Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday spoke (
full text of remarks) at the Anti-Defamation League's
Centennial Summit in Washington, D.C. In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Holder emphasized the government's commitment to combating those who threaten members of any religious minority. He said in part:
Although many forms of racial and ethnic prejudice may not be as widespread, or as institutionalized, as they were 100 years ago, a recent ADL report shows that anti-Semitism may once again be on the rise in a number of countries around the world. By any measure, it remains disturbingly persistent in the United States, with more than 1,000 documented incidents in 2011 alone....
Then, after speaking of the government's ongoing investigation of the Boston bombings, Holder emphasized:
just as we will pursue relentlessly anyone who would target our people or attempt to terrorize our cities – the Justice Department is firmly committed to protecting innocent people against misguided acts of retaliation.
In the dozen years since 9/11, this commitment has led the Department to investigate more than 800 incidents involving threats, assaults, and acts of vandalism and violence targeting Muslims, Arabs, Sikhs, South Asians, and others who are perceived to be members of these groups....
Only by forging close bonds between these groups can we ensure the safety – and the civil rights – of everyone in this country who may be targeted simply because of who they are, how they look, or what they believe. And only by taking action to address discrimination and preserve religious liberty can we extend these rights to every individual or community of faith whose freedoms – or lives – are threatened.
