Larson Condemns Threatened Burning Of the Koran
For Immediate Release: September 9, 2010
Contact: Emily Barocas/202-225-7295
LARSON CONDEMNS THREATENED BURNING OF THE KORAN
Washington, DC -- Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, released the following statement in response to threats from a minister in Florida to burn copies of the Koran, the Islamic holy book, on September 11th.
"The character of this country is built on mutual respect for people of all races, religions and genders. That is why it saddens me to hear my fellow Americans acting in hatred and intolerance towards Muslims and the entire Islamic faith.
"Instead of inciting distrust and magnifying the differences between us, religious leaders should be working to bring together people of all religions to work towards peace and the common good. I was heartened to hear about a church in Tennessee that opened its doors to its Muslim neighbors for their celebration of Ramadan while their Mosque was under construction. It is gestures like that that will make this country a better place and help heal wounds around the world.
"Every member of Congress should condemn any attempt to defame the Islamic faith or incite hostilities between religions. These actions are counter to our American values and have the potential to put our troops abroad in harm's way and help terrorist groups recruit new members."
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