(Image Source: Los Angeles Times)

BY ALANA YOUNG

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

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The highly controversial “Muslim radicalization” hearings began Thursday -- an effort the House Homeland Security Committee says will help pinpoint Muslim terrorists in the U.S. and prevent more terrorist attacks.  

Committee chairman Representative Peter King announced the hearings in February, and has been under fire for charges of encouraging racism and unfairly targeting a religious group.

Testifying at the hearings -- Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the House. He told the committee - Muslims are being singled out.

“It’s true that specific individuals, including some who are Muslims, are violent extremists. However, these are individuals, not entire communities...When you assign their violent actions to the entire community, you assign collective blame to a whole group.”

But an editorial for the Savannah Morning News says “sober, serious” discussion about the threat of radicalized Islam is in the interest of the American people.

“...no other threat is as organized, global or bent on the complete dissolution of Western — and especially American — culture. As such, this threat deserves special attention... For too long, our nation’s leaders have fallen prey to political correctness and an inability to name the threat we face.”

King has reportedly been under police protection since he announced the hearings - but says despite the criticisms he has received, the hearings are imperative to national security.

“...Despite what passes for conventional wisdom in certain circles, there is nothing radical or un-American in holding these hearings. Only Al Qaida and its Islamist affiliates in this country are part of an international threat to our nation.”
 
But The Telegraph reports - some say the hearings mirror the Cold War-era Communist “witch hunts” of the ‘50s led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

And a writer for the Huffington Post worries the hearings will put soldiers overseas in harms’ way -- and play to - quote - “fringe extremists.”

“When [Muslims] hear that the American government considers Islam a threat, and is investigating American Muslims, it only bolsters the message of Al Qaida and other terrorist groups that we are in a war with Islam.”

Congressman King assumed office in 1993 - and represents New York’s 3rd congressional district.

 

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Transcript by Newsy.