Peter King's Hearings: Fact-finding or Witch-hunting?

In the linked article, the USA Today editorial board presents and discusses their thoughts on the hearings that will be carried out by Rep. Peter King. The article targets an audience that maybe be fearful or judging of Muslim-Americans. It contends that while these hearings stem from legitimate fears, the way in which they are carried out is likely to alieniate Muslim-Americans rather than unite them with the general public. There is not significant evidence, the article claims, that conversion of Muslim-Americans to radical tendencies is greater now than it was before 9-11. In fact, the number of Muslim suspects or perpetrators deviates wildly from year to year from "47 in 2009" to "two in 2008." The article admits that Muslims are more prone than other groups to acts of terrorism by proportion, but it would be ridiculous to write off "more than 20 terrorist plots last year in the USA by non-Muslims." But instead, Peter King argues that the radicalization of American Muslims is our greatest terrorist threat and that the Muslim community has been uncooperative with investigators. However, there are only specific examples to support this, no general statistics. The USA Today editorial article instead proves Muslim Americans are, in fact, cooperative with American authorities regarding suspicious or radical individuals. Of 120 interrupted terrorist plots, 48 of them "came from Muslims," more than "any other source." If we are contending American-Muslims are a great terrorist threat because more of them are suspects or perpetrators by proportion than other groups, then we cannot ignore that by proportion they also provide the most tips that lead to the prevention of acts of terrorism. It is unfair to the American Muslim population, many of whom are loyal to the United States and demonstrate this loyalty, to make sweeping generalizations about the whole based off so few individuals.

I personally agree with the USA Today editiorial board on this issue. I believe Peter King does have good intentions and I applaud his frankness with his beliefs; he does not beat around the bush with manipulated language or political correctness. However, I think his actions are the wrong way to go about finding solutions to a terrorist threat. Hearings that are so obviously focused on Muslim individuals will only alieniate the Islamic population further. Blantantly accusing Muslim leaders of not discouraging radicalism and being intentionally uncooperative with authorities will only send a message to Muslims that the government as a whole is judging them as a whole, and suggests that we are blaming them for not successfully policing every individual. This would be a grandly hypocritical statement, and I hope these hearings do not precede a witch-hunt reminiscent of the Red Scare or trials of Salem.