Celebrating a Great Religion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Stick a fork in us — we’re done.

Actually, the most awful thing about this is the realization that the Messiah isn’t that much more of a suck-up to Muslims than G. W. Bush was — just a little bit worse.

Below the jump is a complete transcript via Al-Arabiya of President Barack Hussein Obama’s remarks last night at the White House iftar. Here are a couple of notable quotes:

Tonight’s iftar is a ritual that is also being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states. Islam, as we know, is part of America. And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity — with families that stretch back generations and more recent immigrants; with Muslims of countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.

Indeed, the contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country. American Muslims are successful in business and entertainment; in the arts and athletics; in science and in medicine. Above all, they are successful parents, good neighbors, and active citizens.

And:

Together, we have a responsibility to foster engagement grounded in mutual interest and mutual respect. And that’s one of my fundamental commitments as President, both at home and abroad. That is central to the new beginning that I’ve sought between the United States and Muslims around the world. And that is a commitment that we can renew once again during this holy season.

So tonight, we celebrate a great religion, and its commitment to justice and progress. We honor the contributions of America’s Muslims, and the positive example that so many of them set through their own lives. And we rededicate ourselves to the work of building a better and more hopeful world.

The full text:
– – – – – – – –

Obama’s Remarks at White House Iftar

Just a few other acknowledgements I want to make. We have Senator Richard Lugar here, who’s our Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Where is Dick Lugar? There he is. (Applause.)Representative John Conyers, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (Applause.) Representative Rush Holt is here. Thank you, Rush. (Applause.) Have we found you a seat, Rush? (Laughter.)

REPRESENTATIVE HOLT: I’m on my way to the train. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I got you.

We also have here — Secretary of Defense Gates is here. Secretary Gates. (Applause.) Our Attorney General, Eric Holder. (Applause.) And Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius is here. (Applause.)

And most of all, I want to welcome all the American Muslims from many walks of life who are here. This is just one part of our effort to celebrate Ramadan, and continues a long tradition of hosting iftars here at the White House.

For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection. It’s a time of service and support for those in need. And it is also a time for family and friends to come together in a celebration of their faith, their communities, and the common humanity that all of us share. It is in that spirit that I welcome each and every one of you to the White House.

Tonight’s iftar is a ritual that is also being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states. Islam, as we know, is part of America. And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity — with families that stretch back generations and more recent immigrants; with Muslims of countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.

Indeed, the contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country. American Muslims are successful in business and entertainment; in the arts and athletics; in science and in medicine. Above all, they are successful parents, good neighbors, and active citizens.

So on this occasion, we celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture — in ways both large and small. And with us here tonight, we see just a small sample of those contributions. Let me share a few stories with you briefly.

Elsheba Khan’s son, Kareem, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he lost his life in Iraq. Kareem joined the military as soon as he finished high school. He would go on to win the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, along with the admiration of his fellow soldiers. In describing her son, Elsheba said, “He always wanted to help any way that he could.” Tonight, he’s buried alongside thousands of heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. A crescent is carved into his grave, just as others bear the Christian cross or the Jewish star. These brave Americans are joined in death as they were in life — by a common commitment to their country, and the values that we hold dear.

One of those values is the freedom to practice your religion — a right that is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution. Nashala Hearn, who joins us from Muskogee, Oklahoma, took a stand for that right at an early age. When her school district told her that she couldn’t wear the hijab, she protested that it was a part of her religion. The Department of Justice stood behind her, and she won her right to practice her faith. She even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress. Her words spoke to a tolerance that is far greater than mistrust — when she first wore her headscarf to school, she said, “I received compliments from the other kids.”

Another young woman who has thrived in her school is Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir. She’s not even 5’5 — where’s Bilqis? Right here. Stand up, Bilqis, just so that we — (laughter) — I want everybody to know — she’s got heels on. She’s 5’5 — Bilqis broke Rebecca Lobo’s record for the most points scored by any high school basketball player in Massachusetts history. (Applause.) She recently told a reporter, “I’d like to really inspire a lot of young Muslim girls if they want to play basketball. Anything is possible. They can do it, too.” As an honor student, as an athlete on her way to Memphis, Bilqis is an inspiration not simply to Muslim girls — she’s an inspiration to all of us.Of course, we know that when it comes to athletes who have inspired America, any list would include the man known simply as The Greatest. And while Muhammad Ali could not join us tonight, it is worth reflecting upon his remarkable contributions, as he’s grown from an unmatched fighter in the ring to a man of quiet dignity and grace who continues to fight for what he believes — and that includes the notion that people of all faiths holds things in common. I love this quote. A few years ago, he explained this view — and this is part of why he’s The Greatest — saying, “Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams — they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do — they all contain truths.”

They all contain truths. Among those truths are the pursuit of peace and the dignity of all human beings. That must always form the basis upon which we find common ground. And that is why I am so pleased that we are joined tonight not only by so many outstanding Muslim Americans and representatives of the diplomatic corps, but people of many faiths — Christians, Jews, and Hindus — along with so many prominent Muslims.

Together, we have a responsibility to foster engagement grounded in mutual interest and mutual respect. And that’s one of my fundamental commitments as President, both at home and abroad. That is central to the new beginning that I’ve sought between the United States and Muslims around the world. And that is a commitment that we can renew once again during this holy season.

So tonight, we celebrate a great religion, and its commitment to justice and progress. We honor the contributions of America’s Muslims, and the positive example that so many of them set through their own lives. And we rededicate ourselves to the work of building a better and more hopeful world.

So thanks to all of you for taking the time to be here this evening. I wish you all a very blessed Ramadan. And with that, I think we can start a feast. I don’t know what’s on the menu, but I’m sure it will be good. (Laughter.) Thank you very much, everybody.



Hat tip: TB.

27 thoughts on “Celebrating a Great Religion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

  1. I love the part about Islam’s commitment to “justice and progress.” I almost busted a gut laughing at that one. That Barrack is a comedian.

    Given the brutal treatment of women in Islam, and the fact Muslim countries are for the most part the most backward in the world, Comrade Obama’s comments show the man is nothing more than a willing lapdog for Islam. Bush may have been bad, but with Obama we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. We are so screwed as long as he’s our “President.”

  2. Meanwhile, it appears that similar events are prohibited in “The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act…….”

    SEC. 132A PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES AND INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS
    .
    .
    .
    7) Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of proselytization, consistent with section 132.
    more

  3. American’s may have looked on in disgust at the Quisling acts of European leaders, now Europe looks at America in horror with its real deal Muslim President.

    “White House dates: The president celebrates Ramadan and American Muslims”

    Farewell land of the free.

  4. Obama’s National Socialist and Dhimmitude agendas continues its long march to the promised land of its utopian fantasy…

  5. “with families that stretch back generations”

    Really Obama? I mean, Really!? I dont remember seeing many Mohammed’s or Omar’s in the rolls of the Civil War dead? Hell, what about WW1 or WW2? Maybe a handful? Once again, if you repeat the lie often enough it becomes the truth. At least to soft headed morons with an ideological ax to grind.

  6. Haha, Obama is so bad it’s almost fascinating. Seriously though, I really think we must prepare for the coming collapse of the current political and ideological order in the Western world. Maybe it even needs to collapse. Law and order is rapidly breaking in cities throughout the Western world. We only pay taxes so that our own parasitical and treasonous political class can give people from other nations a comfortable life while they colonize our countries and abuse our children.

    We should stop talking about “fixing the system.” There’s nothing left to fix at this point. We need to concentrate on surviving the coming crash and hopefully be able to regenerate afterward. Maybe Europeans and people of European stock need a “room of our own” in the twenty-first century. Western civilization is first and foremost European civilization. Maybe, in order to preserve this civilization, it is necessary to also preserve the bloodlines of the peoples who have historically crated this civilization.

  7. I love the part about Islam’s commitment to “justice and progress.” I almost busted a gut laughing at that one. That Barrack is a comedian.

    It’s obvious that Barack isn’t Christian. What Christian would say Islam promotes justice? A Muslim would say that, or a dhimmi under threat of death if he doesn’t flatter his masters.

  8. Hi Fjordman,

    “We need to concentrate on surviving the coming crash and hopefully be able to regenerate afterward.”

    Yes! This is the crucial issue for this generation. How can we prevent ourselves getting dragged down with the collapse and renew our society, continuing the themes of western civilisation?

    To do that, we first need a Founding Fathers group tasked with thinking through what needs to be done and how to do it.

    Without that, we’re sunk!

    Best wishes,

    Hal

  9. .
    Ho, ho, ho…..

    …said this allah’s or/and god’s warrier:

    We rededicate ourselves to the work of
    building a better and more hopeful world.

    – Yes, do we not?

    However, the EU leading Quislings who want to take home
    Iraqis from camps in Syria and Somalis from camps in Kenya
    — just a couple of thousends individuals — have got a problem:
    främlingsfienligheten — die Fremdenfeindlichkeit — the xenofobia
    in their home countries is growing alarmingly!
    – Shall they all the same dare to?
    – It is election next year!

  10. “Islam, as we know, is part of America” (Barack Obama)

    “Europe has Muslim roots” (Jacques Chirac)

    Hahaha. Now you’ve become thoroughly French, folks. Unfortunately, French does not mean snails and Jerry Lee Lewis any more, which would certainly seem quite desirable in comparison. French means Muslim (and Socialist).

    Note the “as we know”. This is a fundamental snippet of PC-talk. Such artifacts of language are constantly and surreptitiously inserted into political statements.

    They seem so inocuous that it’s difficult to be alert to what they really are : blatant lies, meant to lend credit to the statement into which they are inserted while providing no proof, arguments or supporting facts whatsoever.

    Such truth-twisters are peppered everywhere in French political and “intellectual” discourse : “Tout le monde sait bien que…” (“As everybody knows…”), “Il va bien falloir que…”, “Que vous le vouliez ou non…” (“Whether you like it or not…”).

    This “Whether you like it or not” is very commonly used, by media figures as well as anonymous militants, to wear down all resistance against immigration and multiculturalism. It has taken the proportions of a mantra.

    It’s really difficult to resist conspiracy theories these days.

    “Islam, as we know, is part of America, with families that stretch back generations”. Listening to the president of the United States telling such an obvious lie is really frightening. This, coming after Obama’s “Muslims have invented the printing press” and Sarkozy’s “Islam is leading in science and the arts” (an approximate quotation).

    What happened while America slept ?

  11. “For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection. It’s a time of service and support for those in need. And it is also a time for family and friends to come together in a celebration of their faith, their communities, and the common humanity that all of us share. It is in that spirit that I welcome each and every one of you to the White House.”

    And also a time of intense rioting at night-time…

  12. Not only the Messiah at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is rubbing the
    Mahoundians the right way – here you see the Merkel doing the same.
    ——————-
    islam.de is proudly reporting:

    In the ramadan message by the U.S. President he turns with unusual words directly to the Muslims.
    and
    VIPs to Iftar — how a Muslim tradition in Germany becomes a dialogue.
    In recent years also cities, municipalities and even government departments – such as the Baden-Wurttemberg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Ulrich Goll (FDP) – skilfully is hosting an Iftar. A beautiful gesture of togetherness and an important symbol of the beginning and fruitful dialogue between government and Muslims.

    When will all of you realize that IT IS FINISHED as the bible
    expresses the unavoidable!

  13. I just realized, in the last two years I have learned more arabic words than I really have cared to. Now I know that it is useful to me. That is more than I can say about all those mindless drones out there who has no idea what islam is about. They just hang on for the ride. Hadn’t it been for the fact that there is millions of mahoundians in our midst, I would have had any need or use at all to learn that spit and hiss-language they call arabic.

  14. Even if I will waste one comment and thus now only have one left, I feel the need to correct my typo from the above message, since it so change the meaning of it:

    I wouldn’t have had any need or use at all to learn that spit and hiss-language they call arabic.

  15. Hussein Obama tells big whoppers to Islam’s credit constantly. Takiya has its prime practitioner in the White House now.

    He said America was one of the biggest Muslim nations (mere wishful thinking at this point).

    At the very least, he’s chief dhimmi but in his heart he’s likely a Muslim. He certainly didn’t learn any Christianity in the black bigot church of Rev. Wright. In fact, black Muslims like Farrakhan got big play by Rev. Wrong.

    Both Hussein’s deserting father and stepfather were Muslim and thanks to his far left wing mother’s pedigree, he was indoctrinated as a child in two totalitarianisms, Islam and communism. He is the toxic offspring of both.

    The sham Christian skipped National Prayer Day and in one of his speeches assured his Muslim friends that Americans do not consider themselves a Christian nation.

    But he’s all hot to trot about Ramadan.

    I fully expected him to come out as a Muslim during his Presidency if his approval ratings had stayed high, as many of the lemmings who voted for him would have converted on the spot to join him.

  16. Well, it’s nice that Nashala Hearn got to wear her hajib to school, but Christian students still can’t celebrate Christmas in their schools, Christians can’t have the Ten Commandments displayed in public places, Christians can’t practice their faith openly in the workplace. With Christianity, it’s always a violation of separation of church and state. Why isn’t that the case with Islam?

  17. Does Obama ever tell the truth about ANYTHING?

    If he said “Good morning” I’d doubt it instantly.

    “…peace and dignity of all human beings… progress and justice…“?

    Islam?

    Obama is either a pathological lair or certifiably insane.

    His tenure will not end well for America. Or the world.

  18. “If he said “Good morning” I’d doubt it instantly.”

    Profitsbeard : a while ago, there was a nice cartoon about the BBC (a den of politically-correct, islamophile and leftist propaganda) by Matt, of the London Daily Telegraph.

    The BBC newscaster was pictured as saying : “It’s 8 p.m. now. No, honestly.”

    In France, we have a damning joke about Le Monde, the intelligentsia newspaper, whose mix of haughtiness and left-leaning opinion masquerading as journalism has been a fixture of the country since the end of WW 2.

    We say : “Nothing is true in Le Monde, not even the date of the day”.

    And that’s a fact : the printed date is the day after publication, because it’s an evening newspaper, and it reaches newsstands in the provinces one day after Paris.

    All that reminds me of Soviet-era jokes.

  19. “I fully expected him to come out as a Muslim during his Presidency if his approval ratings had stayed high, as many of the lemmings who voted for him would have converted on the spot to join him.”

    I have been warning about Obamaham way before the election. I have very good intuition and my gut feeling told me he was a closet mahoundian – for real. What I have seen now, on his almost full year at the helm, only confirms my suspicions. I’m also convinced he will come out of the closet in the next two years or so. Could be sooner, could be later. It’s just not the right time yet. And by that I have reached my limit and has to continue to discuss the topic elsewhere.

  20. I fully expected him to come out as a Muslim during his Presidency if his approval ratings had stayed high, as many of the lemmings who voted for him would have converted on the spot to join him.

    Seeing as how Islam inculcates narcissism, mandatory public displays of “virtue”, and imposing upon others by force, traits all too common on the left, such a mass conversion would not surprise me.

  21. I think he will not openly come out as a Muslim until after he is elected to a second term of office.

    I think most Muslims now know that Obama is a Muslim at heart. Obama’s actions so far confirm that.

  22. DP111: I think he will not openly come out as a Muslim until after he is elected to a second term of office.

    BHO is so self-aggrandizing I could almost imagine him doing just that, if only in order to enter the history books as America’s first Muslim president.

    Gah! Now I need to puke all over again.

Comments are closed.