censure of Boykin
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ACTION REQUESTED:
CONTACT your elected representatives to urge support for the House
resolution calling on President Bush to clearly censure and reassign Lt.
Gen. William G. Boykin for his intolerant remarks against Muslims and Islam.
TO SEND A LETTER, GO TO: http://capwiz.com/cair/dbq/officials/
Enter your ZIP Code and click on "Go." Then click on "Write to ALL of your
representatives with one click."
CAIR ACTION ALERT #398
SUPPORT HOUSE RESOLUTION TO ‘CENSURE AND REASSIGN’ GEN. BOYKIN
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/28/2003) – CAIR is calling on American Muslims and
other people of conscience to support a resolution that will be introduced
today in the U.S. House of Representatives calling on President Bush to
"clearly censure and reassign" Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin for his
"religiously intolerant remarks against people of the Islamic faith."
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), echoes earlier
statements by American Muslim groups, such as CAIR, which called for
Boykin’s reassignment and urged President Bush to repudiate the general’s
Islamophobic comments. It cites the fact that "Islam is a monotheistic
faith…whose followers are an integral part of the social fabric of
America," that Boykin’s position "requires him to interact routinely with
Muslims," and that his remarks "have impaired the image of the United
States worldwide."
"The introduction of this resolution creates an opportunity for elected
officials of both parties to restate their commitment to religious
tolerance in America and to help repair our nation’s damaged image in the
Muslim world," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We urge President
Bush to follow the will of Congress by taking the actions requested in the
resolution." Awad also thanked Rep. Conyers for his leadership on this
important issue.
Boykin’s views came under scrutiny when media reports revealed that in a
public discussion of his efforts to capture a Muslim Somali warlord, he
said, "I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God
and his was an idol." Speaking in uniform before a Christian group, the
general said America’s "spiritual enemy…will only be defeated if we come
against them in the name of Jesus." Major newspapers around America have
carried a number of editorials in opposition to Boykin’s extremist views.
Since the controversy over his remarks began, Boykin released a statement
claiming he did not mean to insult Islam and the Pentagon launched an
internal investigation into the propriety of his comments.
Co-sponsors to the resolution include: Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Rep.
Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rep. Stephanie
Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY),
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Betty McCullom
(D-MN), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Michael
Honda (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
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