MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript
Interview
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REP. KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA: Thanks, Ed.
SCHULTZ: -- of this rhetoric? I mean, I think it"s rhetoric. Do you think it"s rhetoric?
ELLISON: You know what? I think it"s scary.
And I got so concerned that when I heard about it, I actually approached Congressman King on the House floor and on told him that, look, we all need to be concerned about violent radicalization, but not just to against Muslims, against anybody. What about the guy who flew the plane into the IRS? What about the guy who killed a guard at the Holocaust Museum? What about all these things that we"ve seen like Timothy McVeigh and other things?
You know, it is worthwhile to find out what turns somebody into--a normal citizen into a violent radical. But to say we"re going to do it only against this community and we"re going to change the debate to vilify this community is very scary and clearly has McCarthyistic implications.
I"m willing to engage with Congressman King and say, look, you want to talk about these things? Let"s do it responsibly, let"s investigate this thing in the right way. Let"s talk about how we"re going to make America safer, and enlist Muslim-Americans to help safeguard our country and look at anybody who might get radicalized.
But I"m fearful, Ed, that if you attack a discreet and insular community, that you will make people, good people, withdraw. And I would like to see Muslim leaders, if they feel that there is some national security threat in their midst feel comfortable talking to the FBI, talking to local law enforcement, and this kind of stuff can really discourage that.
So that"s why I went to Congressman King and said, look, man, you know, if you"re going to do this thing, I want to be talking to you, because I don"t want you to take this awesome power that you have to basically make a community feel more isolated, more alone, and perhaps basically suppress elements.
SCHULTZ: What was his response? I mean, what"s his game plan? What was his response when you challenged him on it?
ELLISON: He said, "We"ll see." You know?
So I"m going to keep on--look, I"m not going to quit. I"m not--because I can"t afford--I cannot afford to not try to engage Congressman King on this thing, because I can"t afford for some alienated, isolated youth who"s been drinking on the milk of some al Qaeda types to feel, well, King is after me, everybody"s after me, I might as well do something sick and crazy.
No. I"m trying to engage people, bring them into the mainstream, so that, you know, people will feel more part of our great country.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
ELLISON: And so I"m going to be talking to him.
SCHULTZ: This is Peter King saying he really doesn"t care if Americans think he"s bigoted. Here he is.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Even though right after 9/11, you said that not all Muslims are responsible for what happened on 9/11, they say you"re a bigot.
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KING: Yes, that"s totally untrue. It"s political correct nonsense.
But I"m willing to take that hit if I have to.
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SCHULTZ: What"s your response to that, Congressman Ellison, political correctness? What"s he talking about, in your opinion?
ELLISON: Well, I think it"s a cavalier, dismissive--a way of dealing with legitimate concerns that people have about his respect for all Americans, including people who are Muslim. I think that he should answer the question rather than just flip it to the side.
I mean, here"s the reality. You know, Congressman King has been documented to have said a number of things that are disturbing. I think that he should answer the question and then demonstrate that he is not on a witch-hunt to just get a certain segment of our American public, the Muslim community.
I think it"s very concerning. What he says about political correctness, that"s another--that is a gentle way that people on the far right engage in discriminatory behavior, but then criticize people who are criticizing them.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
ELLISON: So, if you say that women ought to be equal, they"ll say, oh, that"s politically correct. Oh, you shouldn"t be racist. Oh, you"re making--you"re being political correct. No. Bigotry is wrong, and it"s not politically correct to say so.
SCHULTZ: No doubt.
ELLISON: It"s right to say so. Yes. So, you know, Ed, I"m--I was going to say, I"m just concerned that we need more people engaged, more people involved. We want more people from the Muslim community feeling welcomed, not fewer. And I"m worried about these hearings.
SCHULTZ: Congressman Keith Ellison, always a pleasure. Good to have you with us tonight, and thanks for speaking up. I think the guy is out of bounds and going overboard and playing the fear card.
Thanks so much, Keith.
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