David : I might have added the same thing about Jews but it would have been pointless. As for Buddhists, you've got to wonder what he has against them. One theory which is not my own is that his prejudices from a childhood in Indonesia are responsible. Those were years of anti-Chinese bigotry, albeit combined with the fact that a decent % of Indonesian Chinese were pro-Mao. In any case, a lot of Chinese are Buddhists and it would be "natural" for BHO to be anti-Buddhist given his background. As for his professed Christian faith, it seems rather obvious that the last thing he intends to ever do is make any kind of meaningful statement of faith / principles since he disagrees with close to 3/4ths of everything Evangelicals stand for. Billy --------------------------------------------------------------------------- message dated 8/12/2011 10:38:08 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes:
No, which is why I think that he is a Muslim. The old "action speaks louder than words" thing. David _ "There is no virtue in compulsory government charity, and there is no virtue in advocating it. A politician who portrays himself as "caring" and "sensitive" because he wants to expand the government's charitable programs is merely saying that he's willing to try to do good with other people's money. Well, who isn't? And a voter who takes pride in supporting such programs is telling us that he'll do good with his own money -- if a gun is held to his head."--P. J. O'Rourke On 8/12/2011 1:51 PM, [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) wrote: White House honors Muslim Americans at annual Iftar dinner David Nakamura ("The Washington Post," August 10, 2011) Washington D.C., USA - With the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks approaching next month, President Obama told a crowd of about 100 at the White House’s annual Iftar dinner Wednesday evening that “no matter who we are or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God.” Obama played host to a guest list that included Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim American elected to Congress; Hamza Abdullah, a defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals; and Husain Abdullah, a free safety for the Minnesota Vikings. Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Scott Oren, was among 32 ambassadors invited to the dinner, held in the State Dining Room, according to a list provided by the White House. Iftar celebrates the end of the daily fasting period observed for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The annual dinner has become a White House tradition since the 1990s under then-President Clinton. At last year’s iftar, Obama used the occasion to publicly support the building of a mosque in Lower Manhattan, saying, “Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country.” On Wednesday, Obama called the Iftar celebration “quintessentially American,” and he hailed the Muslims who were among the first responders to Ground Zero in 2001. He also recognized family members of Muslims who died in the attacks. “On the 10th anniversary…we know them for what they are: American heroes,” the president said. “It’s worth remembering that these Americans were of many faiths and backgrounds, including proud and patriotic Muslim Americans.” Obama’s complete remarks and a fuller guest list, both provided by the White House, are after the jump. REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT DURING IFTAR DINNER East Room 8:35 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you so much. Everyone, please have a seat, have a seat. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the White House. Tonight is part of a rich tradition here at the White House of celebrating the holy days of many faiths and the diversity that define us as a nation. So these are quintessentially American celebrations -- people of different faiths coming together, with humility before our maker, to reaffirm our obligations to one another, because no matter who we are, or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God. Now, this year, Ramadan is entirely in August. That means the days are long, the weather is hot, and you are hungry. So I will be brief. I want to welcome the members of the diplomatic corps who are here; the members of Congress, including two Muslim American members of Congress — Keith Ellison and Andre Carson; and leaders and officials from across my administration. Thank you all for being here. Please give them a big round of applause. To the millions of Muslim Americans across the United States and more -- the more than one billion Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a time of reflection and a time of devotion. It’s an occasion to join with family and friends in celebration of a faith known for its diversity and a commitment to justice and the dignity of all human beings. So to you and your families, Ramadan Kareem. This evening reminds us of both the timeless teachings of a great religion and the enduring strengths of a great nation. Like so many faiths, Islam has always been part of our American family, and Muslim Americans have long contributed to the strength and character of our country, in all walks of life. This has been especially true over the past 10 years. In one month, we will mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks that brought so much pain to our hearts. It will be a time to honor all those that we’ve lost, the families who carry on their legacy, the heroes who rushed to help that day and all who have served to keep us safe during a difficult decade. And tonight, it’s worth remembering that these Americans were of many faiths and backgrounds, including proud and patriotic Muslim Americans. Muslim Americans were innocent passengers on those planes, including a young married couple looking forward to the birth of their first child. They were workers in the Twin Towers -- Americans by birth and Americans by choice, immigrants who crossed the oceans to give their children a better life. They were cooks and waiters, but also analysts and executives. There, in the towers where they worked, they came together for daily prayers and meals at Iftar. They were looking to the future — getting married, sending their kids to college, enjoying a well-deserved retirement. And they were taken from us much too soon. And today, they live on in the love of their families and a nation that will never forget. And tonight, we’re deeply humbled to be joined by some of these 9/11 families, and I would ask them to stand and be recognized, please. Muslim Americans were first responders — the former police cadet who raced to the scene to help and then was lost when the towers collapsed around him; the EMTs who evacuated so many to safety; the nurse who tended to so many victims; the naval officer at the Pentagon who rushed into the flames and pulled the injured to safety. On this 10th anniversary, we honor these men and women for what they are — American heroes. Nor let us forget that every day for these past 10 years Muslim Americans have helped to protect our communities as police and firefighters, including some who join us tonight. Across our federal government, they keep our homeland secure, they guide our intelligence and counterterrorism efforts and they uphold the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans. So make no mistake, Muslim Americans help to keep us safe. We see this in the brave service of our men and women in uniform, including thousands of Muslim Americans. In a time of war, they volunteered, knowing they could be sent into harm’s way. Our troops come from every corner of our country, with different backgrounds and different beliefs. But every day they come together and succeed together, as one American team. During the 10 hard years of war, our troops have served with excellence and with honor. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice, among them Army Spec. Kareem Khan. Galvanized by 9/11 to serve his country, he gave his life in Iraq and now rests with his fellow heroes at Arlington. And we thank Kareem’ s mother, Elsheba, for being here again tonight. Like Kareem, this generation has earned its place in history, and I would ask all of our service members here tonight — members of the 9/11 Generation — to stand and accept the thanks of our fellow Americans. This year and every year, we must ask ourselves: How do we honor these patriots -- those who died and those who served? In this season of remembrance, the answer is the same as it was 10 Septembers ago. We must be the America they lived for and the America they died for, the America they sacrificed for. An America that doesn’t simply tolerate people of different backgrounds and beliefs, but an America where we are enriched by our diversity. An America where we treat one another with respect and with dignity, remembering that here in the United States there is no “them” or “us;” it’s just us. An America where our fundamental freedoms and inalienable rights are not simply preserved, but continually renewed and refreshed -- among them the right of every person to worship as they choose. An America that stands up for dignity and the rights of people around the world, whether a young person demanding his or her freedom in the Middle East or North Africa, or a hungry child in the Horn of Africa, where we are working to save lives. Put simply, we must be the America that goes forward as one family, like generations before us, pulling together in times of trial, staying true to our core values and emerging even stronger. This is who we are and this is who we must always be. Tonight, as we near a solemn anniversary, I cannot imagine a more fitting wish for our nation. So God bless you all and God bless the United States of America. Thank you. GUEST LIST MEMBERS OF CONGRESS The Honorable Andre Carson, United States Representative The Honorable John Conyers, United States Representative The Honorable Keith Ellison, United States Representative The Honorable Donald Payne, United States Representative DIPLOMATIC CORPS Her Excellency Amina Salum Ali, Ambassador, African Union Mission His Excellency Abdallah Baali, Ambassador, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria His Excellency Yashar Aliyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan Her Excellency Huda Ezra Nonoo, Ambassador of Bahrain His Excellency Akramul Qader, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh His Excellency Bienvenu Joseph Charles Foe-Atangana, Ambassador of Cameroon His Excellency Adam Bechir Mahamoud, Ambassador of the Republic of Chad His Excellency Roble Olhaye, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti His Excellency Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt His Excellency Mory Karamoko Kaba, Ambassador of Guinea His Excellency Bayney Ram Karran, Ambassador of Guyana His Excellency Dino Patti Djalal, Ambassador of Indonesia His Excellency Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaida’ie, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq His Excellency Michael Scott Oren, Ambassador of Israel His Excellency Aziz Mekour, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco Her Excellency Aminata Maiga Djibrilla, Ambassador of Niger Her Excellency Hunaina Sultan Ahmed Al Mughairy, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman His Excellency Husain Haqqani, Ambassador of Pakistan His Excellency Mr. Maen Areikat, Ambassador, PLO Mission His Excellency Ali Bin Fahad Faleh Al-Hajri, Ambassador of the State of Qatar His Excellency Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak, Ambassador of the Russian Federation His Excellency Adel A.M. Al-Jubeir, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Her Excellency Fatou Danielle Diagne, Ambassador of Senegal His Excellency Bockari Kortu Stevens, Ambassador of Sierra Leone His Excellency Subhas Chandra Mungra, Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname His Excellency Mwanaidi Sinare Maajar, Ambassador of Tanzania His Excellency Edawe Limbiye Kadangha Bariki, Ambassador, Togo His Excellency Namik Tan, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey His Excellency Yousif Mana Saeed Alotaiba, Ambassador, United Arab Emirates His Excellency Ilhomjon Tuychievich Nematov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan His Excellency Abdulwahab A. Al Hajjri, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen His Excellency Ufuk Gokcen, Ambassador and Permanent Observer, Organization of the Islamic Conference The Honorable Damir Dzanko, Chargé d’Affaires at Interim of Bosnia The Honorable Sufyan Salman Qudah, Chargé d’Affaires at Interim of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan The Honorable Jetish Jashari, Chargé d’Affaires at Embassy of Republic of Kosovo The Honorable Tarek Ben Youssef, Chargé d’Affaires at Interim of Tunisia COMMUNITY MEMBERS Mr. Hamza Abdullah, Arizona Cardinals Mr. Husain Abdullah, Minnesota Vikings Ms. Dina Amer Mrs. Durriya Badani, Brookings Institute Ms. Faiza Arain, Los Angeles Police Department Dr. Mahmoud Eboo, Aga Khan Mr. Mohamed Ali Malouche, Tunisian American Young Professionals Mr. Akram Syed, National Association of Indian Muslims Mrs. Mansura Shajahan Mr. Yusuf Shajahan Dr. Manzoor Tariq, Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America ____________________________________ -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community _<[email protected]>_ (mailto:[email protected]) Google Group: _http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism_ (http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism) Radical Centrism website and blog: _http://RadicalCentrism.org_ (http://radicalcentrism.org/) -- -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
