Following is the prepared text of President Obama's speech at tonight's Iftar Dinner at the White House, celebrating the end of Ramadan and breaking the Ramadan fast:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________________________
EMBARGOED UNTIL
8:30 PM
ET
August
13, 2010
EMBARGOED UNTIL
8:30 PM ET:
Obama’s remarks as prepared for delivery for this evening’s Iftar Dinner
Good
evening. Welcome to the White House. To you, to Muslim Americans
across our country, and to more than one billion Muslims around the world, I
extend my best wishes on this holy month. Ramadan Kareem. I want to
welcome members of the diplomatic corps; members of my administration; and
Members of Congress, including Rush Holt, John Conyers, and Andre Carson, who
is one of two Muslim American Members of Congress, along with Keith Ellison.
Here
at the White House, we have a tradition of hosting iftars that goes back
several years, just as we host Christmas parties, seders, and Diwali
celebrations. These events celebrate the role of faith in the lives of the
American people. They remind us of the basic truth that we are all children of
God, and we all draw strength and a sense of purpose from our beliefs.
These
events are also an affirmation of who we are as Americans. Our Founders
understood that the best way to honor the place of faith in the lives of our
people was to protect their freedom to practice religion. In the Virginia Act
for Establishing Religion Freedom, Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men shall
be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of
religion.” The First Amendment of our Constitution established the freedom of
religion as the law of the land. And that right has been upheld ever since.
Indeed,
over the course of our history, religion has flourished within our borders
precisely because Americans have had the right to worship as they choose –
including the right to believe in no religion at all. And it is a testament to
the wisdom of our Founders that America remains deeply religious – a nation
where the ability of peoples of different faiths to coexist peacefully and with
mutual respect for one another stands in contrast to the religious conflict
that persists around the globe.
That
is not to say that religion is without controversy. Recently, attention has
been focused on the construction of mosques in certain communities –
particularly in New York. Now, we must all recognize and respect the
sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks
were a deeply traumatic event for our country. The pain and suffering
experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable. So I understand the
emotions that this issue engenders. Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.
But
let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have
the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That
includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on
private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and
ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be
unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this
country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential
to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure.
We
must never forget those who we lost so tragically on 9/11, and we must always honor
those who have led our response to that attack – from the firefighters who
charged up smoke-filled staircases, to our troops who are serving in
Afghanistan today. And let us always remember who we are fighting against, and
what we are fighting for. Our enemies respect no freedom of religion. Al
Qaeda’s cause is not Islam – it is a gross distortion of Islam. These are not
religious leaders – these are terrorists who murder innocent men, women and
children. In fact, al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any other
religion – and that list of victims includes innocent Muslims who were killed
on 9/11.
That
is who we are fighting against. And the reason that we will win this fight is
not simply the strength of our arms – it is the strength of our values. The
democracy that we uphold. The freedoms that we cherish. The laws that we apply
without regard to race or religion; wealth or status. Our capacity to show not
merely tolerance, but respect to those who are different from us – a way of
life that stands in stark contrast to the nihilism of those who attacked us on
that September morning, and who continue to plot against us today.
In
my inaugural address, I said that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a
weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and
Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn
from every end of this Earth. That diversity can bring difficult debates.
Indeed, past eras have seen controversies about the construction of synagogues
or Catholic churches. But time and again, the American people have demonstrated
that we can work through these issues, stay true to our core values, and emerge
stronger for it. So it must be – and will be – today.
Tonight,
we are reminded that Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great
diversity. And Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of
America. The first Muslim ambassador to the United States, from Tunisia, was
hosted by President Jefferson, who arranged a sunset dinner for his guest
because it was Ramadan—making it the first known iftar at the White House, more
than 200 years ago.
Like
so many other immigrants, generations of Muslims came here to forge their
future. They became farmers and merchants, worked in mills and factories, and
helped lay the railroads. They helped build America. They founded
the first Islamic center in New York City in the 1890s. They built
America’s first mosque on the prairie of North Dakota. And perhaps the
oldest surviving mosque in America—still in use today—is in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Today,
our nation is strengthened by millions of Muslim Americans. They excel in every
walk of life. Muslim American communities—including mosques in all fifty
states—also serve their neighbors. Muslim Americans protect our communities as
police, firefighters and first responders. Muslim American clerics have
spoken out against terror and extremism, reaffirming that Islam teaches that
one must save human life, not take it. And Muslim Americans serve with honor in
our military. At next week’s iftar at the Pentagon, tribute will be paid
to three soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and now rest among the heroes of
Arlington National Cemetery.
These
Muslim Americans died for the security that we depend upon, and the freedoms
that we cherish. They are part of an unbroken line of Americans that stretches
back to our Founding; Americans of all faiths who have served and sacrificed to
extend the promise of America to new generations, and to ensure that what is
exceptional about America is protected – our commitment to stay true to our
core values, and our ability to perfect our union.
For
in the end, we remain “one nation, under God, indivisible.” And we can only
achieve “liberty and justice for all” if we live by that one rule at the heart
of every religion, including Islam—that we do unto others as we would have them
do unto us.
Thank
you all for being here, and I wish you a blessed Ramadan. And with that,
let’s eat.
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