9/11 Legacy: Unity, Tolerance; Bush Warned About Danger Of Viewing Islam As The Enemy.
9/11 legacy: unity, tolerance
Bush warned about danger of viewing Islam as the enemy
One island of comfort in those first awful days nine years ago after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., was that we were a nation united. Indeed, we were a world united.
"Nous sommes tous Américains," "We are all Americans," proclaimed the French newspaper Le Monde. Americans living abroad reported an outpouring of sympathy and solidarity.
At home, the story was much the same. We were drawn together by shock, sorrow and a sense of the unique value this country has in a troubled world.
Similar stories:
President Barack Obama's remarks to the Iftar Dinner, as prepared for delivery.
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.
Protestors in Florence are trying to stop construction of a proposed mosque in Northern Kentucky. Controversy has erupted over plans to build an Islamic cultural center two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
They are two of several protests brewing throughout the nation as sentiment against Muslims seems to be growing. But in Lexington and several other Kentucky cities, the climate is much less turbulent.
"The community has not been under any real threat here and has not experienced any violence," said Ihsan Bagby, an associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky who has become a sought-after national expert since plans for the Cordoba House in New York were announced. "So overall I think the experience of Muslims in Kentucky has been very good."
The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Sept. 9:
DON'T FAN THE FLAMES
The small church in Florida that is planning to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11 says it is taking into consideration advice from all around the world not to do so. In recent days, Gen. David H. Petraeus has advised leaders of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., not to go forward with the plan, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton blasted it as "outrageous" and "disgraceful." As of Wednesday, the church still planned to desecrate the holy book of Islam, but Pastor Terry Jones said he was continuing to pray over the decision.
WASHINGTON — Weighing in for the first time on the emotionally charged issue, President Barack Obama gave his blessing Friday to a Muslim group going forward with its plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York, saying, "This is America and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable."
In making his case for supporting the Cordoba House project, Obama, who once taught constitutional law, referred to the Constitution and the words of Thomas Jefferson.
However, the audience to whom he addressed his remarks looked strikingly different from the Founding Fathers: dozens of Muslim-American men and women in politics, government, business, academia, faith and activism, all his guests at a White House iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
A day of mourning for nearly 3,000 Sept. 11 victims began with moments of silence and tears near ground zero, as observers braced for protests over a mosque planned blocks away on what is usually an anniversary free of politics.
Chants of thousands of sign-waving protesters both for and against the Islamic center were expected after an annual observance normally known for a sad litany of families reading names of loved ones lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Speaking at "hallowed ground" at the Pentagon, President Barack Obama alluded to the controversy over a mosque - and a Florida pastor's threat, later rescinded, to burn copies of the Muslim holy book. Obama made it clear that the U.S. is not at war with Islam and called the al-Qaida attackers as "a sorry band of men" who perverted religion.
Drivers were more forgiving in traffic, people were more polite in the most routine transactions, families and friends sought out the simple solace of being together.
In the face of such horror, hatred and loss, we were sustained by our common humanity.
There were isolated hostile acts against Muslims and Arab-Americans in the early days after 9/11, but President George W. Bush made it clear, over and over, that Islam was not our enemy. "Americans understand we fight not a religion; ours is not a campaign against the Muslim faith. Ours is a campaign against evil," he said only weeks after the attacks.
In November of that year, Bush laid out clearly the values the United States represents and the terrorists attacked: "We value the right to speak our minds; for the terrorists, free expression can be grounds for execution. We respect people of all faiths and welcome the free practice of religion; our enemy wants to dictate how to think and how to worship even to their fellow Muslims."
Nine years later, we still value, and protect, the right of individuals to speak out and to practice religion as they choose.
Sadly, people either foolish or opportunistic or both are using those rights in venal attempts to attack the Islamic faith, to try to equate Muslims with terrorists and to attempt to divide a nation whose greatness is unity in diversity.
This nastiness — whether from the mouth of national political figures or an unknown pastor of a tiny congregation in Florida — does nothing to honor the thousands who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
Nor does it help the thousands more who risked life and health to help the victims, much less the thousands who have given their lives since in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We can't speak for the families and loved ones of 9/11 victims, but it is hard to imagine this stream of hate provides them any comfort.
And, of course, sympathy for our country throughout the world diminishes when our image slides from being a shining city on the hill to one of vile intolerance.
On this solemn anniversary, let us honor those who died on 9/11 not by exploiting our differences, but by reaffirming our unity.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/11/1429822/911-legacy-unity-tolerance.html#ixzz0zEgotkl0
Update 9/12:
Bush warned about danger of viewing Islam as the enemy
One island of comfort in those first awful days nine years ago after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., was that we were a nation united. Indeed, we were a world united.
"Nous sommes tous Américains," "We are all Americans," proclaimed the French newspaper Le Monde. Americans living abroad reported an outpouring of sympathy and solidarity.
At home, the story was much the same. We were drawn together by shock, sorrow and a sense of the unique value this country has in a troubled world.
Similar stories:
President Barack Obama's remarks to the Iftar Dinner, as prepared for delivery.
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.
Protestors in Florence are trying to stop construction of a proposed mosque in Northern Kentucky. Controversy has erupted over plans to build an Islamic cultural center two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
They are two of several protests brewing throughout the nation as sentiment against Muslims seems to be growing. But in Lexington and several other Kentucky cities, the climate is much less turbulent.
"The community has not been under any real threat here and has not experienced any violence," said Ihsan Bagby, an associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky who has become a sought-after national expert since plans for the Cordoba House in New York were announced. "So overall I think the experience of Muslims in Kentucky has been very good."
The following editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, Sept. 9:
DON'T FAN THE FLAMES
The small church in Florida that is planning to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11 says it is taking into consideration advice from all around the world not to do so. In recent days, Gen. David H. Petraeus has advised leaders of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., not to go forward with the plan, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton blasted it as "outrageous" and "disgraceful." As of Wednesday, the church still planned to desecrate the holy book of Islam, but Pastor Terry Jones said he was continuing to pray over the decision.
WASHINGTON — Weighing in for the first time on the emotionally charged issue, President Barack Obama gave his blessing Friday to a Muslim group going forward with its plans to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York, saying, "This is America and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable."
In making his case for supporting the Cordoba House project, Obama, who once taught constitutional law, referred to the Constitution and the words of Thomas Jefferson.
However, the audience to whom he addressed his remarks looked strikingly different from the Founding Fathers: dozens of Muslim-American men and women in politics, government, business, academia, faith and activism, all his guests at a White House iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
A day of mourning for nearly 3,000 Sept. 11 victims began with moments of silence and tears near ground zero, as observers braced for protests over a mosque planned blocks away on what is usually an anniversary free of politics.
Chants of thousands of sign-waving protesters both for and against the Islamic center were expected after an annual observance normally known for a sad litany of families reading names of loved ones lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Speaking at "hallowed ground" at the Pentagon, President Barack Obama alluded to the controversy over a mosque - and a Florida pastor's threat, later rescinded, to burn copies of the Muslim holy book. Obama made it clear that the U.S. is not at war with Islam and called the al-Qaida attackers as "a sorry band of men" who perverted religion.
Drivers were more forgiving in traffic, people were more polite in the most routine transactions, families and friends sought out the simple solace of being together.
In the face of such horror, hatred and loss, we were sustained by our common humanity.
There were isolated hostile acts against Muslims and Arab-Americans in the early days after 9/11, but President George W. Bush made it clear, over and over, that Islam was not our enemy. "Americans understand we fight not a religion; ours is not a campaign against the Muslim faith. Ours is a campaign against evil," he said only weeks after the attacks.
In November of that year, Bush laid out clearly the values the United States represents and the terrorists attacked: "We value the right to speak our minds; for the terrorists, free expression can be grounds for execution. We respect people of all faiths and welcome the free practice of religion; our enemy wants to dictate how to think and how to worship even to their fellow Muslims."
Nine years later, we still value, and protect, the right of individuals to speak out and to practice religion as they choose.
Sadly, people either foolish or opportunistic or both are using those rights in venal attempts to attack the Islamic faith, to try to equate Muslims with terrorists and to attempt to divide a nation whose greatness is unity in diversity.
This nastiness — whether from the mouth of national political figures or an unknown pastor of a tiny congregation in Florida — does nothing to honor the thousands who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
Nor does it help the thousands more who risked life and health to help the victims, much less the thousands who have given their lives since in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We can't speak for the families and loved ones of 9/11 victims, but it is hard to imagine this stream of hate provides them any comfort.
And, of course, sympathy for our country throughout the world diminishes when our image slides from being a shining city on the hill to one of vile intolerance.
On this solemn anniversary, let us honor those who died on 9/11 not by exploiting our differences, but by reaffirming our unity.
Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/11/1429822/911-legacy-unity-tolerance.html#ixzz0zEgotkl0
Update 9/12:
Labels: General information
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 6:36 PM
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HARBITUDE - the antidote to dhimmitude!
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