The House of Representatives held a hearing on Wednesday regarding “The American Muslim Response to Hearings on Radicalization within their Community.” It’s basically a witch-hunt against Muslims, suggesting there are many radicals out there hell-bent on destroying America and they have the support of the wider Muslim community.

Of course, we know there are terrorists out there who are Muslim, but to suggest the problem lies with Islam and not the people who distort the faith to their own advantage is pointing the finger in the wrong direction. Does the Koran say awful things? Yes. Do most Muslims take those statements literally? Of course not.

But, by that same logic, aren’t there Christian radicals? Aren’t there some Christians whose warped religious beliefs could make them want to destroy our country, too? Why isn’t Congress talking about them?

That’s what Texas Congressperson Al Green wanted to know when he called for a hearing on the “radicalization of Christians”:

“I don’t think that most people oppose hearings on radicalization,” the congressman explained. “I do not, not — N-O-T — oppose hearings on radicalization. I do oppose hearings that don’t focus on the entirety of radicalization. And if you agree that we have Christians, as has been mentioned by more than one member, Christians who become radicalized… why not have a hearing on the radicalization of Christians?” “Don’t you marvel at how a person born in this country, born into Christianity, can become radicalized? Isn’t there any curiosity as to what happens to cause a person who is born into Christianity to become a radical? There’s just more to it than simply saying ‘The radicalization of Islam’ or ‘Islamism’.” … “I’m not opposed to the hearings. I just want to be fair. I want to be fair to Muslims. I want to be fair to people who practice Islam. And, to be fair, you have to go beyond just the ‘radicalization of Islam’. And that’s what we are not doing.”

He has a point. I’m far more worried about what Christian extremists are doing to our country.

An analysis (PDF) by Council on American-Islamic Relations of [Rep. Peter King’s (R-NY)] first four hearings on Islamic radicalization determined that the chairman had “failed to produce the promised evidence to support his stigmatization of America’s Muslims.”

But don’t expect King to act on the suggestion. In his mind, Christians can do no wrong.

(via Raw Story — Thanks to Matthew for the link)



