For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, September 7, 2010

WASHINGTON— In response to recent anti-Muslim dialogue and actions, the Board of Directors of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture issued the following statement:

“The National Religious Campaign Against Torture is deeply concerned about the growing anti-Muslim rhetoric and actions emerging in the United States in the past few months.  While anti-Muslim sentiments, as misguided as they are, are not new to our country, they have become more common, seemingly more accepted, and, thus, more dangerous. 

As a multi-faith organization with members from almost all the major faith groups in the United States, including major Muslim organizations, we at NRCAT are deeply concerned about this development both for the consequences to our country as a whole and to our Muslim friends and colleagues.

Our study of the use of torture has shown us that in order for a human being to engage in the immoral act of torturing another human being, the torturer has to see the tortured as "the other" -- not human, not worthy of inherent dignity and respect.  Many of the comments circulating in the media against Muslims reflect this attitude -- that Muslims are not "us", they are "them".  Once that attitude takes hold, religious values about the dignity of human beings and the importance of the human community dissipate and egregious acts, such as torture, can take place.

People of all religions, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Baha’is, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists should be able to live and flourish in the United States.We are a country founded on religious freedom.  It's what makes us great; it's what stokes our democracy; it's what helps keep us humane. 

We at NRCAT call for the immediate end to all anti-Muslim rhetoric and acts.  We also call on all people of good will to make every effort to bring people of faith together, to work for the common good, and to end torture once and for all.”

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is a growing membership organization committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Since its formation in January 2006, more than 290 religious groups have joined NRCAT, including representatives from the Roman Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Sikh communities. Members include national denominations and faith groups, regional organizations and local congregations.