Citing instances of “inexcusable political rhetoric against Muslim Americans that have no place in our country”, Obama sought to show solidarity with a community that has been thrust into the campaign debate over national security. “The president said we are Muslims and Americans, and we are part of the fabric of society”.
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Mr. Obama has appeared at mosques elsewhere and has made similar remarks on other occasions, but this was his first visit to an American mosque, a setting Dr. Sherif Elfass, President of the Northern Nevada Muslim Community, says had special impact. 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”.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday slammed anti-Muslim rhetoric and appealed for tolerance for millions of Muslims in the country during his first visit to a U.S. mosque as president.
POTUS later spoke privately with 12 Muslim-American leaders, which included students, activists, Quran scholars and doctors.
He lauded Muslim-Americans who were sports heroes, entrepreneurs and the architect behind the skyscrapers of Chicago.
“As a Muslim I felt honored and humbled that the president of the United States actually went to a mosque”.
Social media users had all kinds of issues with the president’s mosque visit. “No, it’s true. Look it up. We must never give them that legitimacy”.
Mr Obama also moved to reassure Muslim American youth about their place in the nation. “Many Americans hear of Islam only in connection with terror”, Obama said in the city of Baltimore.
“Let me say as clearly as I can as president of the United States: you fit right here”, Obama told the audience.
Speaking to Muslim Americans at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, Obama called for unity among American faith communities, recognized the contributions of Muslim citizens, and asked for Muslims around the world to help combat the extremist ideologies of groups like the Islamic State. Most of the incidents involve vandalism at mosques across the country.
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Almost half of Americans think at least some U.S. Muslims are anti-American, according to a new Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday.
