December 1999
In a town hall meeting with high school students this afternoon, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy decried what he called the "abysmal ignorance" of Islam and the Muslim world in the United States and called on Americans to search for greater understanding of Islam and Muslims.
In his remarks on changes he has seen since his appointment to the Court and his hopes for the future, Justice Kennedy said that "I hope that in the next century we will come to terms with our abysmal ignorance of the Muslim world. Muslims aren't a bunch of wackos and nuts. They are decent, brilliant, talented people with a great civilization and traditions of their own, including legal traditions. Americans know nothing about them. There are people in that part of the world with whom we are simply out of touch. That's a great challenge for the next century."
The town hall meeting in which these excellent remarks were made can be viewed in Realvideo on C-Span's website. They occur about 57 minutes into his dialogue with the students.
Please thank Justice Kennedy for his thoughtful and timely remarks and
leadership on this crucial issue.
Write to:
From: Michel Shehadeh
ADC Action Alert:
Please Thank Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy for Denouncing
Anti-Muslim Ignorance!
Justice Anthony Kennedy
United States Supreme Court
One 1st Street NE
Washington DC 20543