Jeh Johnson: US ‘Can’t Vilify’ American Muslims or ‘Drive Them Into Hiding’

On Monday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said that the U.S. cannot “vilify” all American Muslims in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France and San Bernardino, CA.

Johnson said, “In the current environment the answer can not be to vilify all American Muslims or to drive them into hiding in this country. Now more than ever we need to work with the Muslim community and it’s not just a monolith it’s communities across the country to encourage them to help us help them of they see somebody traveling the wrong direction in their own community. It is the case, almost always that when someone has self radicalized and is turning to violence there is somebody else that sees the signs. So we need to build bridges build relationships with Muslim communities across this country and not vilify them and not drive them in the exact opposite direction. I think that would be hugely counterproductive to our effort  ”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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