03 October 2001

Resolution Condemns Bigotry Against Sikh-Americans

Thirty-two senators submitted a resolution to the Senate October 2 that calls for protection of the "civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Sikh-Americans."

Senator Richard Durbin (Democrat of Illinois) introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 74 (S. Con. Res. 74) to the Senate, which referred it to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

S. Con. Res. 74 condemns "bigotry and any acts of violence or discrimination against any Americans, including Sikh-Americans," and calls upon local and federal law enforcement authorities to "work to prevent hate crimes against all Americans, including Sikh-Americans," and to "prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all those who commit hate crimes."

The proposed resolution stems from a series of attacks on Sikhs following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"Unfortunately, in the aftermath of September 11, there are those, who in misguided anger and fear turned on their neighbors and fellow Americans," Durbin said in remarks introducing the measure.

He recalled the "staggering loss of life of over 6,000 innocent people," that day, noting it was "more than in any other day in our Nation's history."

The Illinois lawmaker recounted the losses of "firefighters and police officers crushed under the rubble as they risked their lives to assist victims," a "shaken sense" of security and confidence in American society, and "a national anxiety about our future."

Today, Durbin told fellow lawmakers, "we are a United America. As we stand together strongly against terrorism, let us also stand together as a country against prejudice and injustice targeted at each other.

"Our enemies," he continued, "may hate us but we cannot be guided by hate, and we in America cannot hate one another. We are brothers and sisters under God's eyes. We are fellow Americans under our Nation's flag."

Following are the texts of Senate Concurrent Resolution 74 and the introductory statement by Senator Richard Durbin from the October 2 Congressional Record:

Senate Concurrent Resolution 74
Condemning Bigotry And Violence Against Sikh-Americans
in The Wake of Terrorist Attacks in New York City and
Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001

Senate

October 02, 2001

Mr. Durbin (for Himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Dewine, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Biden, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Allen, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Jeffords, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Kerry, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Corzine, Mrs. Boxer, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Carper, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Levin, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Reid) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

S. Con. Res. 74

Whereas all Americans are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the terrorists who planned and carried out the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and in pursuing all those responsible for those attacks and their sponsors until they are brought to justice;

Whereas Sikh-Americans form a vibrant, peaceful, and law-abiding part of America's people;

Whereas approximately 500,000 Sikhs reside in the United States and are a vital part of the Nation;

Whereas Sikh-Americans stand resolutely in support of the commitment of our Government to bring the terrorists and those that harbor them to justice;

Whereas the Sikh faith is a distinct religion with a distinct religious and ethnic identity that has its own places of worship and a distinct holy text and religious tenets;

Whereas many Sikh-Americans, who are easily recognizable by their turbans and beards, which are required articles of their faith, have suffered both verbal and physical assaults as a result of misguided anger toward Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack;

Whereas Sikh-Americans, as do all Americans, condemn acts of hate and prejudice against any American; and

Whereas Congress is seriously concerned by the number of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans and other Americans all across the Nation that have been reported in the wake of the tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress--

1. declares that, in the quest to identify, locate, and bring to justice the perpetrators and sponsors of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Sikh-Americans, should be protected;

2. condemns bigotry and any acts of violence or discrimination against any Americans, including Sikh-Americans;

3. calls upon local and Federal law enforcement authorities to work to prevent hate crimes against all Americans, including Sikh-Americans; and

4. calls upon local and Federal law enforcement authorities to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all those who commit hate crimes.

begin text of Durbin's remarks

Mr. Durbin. Mr. President, today I rise with 31 of my Senate colleagues to submit a resolution condemning bigotry and violence toward Sikh-Americans.

Last week, Amrith Kau Mago, a student at George Washington University, from my home State of Illinois, came to my office and brought the serious issue of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans in the wake of terrorist attacks on September 11, to my attention.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, our world as we knew it changed forever. On September 11, terrorists coordinated an attack on the American people by hijacking four commercial airplanes and flying them as missiles into occupied office buildings, the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Virginia. The staggering loss of life of over 6,000 innocent people, more than in any other day in our Nation's history; firefighters and police officers crushed under the rubble as they risked their lives to assist victims; shaken sense of security and confidence in our society; and a national anxiety about our future. While we search for understanding, we must do our duty as Americans. We bury our dead. We comfort the wounded. We honor our heroes. And we work to protect and defend our Nation.

Unfortunately, in the aftermath of September 11, there are those, who in misguided anger and fear turned on their neighbors and fellow Americans. They mistook symbols of religious belief, such as turbans and beards, for distrust, terror, and destruction. In a twisted gesture of revenge, some vigilantes across America have taken it up on themselves to threaten, harass, and even kill our fellow Americans simply because some share some outward appearance of these terrorists, turbans, beards, olive skin.

In the past three weeks, the Sikh community has received nearly 300 reported incidents of threats, assaults, violence, and even death. Of course this is wrong and every American must speak out against it. Sikhism, like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Catholicism, is a religion based on teachings of peace, love, and equality. Over 22 million Sikhs around the world today follow their values everyday. That is why it was so painful to me to learn that Sikh Americans are suffering from injustice targeted at them simply for their dress and customs.

We must embrace the diversity that makes America what it is, a diversity that our enemies cannot understand or accept. We are a land of immigrants, and from the beginning of our Nation's history, we have always welcomed people from other nations.

Of the thousands who perished that tragic day of September 11, citizens of over 80 countries were included among Americans.

Recent terrorist attacks should never cloud our judgment when it comes to our fellow Sikh-Americans. Sikh-Americans share with us the pain and sorrow of September 11 tragedy. Hate crimes and violence, especially violence stemming from bias and bigotry should never be tolerated.

That is why today I am submitting a resolution condemning bigotry and violence against Sikh Americans. I am pleased to say that 31 of my Senate colleagues have already cosponsored the resolution and we expect that many others will join us in condemning hate crimes against Sikh-Americans. Representatives HONDA and SHAYS have expressed interest in introducing the exact same resolution in the House. Our country stands united with all Americans, including Sikh-Americans.

More than ever before, this is a time for us all to stand together. We are, of course, the United States of America. But today, we are a United America. As we stand together strongly against terrorism, let us also stand together as a country against prejudice and injustice targeted at each other.

Our enemies may hate us but we cannot be guided by hate, and we in America cannot hate one another. We are brothers and sisters under God's eyes. We are fellow American's under our Nation's flag and with this battle we must stand together, united by love and understanding.

end text of Durbin's remarks