At Baltimore mosque, Obama condemns anti-Muslim bigotry

In a gesture that American Muslims say they’ve long waited for, United States president Barack Obama visited the Islamic Society of Baltimore, Maryland, today (Feb. 3) to make a statement opposing bigotry and supporting religious freedom.

For the first time in his term, U.S. President Barack Obama in the United States has visited a mosque.

“We’ve heard inexcusable political rhetoric against Muslim-Americans that has no place in our country”, he said after meeting behind closed doors with Muslim community leaders from around the U.S. He said Muslims, too, are concerned about the threat of terrorism but are too often blamed as a group “for the violent acts of the very few”. “Right here. [This is] right where you belong… you’re not Muslim or American, you’re Muslim and American”. “You’re Muslim-American”, Obama said.

But it was the president’s reference to the impact that rhetoric is having on young Muslim Americans that Dr. Elfass said would have special meaning for his community. “You’re not Muslim or American, you’re Muslim and American”.

For most of his national political life, Obama has been been dogged by rumors that he’s a Muslim and he’s declined to visit an Islamic place of worship in the USA until now. “Sikh-Americans and others who are perceived to be Muslims have been targeted as well”, Obama said.

Making light of politically charged assertions that he is a Muslim, Obama, a Christian, said that founding father Thomas Jefferson was also accused of being a Muslim.

Mr Obama, a Christian, outlined the tenets of Islam, and gave a brief history of Muslims in America. Obama does not another election and this is his final year in office, so he’s stepping into a touchy issue and condemning Islamophobia.

Obama also urged the Muslim community to reject extremism and terrorism. However, when those who say they think religious teachings are the bigger problem are asked to specify which religions they think are problematic, Islam is the most common response offered, it said.

Islam is just as “normal” an American religion as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism – or any other faith.

“Whoever wants to enter paradise, the Prophet Mohammad taught, let him treat people the way he would love to be treated”, Obama said.

“A girl from OH, 13 years old, told me ‘I’m scared, ‘” Obama said.