ADC Condemns Recent Racist and Islamophobic Remarks from Rep. Peter King (R-NY)

Washington, DC | September 20, 2007 | www.adc.org | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) strongly condemns recent racist and Islamphobic remarks from Rep. Peter King (R-NY) who is the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee.
In an interview with The Politico, Rep. King said, “Unfortunately, we have too many mosques in this country. There are too many people who are sympathetic to radical Islam. We should be looking at them more carefully. We should be finding out how we can infiltrate. [?] King added, “I think there’s been a lack of full cooperation from too many people in the Muslim community. And it’s a real threat here in this country.” To watch the King interview see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMydUdKtA_Q&;
Rep. King has a history of racism and bigotry toward Arab and Muslim Americans. In the past, he has said, Muslims are “an enemy living amongst us.” He has also called for ethnic and racial profiling of Arabs and Muslims. It should be noted that Rep. King also serves as a top advisor to presidential hopeful Rudy Guiliani alongside leading Islamophobe Daniel Pipes. Pipes also serves on the board of coalition which tried to derail the opening of the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn, New York. For more information see: https://www.adc.org/index.php?id=3157
ADC President Hon. Mary Rose Oakar said, “ADC is deeply troubled by Rep. King’s intolerance and bigotry and we call on him to repudiate and apologize for his latest comments. To say that there are too many mosques in the US is unacceptable, just as unacceptable as it would be to say there are too many churches or synagogues; ADC condemns these types of comments.”
Hon. Oakar added, “We appreciate the efforts of the Democratic National Committee who condemned King’s comments saying ‘This type of bigoted language has no place in public discourse, especially from the Republican’s top lawmaker on the House Homeland Security Committee.'”
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NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non sectarian and non partisan, is the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to combat racial stereotyping and to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.

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