, friends; they'll put Sharia on us if we don't kill them first. We must nuke the enemy in order to preserve the peace." (http://www.centralvalleyteaparty.com/forum/topics/beware-of-mosquebuilding?commentId=3766095:Comment:32999). Doesn't sound threatening to you?

Second, I really don't care what Turkish President Gul said. I have a degree in Studies in Religion. I contend that extremism is a bastardization of Islam and am happy to back up this claim.

Third, what a sad existence you must lead, when you sit around twisting the words of liberal Muslims to denounce extremism. I have worked with Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban and have seen the unspeakable damage they influcted. There are no words to describe how much I hate Islamic extremism.

It is not in your best interest to demonize people like me; but you want to play the victim so no one pushes Israel to humanize Palestinians. Whatever makes you happy.

[spazimodo]

04:45 PM on 12/22/2010

As long as the U.S. has any influence on Arab governments, they are going to have a Radical Islam problem. Perhaps it is time take a break from active involvement in Arab affairs. Can we stand to do this? To not sell weapons, to not prop up corrupt governments, to not fight or fuel wars? If we don't stop, it won't matter, we will become just another fallen empire, waiting too long to see the obvious (shhhhh, we don't control the world any more). If we do stop, then we will pay the price of an unstable oil supply ... or will we? I am not so sure.
Radical Islam will be our problem as long as Imperial America is the problem of Muslims.

[Manny Peddy]

06:22 PM on 12/22/2010

No problem as long as you don't mind paying 20 bucks a gallon for gasoline.

[Wong23]

08:18 PM on 12/22/2010

The answer is in renewable energy, including nuclear, developed by Americans for Americans

Of course, the right wing fear mongers, including the Teabaggers believe we should continue to send 500 billion overseas to our adversaries for petrochemicals rather than embrace an agenda of energy independence.

For them

[Manny Peddy]

06:31 PM on 12/27/2010

Actually I do not believe it is the right wing or the Tea Party that opposes nuclear energy, but another group. Now let me see, I have forgotten their names...

[senatortruth]

04:25 PM on 12/22/2010

George W. Buhs and his TRAITTOR family, Dick Cheeney,

and the Saudi OWNER of Fox "news" are FRIENDS with the

"radical" muslims who did 9/11...

Make sure your "investigation" includes THEM, Peter...

[MadeandBakedintheUSA]

04:21 PM on 12/22/2010

do a cheney and a rove------ dont show up

[James Leo]

04:00 PM on 12/22/2010

Can someone please tell Representative King:
1: There were Muslim EMS responders in 9/11 rescue and fire crews
2: There were Muslim working in the Emergency rooms in the Hospitals
2 There were Muslims serving in the Military
Are they all suspects now! Thats going to do a lot of good
There are 3-5 Billion Muslims in the world Do we want to go to war with all of them
Let me conclude, NY is set to loose 2 congressional seats. Can his be one of them? He doesn't represent NY and he does not represent me!

[CarolinaYankee]

04:18 PM on 12/22/2010

fanned. King is a loser for everyone in NY

[Donna Tinnerello]

05:27 PM on 12/22/2010

Another hate filled politician with an agenda. He doesn't represent me either James and I live in NY.

[AyeChart]

03:56 PM on 12/22/2010

One notes that terrorism and radical Islam don't seem to appear on HuffPost much, and I've been skimming through lately.  Even when it does, the main mention of radical Islam is to try to pretend it doesn't exist.  Lots of MSM reports seem to studiously ignore terrorism's connection to Islam.  Even Eric Holder tries to ignore it.

Meanwhile, back at the Reality Ranch:

"Holder says many of these converts to al Qaeda have something in common: a link to radical cleric Anwar Al Awlaki, an American citizen himself. . . .

Authorities say his teachings and writings have been discovered on the computers of a number of radicals who have tried to carry out terror plots here in America. Holder said Awlaki is able to preach violence on al Qaeda websites, and reach new converts."

--ABC News

James Taranto comments:  He's a "cleric," so we know that these are religious "radicals" of some sort. But are they Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Shinto, Sikh, Baha'i, Unitarian Universalist, Zoroastrian or Rastafarian?"

Can anybody get a clue from Holder's comments--or those of ABC News?

[Manny Peddy]

06:23 PM on 12/22/2010

They want to ignore this stuff, because it is not politically correct. They would rather listen to Keith Ellison rant and rave about the wonderful Religion of Peace.

[okami]

12:02 AM on 12/24/2010

no more or less peaceful than Christianity or Judaism or just about any other faith, although i'll admit the Christians have cornered the mass murder market over the past few centuries.

[Abdur Rahman]

01:39 PM on 12/22/2010

as salaam alaikum to the Muslims and happy holidays to everyone else...

I feel not free to express myself even on this supposedly liberal forum, but I have to try. The fact is Muslims, especially in America, are the new civil rights movement. Those who use "madrasa" and "wahabism" as if they are dirty words are on the wrong side of history and really I consider you a waste of my time. NO ONE will ever tell me what is acceptable for me to pray to. The Framers of the Constitution stand with me. Religion is a basic human right. In America, we deny people freedom of religion and King and his supporters are a classic example. When I break the law....PLEASE come arrest me. Until then, you are bigots and historic losers when you think for one second my religion is subject to your social approval. I find Republicans are just plain stupid people who only believe in the right to hoard wealth. And I am a conservative!

[seanj]

02:13 PM on 12/22/2010

Sharia law will never be tolerated in this country. Even the progressives are against it. We do not treat women the way you want to under Sharia. Sorry.

[ok so now what]

03:14 PM on 12/22/2010

You are ridiculous.

[CAHertzfe]

03:57 PM on 12/22/2010

When was the last time EVER that Sharia law was trying to be instituted in the US? NAME ONE!

[Just-a-Guy]

03:04 PM on 12/22/2010

And Merry Christmas to you! ;)

[sittingbull]

01:31 PM on 12/22/2010

Didn't Holder just say pretty much the exact same thing?

[Manny Peddy]

06:59 PM on 12/27/2010

Yes. But somehow that is conveniently forgotten in all this.

[joel123]

01:18 PM on 12/22/2010

I fear Radical Republicans/Tea Baggers more than any radical Muslim. They are obviously causing a divide, in every aspect of society. Creating a hateful bigoted society geered to accomodate the wealthy white christian man only.

[Just-a-Guy]

03:06 PM on 12/22/2010

"I fear Radical Republican­s/Tea Baggers more than any radical Muslim."

Pretty bold statement. Shows how polarized we are when you loathe the other American party more than you loathe the people who want to carry out the kind of things they've been carrying out.

[Doc P]

12:48 PM on 12/23/2010

Repubs are a DAILY threat to America. See the recent obstruction of a 911-responders health bill. Repubs want to tun the USA into a plutocracy (quick Georgie, et al, go look it up before you make the hilarious mistake of confusing commmunism, socialism, and fascism).

[calltoaction]

01:17 PM on 12/22/2010

the GOP will accuse, insult and provoke the Muslim community to the point that they will feel threaten and need to defend themselves. then GOP will point the finger at them and say see, they're radical, extremist.

[seanj]

01:29 PM on 12/22/2010

Trying to blow up Times Square and a Christmas tree lighting is defending themselves?

[calltoaction]

03:04 PM on 12/22/2010

who is the IRS suicide bomber is defending? where is the investigation of radical white christian men?

[dragn1]

03:48 PM on 12/22/2010

yes it is all America fault. Please keep up Muslims are never violent without cause like a cartoon.

[Just-a-Guy]

03:07 PM on 12/22/2010

9-11 was self-defense too, I guess. (facepalm)

[adnull29]

01:03 PM on 12/22/2010

Never heard about any radical atheists; maybe he should look into them too.

[seanj]

01:30 PM on 12/22/2010

Hitler Stalin and Mao and Che come to mind. McVeigh also.

[schnauzergirl]

02:08 PM on 12/22/2010

McVeigh was most certainly not an atheist. He may have been a crazy, militant survivalist, but he often referred to god, his and other's souls (in good or bad ways), talked about going to hell,etc. Atheists don't care about or believe in any of those.

Though You are correct the others were atheists, but it was not their atheism that caused them to do radical stuff. They were megalomaniacs and religion menat the people had alegence to something other than their dictator and they didn't like having to share the pulpit. Some radical may be atheists, but it was not the cause of it, just an additional charactoristic.

[okami]

12:35 AM on 12/24/2010

Hitler was Catholic. Catholic Christianity reverberated through the Nazi ranks. each soldier had a belt buckle saying "Gott mitt us" (God With Us). themes of Nazi Christianity abound, for anyone who wants to look it up.

Stain and Mao i'll agree with. dunno about Guevara.

[Terry Collins]

12:43 PM on 12/22/2010

So NOW he wants a "responsible" dialogue? Where was he before?? Let's just keep our heads in the sand!!

[BlackPanda]

11:31 AM on 12/22/2010

King and Ellison are both wrong in regards to Muslim Extremism. There should not be a hearing and Ellison doesn't need to create a problem that does not exist.

[seanj]

01:07 PM on 12/22/2010

There are no radical Muslims?