‘Tue Crry oF New York Orrick oF THE PRESIDENT BorouGH oF MaNHATTAN OTT STRINGER Borough PRESIDENT March 9, 2011 Hon. Peter King Representative, New York’s 3 Congres 339 Cannon House Office Building Washington D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman King | write to urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider your hearing, dubbed “The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and That Community's Response.” Having just lived through a year of intolerance and anti-Muslim rhetoric surrounding the proposed Islamic Cultural Center in downtown Manhattan, I firmly believe that the last thing this city and th nation needs is a public forum that will only serve to legitimize religious and racial discrimination, These hearings will further divide our country and do nothing to make us safer. Let me remind you what is at stake in New York City, which by all accounts remains a top terror target, as evidenced by last summer's attempted bombing of Times Square and other recent threats. The New York City Police Department is struggling to maintain its headcount. The City is in dire need of advancements in anti-terror technology. As Chair of the powerful Homeland Security Committee, you have the unique opportunity to use your role to fight to ensure that the City receives every last dollar of anti-terror funds it needs. Choosing to call instead for a misguided series of hearings that will only serve to detract attention from the real issues at hand is absolutely unconscionable. Our security in part rests on your shoulders, so for you to simply shrug and create needless diversions puts us all in harm’s way. This is not about “political correctness”. This is about choosing to use one of the most powerful positions in Congress to sow fear, rather than enhance public safety. It is the duty of public officials to ensure that all faiths are treated equally and allowed to worship in safety. Singling any group out, based solely on their religion, is an abject violation of the principles upon which this nation was founded, and an insult to the civie foundation upon which our eity is built Asan elected member of Congress from New York, you should understand this better than anyone. 1 implore you to cancel se divisive hearings. Siceni” li Wf Sco M. Sri ct dee Mowictrs: Bunrpina + 1 Centre Sree, 19m FLook + New York, NY 10007 Hone (212) 669-8300 Fax (212) 669-4306 WWW, MANHATTANBP-ORG ‘SP: