Muslims here praise Obama’s outreach
Leaders of Richmond's Muslim community said they are pleased with President Barack Obama's speech yesterday in Cairo, not just because they're Muslims but also because they're Americans.
"There's a lot of excitement," said Imam Ammar Amonette of the Islamic Center of Virginia. Obama "addressed both the American Muslim community and our history and our part in America, as well as acknowledged the Muslim world as a whole and the need for a new beginning of mutual respect and recognizing problems."
Obama, speaking at a seat of Islamic learning in Cairo, delivered a 55-minute speech that was suffused with respect for touchstones of Islam. The overture was watched intently by Muslims worldwide.
"You can't overstate this," Amonette said. "It's seen abroad and here as a very, very important speech."
Imad Damaj, president of the Virginia Muslim Coalition for Public Affairs, said he is "full of hope" after hearing Obama's address.
"As an American from a Muslim faith, I am so grateful to be part of our great nation, and I am so proud of our president, and I am very hopeful for a better future for all of us," he said.
Ali Faruk, 25, a board member of the Virginia Muslim Coalition for Public Affairs, praised Obama as an exceptional communicator, "a leader who could define reality in a constructive way and communicate the vision."
He added: "It's one thing to say terrorists are evil, and it's another to say that the bulk of people who have died at the hands of these extremists are Muslims. There's a common enemy."
Obama also called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state and for Israel to freeze settlements in the West Bank.
In Richmond's Jewish community, Rabbi Ben Romer of Congregation Or Ami said he didn't think the president's speech had endangered America's relationship with Israel.
"I think what he said was powerful, meaningful, appropriate and diplomatic, something that works a lot better than shooting people. . . . I think this helps move America into a position where it can help speak with many Muslim nations and be accepted as an intermediary."
The timing of the speech gave it additional significance for Amonette. While President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton made gestures toward the Islamic community, Obama made a major speech at the beginning of his administration.
"It's not an afterthought," Amonette said. "For him to make that effort says a lot."
Obama gained credence in the Muslim world, Amonette said, by acknowledging Muslim contributions to world culture and science and recalling that a Muslim nation, Morocco, was the first to recognize American independence.
"Muslims all over the world know all of these things by heart. They are not used to hearing them coming from Washington," he said.
Amonette also was encouraged by Obama's reference to shared principles between Islam and the American way of life such as "justice and tolerance and dignity, not preaching to Muslims but acknowledging that we share these things."
Damaj noted that actions will need to follow on the part of the Americans, Israelis and Arabs.
"It's a good start, setting the tone," he said. "Now, we want action to follow words from all sides."
Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Reader Reactions
One nation under GOD, My how things change! CHANGE,,,, KEY WORD!!!
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all,SUCK UPS!
God in Islam vs. God in Christianity Islam vigorously rejects the Christian belief!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!
Greta,you’re dead on.I just wish more people would notice what an empty suit this guy is,All the fawning is ridiculous.To me its not how he says it but what he says which is not much.
I also wish Obama would spend less time criticizing and apologizing for the USA.Those seem to be his favorite topic when he’s abroad.His biggest enemy is Rush Limbaugh.
“In sum, great presentation,mediocre substance and a seeming failure to recognize it’s all about policy, not respect. The problem with Obama’s ‘approach’ to rrlations with the middle east is that US policy is being rebooted into the same decrepit operating system.“
NYT-6/5/09-Mouin Rabbani-middle east analyst and commentator, based in Amman, Jordan.
That is what I meant about approach. Nothing new here.
And right from the mouth of the muslims that he most wanted to reach-
“The US government seeks to transform this (its) image, I say thatn this will not be achieved by talking, speech and slogans. Even if he (Obama) delivers hundreds of speeches and talks very sweetly, there will be not be a change in how the Islamioc countries perceive the US.“
Ayatollah Khamenei.
And you are crazy if you do not recognize that what Mr. Obama does best and most consistently is attempt to NOT UPSET ANYONE. At least to the point that the fall out misses him completely. That is known in the business as the politics of personality. It is extremely effective for a time. You know the old adage “you can fool most of the people some of the time?“ etc.
The hearts of the peoples and their leaders that were mesmerized for a short time are already reverting to business as usual.
Once they shake the rethorical fog out of their brain the the semi-mass hysteria has subsided, they get the idea that the man WAS the message. And they have heard it all before. Just not presented so well with such a winning smile…
LOL. How many Non-Muslims took over the American Embassy in Iran in 1979? How many non-Muslims flew planes into the sides of buildings on 9/11? How many people of other religions have blown up restaurants in Israel? How many Non-Muslims were on the squad that murdered the Israeli athletes during the 1972 Olympics? How many non-Muslims have bombed trains in Spain and England? How many Non-Muslims were involved in the bombing of the TWA Flight over Lockerbie, Scotland? How many non-Muslims were on the squad of terrorists who massacred children in the school in Russia?
greta,
You are crazy if you don’t believe that it was a new approach! Agreed, I don’t think the ideas were anything new. But there is a lot to be said for how you articulate very difficult subject matter. Obama faced the most difficult issues of our time HEAD ON without upsetting anyone. He made people feel that they had hope of coming together.
I think if you can win over the hearts of the people, the governments will follow suit!
Mr. Obama’s speech contained not one single new idea or approach.
It was filled with all the old platitudes that every American president has pandered with for decades.
A good place to start Cairo, Egypt? Who America has been bribing for years so that they might maintain an uneasy peace with Isreal. They recieve almost as much foreign aid as Israel.
Mubarak will embrace Obama as he has former presidents as long as the money keeps rolling in.
An 80 year old man with no notes put Barack Obama to shame this morning.
His speech was not only touching it was also realistic and honestly human.
The muslims of the world should have been insulted by the rehashed blend of Obamaspeak they were treated to today.
Mr. Obama’s three under-thirty writers seem to read a rest. The rhetoric lately has been stale and repetitive.
Their lack of real life experience is beginning to show big time…
DarnYankee: You are correct; talk IS cheap. And I will take your advice and be wary of “radical” Islamic populations the same way I am wary of radical Christian populations such as Operation Rescue, Davidians, the New LDS and any other group who preaches exclusionary religion. What’s that? You forgot that good ole white American Christians can also be murderous radicals? It wasn’t too long ago that the KKK was organized in the south congregation by congregation. What about the murder via bombing of little girls attending church? Wasn’t that radicalism?
And as far as your indictment of the Middle East region, yes there are radicals there just as there are radicals here. And just so you don’t end up being a hypocrite, be sure to count “one Saudi Arabia, two Saudi Arabia, three Saudi Arabia, etc…“ next time you stick that gas nozzle in your car to fill up. Because its your money—and my money and everyone else’s money—that’s financing that radicalism you are wary of.
Seems to me that makes us part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Thank God we have a President who at least has taken the bold step to start the dialogue that just might someday bring about regional stability in the Middle East.
Thanks for offering unsolicited advice based upon your assumptions of my spiritual inclinations, but you do realize that everyone who isn’t a Christian or a Muslim isn’t an atheist, don’t you? I know, I know… it’s so much easier to see the world in black and white, but that simply doesn’t apply here.
I am not an atheist, but if I was, I wouldn’t feel threatened by Muslims and Islam in general, despite the fearmongering which so pervades discussions like these. There are jerks in every denomination of religion. Frankly, I’m more scared of the religious zealots of the homegrown variety as I see them as more of a threat to my personal liberty than anyone in the Middle East.
This speech was just the opening of a dialogue. Conversation comes before action. Those clamoring for action weren’t listening closely enough. That will take time.
Talk is cheap, on both sides of this issue. Actions speak louder than words and the support that countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and others provide to terror groups, radical madrasahs etc. speaks volumes. Until we see these states arresting, prosecuting and punishing terrorists, closing the radical madrasahs and supporting schools that teach “Islam as a relgion of peace,“ the US should be very wary of both Islamist nations and the Islamic populations within our borders.
I would also remind 12steprevenge, graverobber and others here that the radical Islamists hate atheists with as much passion as they hate non-muslims.
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