Following yesterday's release of a poll showing that most Americans support broadening Rep. Peter King's Muslim HUAC hearings to focus on other forms of extremism as well, the advocacy group Faith in Public Life has released another letter from religious leaders calling on King to cancel the hearings:
Let us remember the lessons of history. Entire communities should never be targeted for suspicion of disloyalty. During World War II, Japanese Americans were deprived of their rights and forced into internment camps because of blanket distrust of their commitment to our country. The McCarthy hearings became a shameful national spectacle that falsely impugned the loyalty and destroyed the lives of many Americans. Catholics were once demonized as threats to democracy beholden to a foreign power. Jews and African Americans have faced centuries of suspicion and prejudice. Today, Muslim-Americans in many communities face fierce opposition when they propose to build mosques and worship peacefully. A growing number of Muslims are victims of hate crimes. This bigotry and discrimination, rooted in fear and ignorance, diminishes us all and unfairly maligns Americans who teach our children, serve our country, live peacefully and believe in the American dream.
For the first time, King did something unexpected by hiring an accomplished national security reporter as an investigator for the House Homeland Security Committee. It's a positive sign, but it doesn't really alter the symbolism of putting American Muslims collectively on trial for disloyalty. That's why King's decision not to call any of the more high-profile Islamophobes on the right hasn't placated his critics -- they understand that as long as the hearings go forward, enough people will get the message that Muslims aren't to be trusted.
