Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) pummeled the Republicans for their xenophobia and racism following calls to create  Muslim patrols  in the United States in response to the terror attack in Brussels. Takono, whose parents were interned in concentration camps by the United States during World War II, said: Responding to Brussels [terror attacks] by advocating for patrols of Muslim neighborhoods or suggesting that we torture our enemies is not only counterproductive, it violates the moral code that separates us from our enemies. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktJsrBrUIBw]Takano compared today s Islamophobia with the way his own family as well as over 100,000 Japanese Americans were treated in the U.S. during World War II when they were singled out and relocated to concentration camps for simply being Japanese. Takono said:Seventy years ago, my parents and grandparents were held prisoner during World War II without trial and without a reason other than their Japanese heritage. In that moment, no one was willing to speak up for them. We cannot ignore the lessons of history. Takono was responding to Republican calls to target Muslim communities in the wake of the Brussels attacks. Senator and presidential contender Ted Cruz has called for draconian measures including  Muslim patrols. He said: We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized. Not to be outdone, Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump also called for targeting Muslims. He echoed Ted Cruz s calls to patrol Muslim communities and he also advocated for the use of torture.Takono s impassioned speech should be a wakeup call for Republicans, whose divisive rhetoric and Islamophobia will divide Americans rather than unite it and make it safer. Featured image via video screenshot.