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92_HJ0052
LRB9210584RHrhA
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, All Americans are united in condemning, in the
3 strongest possible terms, the terrorists and their sponsors
4 who planned, supported, and carried out the attacks against
5 the United States on September 11, 2001, and in pursuing all
6 those responsible for the attacks until they are brought to
7 justice; and
8 WHEREAS, Sikh-Americans form a vibrant, peaceful, and
9 law-abiding part of America's people; and
10 WHEREAS, Approximately 500,000 Sikhs reside in the United
11 States and are a vital part of the Nation; and
12 WHEREAS, Sikh-Americans stand resolutely in support of
13 our Government's commitment to bring the terrorists and the
14 people who harbor them to justice; and
15 WHEREAS, The Sikh faith is a distinct religion with a
16 distinct religious and ethnic identity that has its own
17 places of worship and a distinct holy text and religious
18 tenets; and
19 WHEREAS, Many Sikh-Americans, who are easily recognizable
20 by their turbans and beards, which are required articles of
21 their faith, have suffered both verbal and physical assaults
22 as a result of misguided anger toward Arab-Americans and
23 Muslim-Americans in the wake of the September 11, 2001
24 terrorist attack; and
25 WHEREAS, Sikh-Americans, as do all Americans, condemn
26 acts of hate and prejudice against any American; and
27 WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is seriously concerned by
28 the number of hate crimes against Sikh-Americans and other
29 Americans across the Nation that have been reported in the
30 wake of the tragic events of September 11, 2001; therefore,
-2- LRB9210584RHrhA
1 be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
4 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare, in the quest to
5 identify, locate, and bring to justice the perpetrators and
6 sponsors of the terrorists attacks on the United States on
7 September 11, 2001, that the civil rights and civil liberties
8 of all Americans, including Sikh-Americans, should be
9 protected; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That we condemn bigotry and any other act of
11 violence or discrimination against any Americans, including
12 Sikh-Americans; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That we call upon local and Federal law
14 enforcement authorities to work in the prevention of hate
15 crimes against all Americans, including Sikh-Americans; and
16 be it further
17 RESOLVED, That we call upon local and Federal law
18 enforcement authorities to prosecute to the fullest extent of
19 the law all those who commit hate crimes; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21 presented to the Governor of the State of Illinois and to
22 each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.