Illinois Senator Dick Durbin announced that his Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights will hold a hearing on the civil rights of Muslim Americans on Tuesday, March 29.
“Our Constitution protects the free exercise of religion for all Americans,” Durbin said. “During the course of our history, many religions have faced intolerance. It is important for our generation to renew our founding charter’s commitment to religious diversity and to protect the liberties guaranteed by our Bill of Rights.”
The hearing is in response to the spike in anti-Muslim bigotry in the last year including Quran burnings, restrictions on mosque construction, hate crimes, hate speech, and other forms of discrimination. Next week’s hearing will consider measures to protect the civil rights of American Muslims.
A distinguished panel of witnesses will testify including Muslim civil rights leader Farhana Khera; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick; Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez, the Obama Administration’s top civil rights official; and former Assistant Attorney General Alex Acosta, the Bush Administration’s top civil rights official.
Is this in response to the House's hearing on extremism among Muslim-Americans? Is it better to focus on the threats experienced by one religious minority than on the perceived threat they pose?
