In “Obama Administration’s War on Persecuted Christians,” I recounted the several ways the current U.S. administration has censored, white-washed, and underplayed the ongoing persecution of Christians in the Islamic world. One of the more recent ways this “war of silence” has been waged is by blocking legislation to create a special envoy for religious minorities in the Mideast and Asia. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) introduced the bill which, according to the Washington Post “passed the House by a huge margin” (in fact, by 402 votes to 20). But Sen. James Webb has single-handedly stalled the bill, citing State Department recommendations which depict the bill as “unnecessary, duplicative, and likely counterproductive.”
Yet as Wolf responded: “If I believed that religious minorities, especially in these strategic regions, were getting the attention warranted at the State Department, I would cease in pressing for passage of this legislation. Sadly, that is far from being the case. We must act now…. Time is running out.”
Because time is running out—on several fronts, from the life of the bill to the lives of religious-minorities—Coptic Solidarity, which focused its third annual conference on this matter, has just issued an action alert, with background information and straightforward instructions on how all those concerned for the plight of Christians and other religious minorities can help support the creation of this much-needed special envoy.
While on the Coptic Solidarity website, you can also watch videos of its recent annual conference, which include the speeches of several politicians and lawmaker—including the U.K.’s Lord Alton, Senator Roy Blunt, Congressman Trent Frank, Congressman Joseph Pitts, and Frank Wolf himself—all of whom support this bill.
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