President Barack Obama Thursday recalled Thomas Jefferson’s commitment to freedom of religion for, “the Jew and Gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan,” and praised Muslim Americans for enriching American lives with their work in wide-ranging fields.
“For more than two centuries, Muslim Americans of all backgrounds — Arab and Asian, African and Latino, black and white — have helped build America as farmers and merchants, factory workers, architects, teachers and community leaders.
“And Muslim Americans have enriched our lives every single day. You’re the doctors we trust with our health, entrepreneurs who create jobs, artists who inspire us, activists for social justice,” he said at a White House reception in honor of Muslim festival of Eid.
The president did not name anyone in his remarks but the statement came after Republican candidate Donald Trump’s proposal to enforce a temporary halt to immigration from Muslim countries and former Speaker House Newt Gingrich’s proposal to give Muslims a belief test to push out those believing in Shariah.
Obama cited a number of outstanding Muslim Americans serving in creative fields and the nation’s security and military institutions.
“So let’s be clear: Muslim Americans are as patriotic, as integrated, as American as any other members of the American family. (Applause.) And whether your family has been here for generations or you’re a new arrival, you’re an essential part of the fabric of our country.”
At the same time, Obama noted these are difficult times for Muslim Americans.
“Now, of course, we can’t deny that we’re in challenging times right now. This is a difficult time for Muslim Americans.”
Touching on some of the challenges, Obama said “singling out Muslim Americans, moreover, feeds the lie of terrorists like ISIL that the West is somehow at war with a religion that includes over a billion adherents.
“That’s not smart national security. In fact, it is ISIL and al Qaeda, and organizations like those that are waging war on Muslim communities, even during the holy month. And discriminating against Muslim Americans is also an affront to the very values that already make our nation great.”
He called for all to reject discrimination.
“So on days like this, and on every day, we need to be clear about what we stand for. Muslim Americans — and all Americans– have to reject hatred. Muslim Americans — and all Americans — have to reject discrimination. Muslim Americans — and all Americans — have to answer those who would peddle hate, or suggest that somehow their interpretations of their faith justify violence.”
He added : “All of us have those obligations — whether we are Christian, or Jew, or Hindu, or Muslim, or of no faith at all. We have to reaffirm that in this country, it is our obligation to abide by the law, to look out for each other, to be part of a single community — and that we can still appreciate our differences and retain those things that are essential to our identities, and still strongly affirm our commitment and our faith in this country.”
Obama referred to suffering inflicted by terrorists during Ramazan, which culminates with Eid festival.
“So during what was a difficult Ramadan, where we saw hundreds of innocent lives taken in Istanbul and Dhaka, and Baghdad and Medina, as well as in Orlando and Nice.”
On Syria, Obama said the brutal images and suffering that are taking place there are heartbreaking.
“And so the message has to be sent that we will stand with our friends and our allies around the world, including Muslim communities; that we will engage with those who want peace; that we will go after those who will harm innocents; that we will encourage dialogue not just between faiths, but oftentimes within the Muslim faith itself, which has driven violence in some parts of the world.
“And in the face of terrorism, we will prevail. But we will prevail by working together, not driving each other apart.”
