Surat Pemuka Katolik Untuk Kongres AS Soal Tuduhan Atas Huma Abedin

July 26, 2012

The Honorable Michele Bachmann The Honorable Trent Franks

103 Cannon House Office Building 2435 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Louie Gohmert The Honorable Thomas Rooney

2440 Rayburn House Office Building 1529 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Lynn Westmoreland

2433 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Trent Franks

2435 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Thomas Rooney

1529 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Rep. Bachman, Rep. Franks, Rep. Gohmert, Rep. Rooney and Rep. Westmoreland:

The 42 undersigned religious, secular, interfaith, advocacy, legal and community organizations

are united by our work to protect religious freedom for all. As such, we write to raise our voices

in protest of your recent letters regarding prominent American Muslim individuals and

organizations. These letters question the loyalty of faithful Americans based on nothing more

than their religious affiliations and what is at best tenuous evidence of their associations.  As

such, your actions have serious implications for religious freedom and the health of our

democracy.

In your open letters to the inspectors general of the Departments of State, Homeland Security,

Defense, and Justice, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, you call for an

investigation into individuals and organizations that you claim may have ties to the Muslim

Brotherhood. The basis for these claims comes primarily from reports by the Center for Security

Policy, known for its consistently anti-Muslim agenda. 

Those you accuse—including Ms. Huma Abedin and leaders of the Islamic Society of North

America, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Muslim Advocates—have lo ng-standing

histories of positive and committed work to strengthen the United States of America.

Furthermore, we take offense to the implications of your actions for the American Muslim

community as a whole, as you give momentum to “guilt by association” accusations and betray

our foundational religious freedoms. 

Senator John McCain (R-AZ) spoke well of the vision of America jeopardized by your approach

when he said: “When anyone, not least a member of Congress, launches specious and degrading

attacks against fellow Americans on the basis of nothing more than fear of who they are and

ignorance of what they stand for, it defames the spirit of our nation, and we all grow poorer

because of it.”  More recently, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) provided a much-needed

reminder about what religious freedom means in the United States: “…the First Amendment

prohibits the government from making a distinction between what is a ‘good religion’ and what is a ‘bad religion.’”

Far from supporting the safety of our country, these accusations distract us from examining

legitimate threats using proven, evidence-based security strategies. Moreover, we know all too

well the danger of casting suspicion on loyal and innocent Americans simply because they hold

particular beliefs. We will not stand idly by and allow our country to revive federal

investigations into innocent individuals based on their religious adherence. We will continue to

speak out in support of people of all faiths and no faith, and the religious freedom of all

Americans to practice—or choose not to practice—a religion without fear of criticism or

suspicion.

Sincerely,

African American Ministers in Action

American Atheists

American Baptist Churches USA

American Civil Liberties Union

American Humanist Association

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Atheist Alliance of America

Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

Camp Quest

Catholics for Choice

Center for Inquiry

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada

Counselors Helping (South) Asians/Indians, Inc. (CHAI)

DignityUSA

Disciples Justice Action Network

Equal Partners in Faith

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations

Faith in Public Life

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Hindu American Foundation

Interfaith Alliance

Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers

NAACP

National Council of Jewish Women

New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good

People for the American Way

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office Of Public Witness

Rabbis for Human Rights-North America

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

Secular Coalition for America

Secular Student Alliance

Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)

Society for Humanistic Judaism

South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

United Church of Christ

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)

Cc: Mr. Charles K. Edwards, Acting Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security;

Ambassador Harold W. Geisel, Deputy Inspector General, Department of State;

Ms. Lynne M. Halbrooks, Acting Inspector General, Department of Defense;

The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General, Department of Justice;

The Honorable I. Charles McCullough III, Inspector General, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.