I am breaking my promise and
sending you the following items distributed by ISNA.
From: Sayyid M. Syeed
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2010 9:20 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Obama's speech at the Iftar party today in the White House
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________________________
August 13, 2010
Obama’s speech delivered at
the Iftar Dinner today in the White House
Good evening. Welcome to the
White House. To you, to Muslim Americans across our country, and to more
than one billion Muslims around the world, I extend my best wishes on this holy
month. Ramadan Kareem. I want to welcome members of the diplomatic
corps; members of my administration; and Members of Congress, including Rush
Holt, John Conyers, and Andre Carson, who is one of two Muslim American Members
of Congress, along with Keith Ellison.
Here at the White House, we have a
tradition of hosting iftars that goes back several years, just as we host
Christmas parties, seders, and Diwali celebrations. These events celebrate the
role of faith in the lives of the American people. They remind us of the basic
truth that we are all children of God, and we all draw strength and a sense of
purpose from our beliefs.
These events are also an affirmation
of who we are as Americans. Our Founders understood that the best way to honor
the place of faith in the lives of our people was to protect their freedom to
practice religion. In the Virginia Act for Establishing Religion Freedom,
Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men shall be free to profess, and by
argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion.” The First
Amendment of our Constitution established the freedom of religion as the law of
the land. And that right has been upheld ever since.
Indeed, over the course of our
history, religion has flourished within our borders precisely because Americans
have had the right to worship as they choose – including the right to believe
in no religion at all. And it is a testament to the wisdom of our Founders that
America remains deeply religious – a nation where the ability of peoples
of different faiths to coexist peacefully and with mutual respect for one
another stands in contrast to the religious conflict that persists around the
globe.
That is not to say that religion is
without controversy. Recently, attention has been focused on the construction
of mosques in certain communities – particularly in New York. Now, we
must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of
lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our
country. The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is
unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground
Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.
But let me be clear: as a citizen,
and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their
religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a
place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan,
in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our
commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people
of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently
by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must
endure.
We must never forget those who we
lost so tragically on 9/11, and we must always honor those who have led our
response to that attack – from the firefighters who charged up
smoke-filled staircases, to our troops who are serving in Afghanistan today.
And let us always remember who we are fighting against, and what we are
fighting for. Our enemies respect no freedom of religion. Al Qaeda’s
cause is not Islam – it is a gross distortion of Islam. These are not
religious leaders – these are terrorists who murder innocent men, women
and children. In fact, al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any
other religion – and that list of victims includes innocent Muslims who
were killed on 9/11.
That is who we are fighting against.
And the reason that we will win this fight is not simply the strength of our
arms – it is the strength of our values. The democracy that we uphold.
The freedoms that we cherish. The laws that we apply without regard to race or
religion; wealth or status. Our capacity to show not merely tolerance, but
respect to those who are different from us – a way of life that stands in
stark contrast to the nihilism of those who attacked us on that September
morning, and who continue to plot against us today.
In my inaugural address, I said that
our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of
Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are
shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth. That
diversity can bring difficult debates. Indeed, past eras have seen
controversies about the construction of synagogues or Catholic churches. But time
and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these
issues, stay true to our core values, and emerge stronger for it. So it must be
– and will be – today.
Tonight, we are reminded that Ramadan
is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity. And Ramadan is a
reminder that Islam has always been part of America. The first Muslim
ambassador to the United States, from Tunisia, was hosted by President
Jefferson, who arranged a sunset dinner for his guest because it was Ramadan—making
it the first known iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago.
Like so many other immigrants,
generations of Muslims came here to forge their future. They became farmers and
merchants, worked in mills and factories, and helped lay the railroads.
They helped build America. They founded the first Islamic center in New
York City in the 1890s. They built America’s first mosque on the
prairie of North Dakota. And perhaps the oldest surviving mosque in
America—still in use today—is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Today, our nation is strengthened by
millions of Muslim Americans. They excel in every walk of life. Muslim
American communities—including mosques in all fifty states—also
serve their neighbors. Muslim Americans protect our communities as police,
firefighters and first responders. Muslim American clerics have spoken
out against terror and extremism, reaffirming that Islam teaches that one must
save human life, not take it. And Muslim Americans serve with honor in our
military. At next week’s iftar at the Pentagon, tribute will be
paid to three soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and now rest among the
heroes of Arlington National Cemetery.
These Muslim Americans died for the
security that we depend upon, and the freedoms that we cherish. They are part
of an unbroken line of Americans that stretches back to our Founding; Americans
of all faiths who have served and sacrificed to extend the promise of America
to new generations, and to ensure that what is exceptional about America is protected
– our commitment to stay true to our core values, and our ability to
perfect our union.
For in the end, we remain “one
nation, under God, indivisible.” And we can only achieve “liberty
and justice for all” if we live by that one rule at the heart of every
religion, including Islam—that we do unto others as we would have them do
unto us.
Thank you all for being here, and I
wish you a blessed Ramadan. And with that, let’s ea
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed,
National Director
Office for Interfaith & Community Alliances
Islamic Society of North America
Phone 202-544-5656 Fax 202-544-6636
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 304
Washington DC 20002
www.ISNA.net