Richard Durbin: Fighting For Civil Rights

Richard Durbin
When Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Selma wanting basic human rights like any other person; JFK listened. John F Kennedy was an ambitious man who dreamed of changing the country and helping his fellow man. In 2004 a sixth grader, Nashala Hearin, was told by her teacher that she wasn’t allowed to wear a hijab because it frightened the other children (Somnez). She was an eleven year old girl who happened to be Muslim. When she and other Muslim American citizens felt persecuted because of their religion, Richard Durbin listened to them. Today Richard Durbin is fighting for the basic Civil Rights of American Muslim citizens, he’s risking a career and his own personal safety for them.
Richard Durbin has been a member of the Senate

On March 29, 2011 he held the first congressional hearing on protecting the civil rights of American Muslims (Aklner). He made a monumental stance on the discrimination of innocent people. It shocked and angered many of his fellow constituents in Congress. He risked losing his funding and support from basically every American. He brought to light that there have been significant increases of violence toward Muslims since nine eleven. By confronting this issue once and for all he would have potentially saved the lives of over 12 million Americans (Somnez). He showed the members of the House and Homeland Security Committee that the hateful and discriminatory rhetoric used by religious, military and political leaders is feeding fear and hysteria (Muslims battle to be

Americans who have been in this country for decades are being persecuted from the actions of right winged extremist terrorist groups. 54% of Republicans, 27% of Democrats, and 40% of Independents in the U.S feel unfavorably toward Islam practicing citizens (US Senate). Children of these Americans are being bullied and harassed. In a poll taken by Pew Research Center there is an increase of domestic hate groups. To date, there have been over 800 or more incidents of vandalism, arson, violence, and threats toward Muslim Americans (US Senate). Farhara Khara, head of Muslim advocate, was brought in by Durbin to testify on the mistreatment of people. She recounted how a taxi driver was stabbed by a passenger after being asked if he was Muslim. In addition, a Sikh man was shot to death while pumping gas in Arizona four days after nine eleven because he was mistaken as Muslim (US