San Francisco, CA: December 9, 2015. (PCP) Asian Americans Advancing Justice condemns the Islamophobic and hateful rhetoric directed at our Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities during this election cycle and in response to mass shootings in San Bernardino and Paris. As organizations rooted in five major U.S. cities and representing the interests of Asian and Pacific Islanders in the U.S., we believe it is our responsibility to remind our nation that the United States is a country founded by immigrants fleeing religious persecution. American values require that we stand with our AMEMSA communities and remain committed to our shared notions of fairness and equality. We know what happens when we do not govern our country by these core values. We encounter historical injustices, like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the mass incarceration of over 110,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry into concentration camps. AMEMSA communities have been subjected to an increased wave of hate incidents in the aftermath of political hate speech by some candidates following recent events. Political candidates are engaging in in dangerous rhetorical speech that may be creating a dangerous environment for AMEMSA communities. Some have gone so far as to suggest they do not know whether they would have supported Japanese Internment, a moment in American history that has resoundingly been rejected as a shameful and proven unconstitutional. We call upon the public and our elected leaders and those seeking elected office to reject Islamophobia and ensure that AMEMSA communities are a protected and respected part of our America. We must not allow AMEMSA communities to be scapegoated. The U.S. must reject racial and religious profiling. It is ineffective, morally wrong and does not reflect our values as a country founded by those fleeing religious persecution.