Rep. Judy Chu (Photo – Judy Chu office)
In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) issued the following statement:
By News Desk
I will never forget that tragic Tuesday morning 20 years ago, the heroism of the first responders and passengers on Flight 93, the 3,000 people who lost their lives, and the loved ones who continue to mourn them. The attacks on September 11th were attacks on our whole nation, and in the days and weeks that followed, the country came closer together. But many in the Muslim, Middle Eastern, Arab, Sikh, and South Asian communities were excluded from that unity and instead became subject to an increasing atmosphere of suspicion, xenophobia, and violence. Even the US government adopted blatantly prejudiced practices, like surveillance of mosques and their attendees, that stripped many in these communities of their civil rights and contributed to the atmosphere of increased bigotry and hate violence.
And as we have seen, the focus on terrorism from abroad became a political justification for more prejudice. Lies about terrorists at the Southern border or that all Muslims are dangerous were used to justify cruel immigration policies, bans, and more. What’s even worse is that this rhetoric has actually inspired new terrorist threats at home.
The need to keep our country safe from terrorism remains strong, and I am proud that there has not been another major terrorist attack in the 20 years since September 11th, 2001. We can never forget those who died and those heroes who risked everything to save others, and we must ensure those first responders receive the care they need, twenty years later. Neither can we forget the way our reactions led to the erosion of civil liberties for some and inspired violence in others. We must continue to learn from those mistakes and ensure that security does not become an excuse to do harm to other communities of color.
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