[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 191 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)] [House] [Page H8732] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ANTI-MUSLIM BIGOTRY The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Murphy) for 5 minutes. Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, last week the giant home improvement chain Lowe's decided to pull their ads from a new show on The Learning Channel called ``All-American Muslim.'' Now, this show depicts five Muslim American families of Lebanese descent from Dearborn, Michigan, and highlights how their faith affects their lives and their families. The show is aptly titled because it shows Muslim families to be exactly what they are in this situation, and millions like them around the Nation. They're Americans. They face problems just like the rest of us. The only difference is that they worship at a different church. {time} 1010 Lowe's pulled these ads because one right-wing anti-Muslim group in Florida said that the show hides the ``true agenda'' of Islam, which, according to this group, is to destroy America. Now, this kind of anti-Muslim bigotry isn't new. It seems like every month we're being warned by a new radical group about the creep of sharia law or that a peaceful mosque is being run out of a community or that a radical pastor is burning the Koran on television. It's one thing when a fringe group or a radical, unhinged pastor is doing it; but it's quite another when a Fortune 100 company is endorsing this nonsense. Lowe's defends itself by saying it's pulling these ads because some of their customers had ``strong political and social views on this topic.'' Well, congratulations to Lowe's for acknowledging that there are some really bigoted people in the world, but that doesn't mean that Lowe's or any other company should acquiesce to this kind of behavior. For instance, there are, unfortunately, a lot of people out there who still hold racist views about African Americans, but I don't think that that means Lowe's is going to be pulling its ads from television shows featuring African Americans. Lowe's also says it's sorry for walking into a ``hotly contested debate.'' Well, what debate are they talking about? Yes, we face threats from a fringe sect of radical, anti-American Islamists; but there is no debate that the millions of patriotic, peace-loving Muslims who live in this country have no connection to that movement and do nothing except strengthen the fabric of our Nation. Now, maybe you think this is just a minor sideshow and that Congress shouldn't be talking about it on this floor. I submit to you that you're dead wrong. This is a major American company that is rubber- stamping basic, foundational bigotry against a major American religious group. This Nation was founded on the principle of religious freedom, and this body should never remain silent when a group of people is marginalized just because it worships a different God. Though we've certainly got more important things to worry about, like fixing the economy, it has traditionally been during bad economic times that this kind of social marginalization has been at its worst because people don't speak up against it. Further, this kind of bias endangers our national security. Denis McDonough, the President's deputy National Security Adviser, recently said that al Qaeda's core recruiting argument is that the West is at war with Islam. With this action, extremists can say, Look, we're already being run out of their neighborhoods. Now we're being run off of their television sets. This kind of anti-Muslim sentiment doesn't just endanger our Nation's soul; it endangers our national security. So here is my message for the folks at Lowe's who made the decision and, frankly, for anybody out there of sound mind who has considered getting behind this growing anti-Muslim bias: You're better than this. You know that the history of this country and of this world never, ever looks kindly on this kind of marginalization that you've endorsed with your actions. Whether it is against Irish Americans or Jewish Americans or African Americans, the history books make sure that this kind of exclusionary politics becomes a stain on the reputation of anyone who takes part in it. Today, I'm leading a group of Member of Congress, calling on Lowe's to reconsider its decision. Listen, we do have a lot to fear when it comes to Islamic groups that seek to do harm to America; but we have nothing to fear from a TV program called ``All-American Muslim,'' and we have nothing to fear from the tens of millions of peace-loving, patriotic Muslim Americans who are just like those who are portrayed in that show. This is America. While we have never been perfect at living up to our founding ideals, we've gotten pretty good at calling out bigotry when we see it and at stamping it out before its mark becomes indelible. This can be one of those moments. ____________________