Ellison confronts King on planned Muslim investigations
Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Republican Rep. Peter King of New York says he wants to hold investigations into the “radicalization” of American Muslims in his new position as chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, but Rep. Keith Ellison said on Monday that targeting one community would hamper homeland security efforts.
“I believe it’s important to have this investigation into the radicalization of the Muslim community,” King said in an interview with Fox News this week. “We have to break through this politically correct nonsense which keeps us from debating and discussing what I think is one of the most vitally important issues in this country. We are under siege by Muslim terrorists and yet there are Muslim leaders in this country who do not cooperate with law enforcement.”
Ellison, who became America’s first Muslim member of Congress in 2006, said that investigations like the one proposed by King will not cause members of the community to cooperate with law enforcement. He said it might have the opposite effect. Ellison said he confronted King on the House floor on the issue.
“I got so concerned that when I heard about it I actually approached Congressman King on the House floor and told him that, you know, look, we all need to be concerned about violent radicalization, but not just against Muslims, against anybody,” he said on the Ed Show on MSNBC on Monday. “What about the guy who flew a plane into the IRS or what about the guy who killed a guard at the holocaust museum?”
He said the proposed investigations should include all Americans. “You know it is worthwhile to find out what turns somebody from a normal citizen into a violent radical, but to say that we’re only going to do it against this community and we’re about to change the debate to vilify this community is very scary and clearly has McCarthyistic implications.”
Ellison added, “I’m willing to engage with Congressman King… Let’s investigate this thing in the right way and… enlist Muslim Americans to help safeguard our country… I’m fearful that if you attack an discrete, insular community, you will make people, good people, withdraw, and I would like to see Muslim leaders, if they feel there is some national security threat in their midst, they would feel comfortable talking to the FBI, talking to local law enforcement, and this kind of stuff can really discourage that.”
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16 Comments
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 12:50 pm
It is my understanding that Congressman Peter King is a well known and long time supporter of the IRA
As in Irish Republican Army. Have I ever mentioned that I was raised in a very Irish Republican household in northern Ireland? About 30 miles South West of Belfast?
Perhaps Congressman Ellison could call the FBI and have him brought before the Grand Jury, have his house and offices raided and then smeared and attacked by the corporate media.
Just like the constituents of Congressman Ellison. Those folks in the Anti-War Committee and Women Against Military Madness.
Yeah, I know.. Dream on..
It would take more than a dog and pony show, pseudo democratic process for something like that to happen
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 1:29 pm
Michael, The IRA angle on King is quite well developed based on what I’ve read, but the mainstream media doesn’t seem to find it interesting enough to report. Can you imagine if Ellison sent one dollar to an organization like that in the Islamic world – he’d be ejected from the House.
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 2:03 pm
Susan
I agree 100%..
Can anyone aid me in getting this story out there? I have very direct connections with groups in the north of Ireland..
contact ollamhfaery@earthlink.net
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 2:06 pm
Question is, since Keith Ellison confronted him and these stories about Congressman King having connections to groups supporting the IRA are, as you say, quite developed I have one question.
Simple, direct and logical question.
Why did Keith Ellison not challenge him on this?
Anyone have a thought or an answer?
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
Ellison is a baboon. King is raising a legitimate issue that no one else wants to do because they are afraid of PC. We have imams all over the country telling their followers not to cooperate with police that in its self is a crime.
Just as McCarthy was proved right about communists in govt 40 years later King will win the day
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 8:41 pm
Ellison is obviously protecting his Somali constituents at the expense of the security of the American people.
Minnesota is a hotbed of jihadist recruitment and Peter King should supoena Ellison and get him to testify under oath why he’s protecting these terrorists in return for their votes.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/minnesota-somalia
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
So Folks
Since Dennis is so obviously just a right wing fruit loop who is impervious to facts and logic, I ask the question again.
Congressman Peter King has been a long time supporter of the IRA. So when will Keith Ellison call for FBI raids of his office and home. Then called up before the Grand Jury..
Since constituents of his in the Anti-War Committee and Women Against Military Madness have it happen to him, it should be good enough for Congressman King,, right?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Comment posted December 22, 2010 @ 7:46 am
Or perhaps he’s saying what he means, Dennis: When all Muslims are the target, those who have no involvement with terrorism may not be as interested in tipping off law enforcement if they themselves are being profiled for their faith.
Comment posted December 22, 2010 @ 10:43 am
I would be for this law if we could also pass a law that would investigate ” radicalization” of American Christians..
Comment posted December 22, 2010 @ 11:40 am
So, Dennis, are you claiming that all MN Somalis are terrorists?
Comment posted December 22, 2010 @ 4:28 pm
I’m not sure, Eric. But at least 20 have attended jihadist training according to their own families.
Seems to me that Rep. Peter King should try to find out and Ellison should be cooperating not obstructing.
Comment posted December 23, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
OK
I am responding to Dennis, even though it is my studied opinion that idiots (or in Irish eegits) like him do not deserve any response at all.
So Dennis. Should Congressman King be questioned under oath and asked as to his support of groups affiliated with the IRA?
Of course we all know that Dennis and Congressmann King only seem to have problems with “terrorists” who are dark skinned in color.
The reason that I had declined to ask this before is because I could not care one good God Damn what any right wing fruit loop like Dennis or Congressman King think.
I am more concerned about the lack of action in my own Congressman, Keith Ellison in protecting the Constitution and Bill of Rights and in ending these rotten, illegal, immoral and racist wars. If anything, doing nothing would be a good start. He is aiding them. Not with flowery words but with deeds.
Or indeed “progressives” to ask Congressman Ellison the same very direct questions.
Comment posted December 26, 2010 @ 11:06 am
Congressman Ellison is a strong supporter of increasing trade with the KSA and has spent a great deal of time being entertained by Saudi Royal’s. We know the KSA was the primary funder of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. We know that the hawala “banking” system in the UAE (of which the KSA is part) took in and moved more money from ? this past year than in any other time. We know that Sovereign Wealth Funds are under investigation by the Pentagon as a means by which a nations currency can be undermined….but we’re getting reports of attempts by a wealthy venture capitalist to bring one billion dollars from a SWF to SE Minnesota from an unnamed Middle Eastern source. The corruption in our government is systemic, and because of that corruption we have invaded other countries and committed gross and perverse injustices. Those abuses and betrayals, perpetrated over and over, with attempts at “justice” denied, are what causes any human being to become radicalized. Duh.
Comment posted January 3, 2011 @ 11:45 am
Eyes REALLY Wide Open
You mean the KSA that has very direct ties to…..
George W Bush? Or indeed Saddam Hussein who had very direct ties to….
Ronald Reagan and Donald Rumsfield? Even to the point of pictures taken of Rummy and Saddam. Right AFTER the chemical attack on Kurds in Halabja (spelling wrong) in northern Iraq.
But hell, lets get into the REAL fun.
Like the CIA’s very direct contact with the Pakistani Intelligence, the ISI. Who has very direct ties with Osama Bin Ladin and Al-CIA-DUH, oops, sorry Al-Qaida. So who was in the CIA?
George Bush
Of course the question of Congressman King having very direct ties with the Irish Republican Army remains unanswered and in fact ignored.
Becausre the racist, right wing fruitloops (and even cowards and traitors, just say Valerie Plame) remain unchallenged by “progressives” and “liberals”
Like my Congressman Keith Ellison.
So please, continue with your Kabuki Theatre, psuedo democratic debate.
With your damned eyes sowed shut.
Be aware though. People are starting to wake up.
Pingback posted February 1, 2011 @ 11:01 pm
[...] of American Muslims next month, and he has already taken heat from Muslim leaders and others who are aghast at, for example, King’s suggestion that “80 percent” of [...]
Pingback posted August 4, 2011 @ 8:50 pm
[...] about violent radicalization, but not just against Muslims, against anybody,” Ellison said on MSNBC. “What about the guy who flew a plane into the IRS or what about the guy who killed a [...]
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