Even nearly 10 years after 9/11, Muslim Americans, South Asian Americans and

Even nearly 10 years after 9/11, Muslim Americans, South Asian Americans and Sikh Americans continue to be discriminated against and subjected to racist taunts and hate crimes, Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez told a United States Senate panel last week.

“Regrettably,” said Perez, the Obama administration’s point man for civil rights, “we continue to see a steady stream of violence and discrimination targeting Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South-Asian communities. In each city and town where I have met with leaders of these communities, I have been struck by the sense of fear that pervades their lives – fear of violence, of bigotry and hate.’

He continued: “I consistently hear complaints that children face harassment in school, that they are called ‘terrorists’ and told by their peers to ‘go home,’ even though America is their home. At the recent White House Conference on Bullying Prevention, we heard from a number of leaders of the Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian communities about how this problem infects classrooms. We have a growing docket of cases involving harassment of Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian students. In fact, harassment of Muslim students is the largest category of religious discrimination matters that our Educational Opportunities Section handles, and this has been consistently true since 9/11.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission too has reported “a 150 percent increase in complaints of discrimination against Muslims since 9/11. Many cases involve blatant, intentional discrimination,” he added. Perez was testifying before the newly minted Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil and Human Rights, which is chaired by Senate Majority Whip, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL).

Less than a month after the controversial hearings held by Republican U.S. Representative Peter King of New York – “The Extent of Radicalization of Americans Muslims and the Community’s Response” – Durbin had convened the Senate hearing on the “Civil Rights of American Muslims.” Aides to Durbin had denied that the hearing was a direct response to King’s hearing, which were slammed as anti- Muslim and as an effort to stereotype and demonize a minority group. One aide had told India Abroad that Durbin decided to hold the hearing when the new 112th Congress convened in late January because he was “troubled by the anti-Muslim rhetoric, hate crimes against the Muslim community here in our country and the discrimination that Muslim groups were facing in getting zoning licenses and other permits to build mosques as part of the free exercise of religion which is enshrined in our Constitution.”

Recalling the hate crimes in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Perez in his testimony acknowledged that “the federal government, under President George W. Bush’s leadership, responded forcefully. The Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section created a task force to address hate crimes, and the civil litigating sections ramped up their work to combat discrimination in schools, in the workplace and in places of public accommodation.”

The top Justice Department official said, “Our predecessor built a solid foundation. Over the last two years, we have worked to build upon that foundation and expand our efforts to engage with the Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian community and ensure we are fulfilling our responsibility to protect their civil rights.”

Muslim groups thanked Durbin for holding the hearing and also lauded the ranking minority member on the panel, Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, for providing a counter-approach to many in his own party, by admonishing those who unleash hate speech against Muslims as “putting our soldiers at risk.”

Graham emphasized the need of protecting the civil rights of Muslim Americans and uniting them rather than marginalizing them in the struggle against radical extremism.

Durbin, in his opening remarks, recounted a number of cases of harsh language directed against Muslims including a leading member of Congress who declared, “there are too many mosques in this country;” a former House speaker who had falsely claimed, “America is experiencing an Islamist cultural-political offensive designed to undermine and destroy our civilization;” a prominent religious leader who said Islam is “wicked” and “evil;” and the publisher of a prominent magazine who said, “Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims.”

Durbin said, “It is our government’s responsibility to prevent and prosecute these kinds of discrimination. Those of us in public life have a responsibility to choose our words carefully; we must condemn anti-Muslim bigotry.”

Another witness, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, said, “As other countries wrestle with how to treat religious minorities, let them look to our nation, as we can ensure our Muslim sisters and brothers are treated with dignity.”

The Council on American Islamic Relations, the leading Muslim-American civil rights group in the country, which had been castigated by King, who alleged it had ties to terrorist groups like Hamas, said , “Subcommittee Chairman Durbin demonstrates true leadership in seeking to reinforce the rights of a minority faith.”

CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor declared, “The (Durbin) hearing rebuts the violent extremists who claim Islam cannot get fair treatment in America.”

By Aziz Haniffa, India Abroad, 7 April 2011.