Barack Obama To Muslim-Americans: “Thank You”

Barack Obama on Wednesday offered an impassioned rebuttal of “inexcusable” Republican election-year rhetoric against Muslims as he made his first trip to an American mosque, seven years into his presidency.

It may have been President Barack Obama’s first visit to an American mosque, but his appearance at the Islamic Society of Baltimore on Wednesday was just the latest stop on Obama’s anti-Trump tour.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States after a California couple who killed 14 people last December were described by authorities as radicalise Muslims inspired by Islamic State militants.

Obama also took the time to thank the Muslim-American community for their contributions to society and says that they don’t hear “thank you” enough.

In an interview with Radio Sputnik’s “Loud & Clear”, McCaw said Obama’s visit was “something that communicates from the administration to the American public that yes, Muslims are our neighbors, they contribute to this nation, they are one of us”.

“Most Americans don’t know a Muslim person and only hear about Muslims and Islam from the news after an act of terrorism and from distorted media personnel on TV and films”, he said.

The president touched on pop-culture depictions of Muslims as terrorists.

Mr Obama told the congregation that the mosque, like many in this country, was “an all American story”.

Obama’s motorcade zipped past two women holding signs protesting his visit and equating Islam to terrorism.

He continued by noting that Thomas Jefferson believed religious freedom created a strong civil society, but added another note about the former president: “Thomas Jefferson’s opponents tried to stir things up by suggesting he was a Muslim. You’re Muslim and American”.

The president also asked television writers and producers to create more rounded Muslim characters on their shows. A whole faith and a religious minority would be brought into disrepute, it should not be.

“When politicians insult Muslims, whether overseas or our fellow citizens, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid is called names, that doesn’t make us safer”. “You are Muslim and American”. “I’m in good company”.