Obama: Islamophobic rhetoric ‘has no place in our country’

Before Obama’s remarks, a man and woman did a recitation from the Quran, then an honor guard of two boys and two girls carried the American and Maryland state flags into the mosque.

“Like all Americans, you’re anxious about the threat of terrorism, but on top of that, as Muslim-Americans, you also have another concern, and that is your entire community so often is targeted or blamed for the violent acts of the very few”, Obama said.

But Obama said suggestions that Islam is at the root of the problem only play into terrorist propaganda, weakening USA national security as opposed to strengthening it. He said IS and other extremist groups are desperately working to legitimize themselves by masquerading as religious leaders and holy warriors.

Though Obama did not specifically name anyone who, in his words, resorted to “inexcusable” anti-Muslim rhetoric in the political sphere, White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Tuesday took a clear jab at some Republicans who he said with “an alarming willingness” tried to “marginalize law-abiding, patriotic Muslim Americans”.

Citing the contribution of Muslim-Americans to the U.S., he said that keep the country safe.

Trump, the Republican front-runner, called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States after authorities described a California couple who killed 14 people last December as radicalized Muslims inspired by Islamic State militants. “You’re Muslim and American”.

In a 2011 survey, Pew found that 48 percent of Americans said that relations between Muslims and Westerners were bad.

President Barack Obama visited a mosque in the United States for the first time during his presidency on Wednesday, delivering a stirring address that condemned hateful rhetoric against Muslims and called on Americans of all faiths to stamp out bigotry.

“The notion that America is a war with Islam ignores the fact that the world’s religions are who we are”, Obama said. “We have to respect the fact that we have freedom of religion”, Obama said. Are we going to be rounded up?’ Conversations that you shouldn’t have to have with children.

“I would urge all of you not to see this as a burden but as a great opportunity and a great privilege to show who you are”, he said.

On Wednesday, the president said, “Islam has always been a part of America”.

“We have to understand: An attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths.”

“It’s true. Look it up”.

“It’s appropriate for President Obama to send a similar message just as he sends to synagogues and churches”.

“I am not the first”, he said.