It is imperative that the People of these United States not follow down the path that has historically led us astray and caused us to turn on our neighbors as well as strangers.

As a colleague of mine–diminutive in stature but great in spirit–once told me, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Forty-two religious and secular organizations united on Thursday in condemning conservative lawmakers’ allegations that Muslim-American individuals connected to the U.S. government may be trying to spread the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.

They directed their criticisms at Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Thomas Rooney (R-Fla.) and Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), who recently wrote to various government agencies and asked them to investigate the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.

via Michele Bachmann’s Muslim Brotherhood Claims Condemned By Catholic Bishops, 41 Other Groups.