President Obama's Lessons on Religious Freedom
02/05/2016 07:30 am ET
Michael Stark
Earlier this week, for the first time in his presidency, Barack Obama visited a mosque in the United States.
Obama's speech at the Islamic Society of Baltimore should be cherished and applauded for its embrace of the freedom of religion. Some current presidential candidates, specifically from the Republican party, have spoken harmful words towards the Muslim community in America and across the globe. Sadly, this continues to perpetuate an unjust fear of the overwhelming majority of Muslims due the ugly and violent interpretation of Islam by groups like ISIS.
Obama, however, sought to set a corrective and peaceful tone towards Islam and the freedom of religion in general. First, by calling out years of suspicion that he is a Muslim, Obama is bringing Islamophobia to light. In the last eight years since Obama has been in the spotlight, many Americans, Christians included, have questioned whether or not Obama is a Muslim. Yet suspicion about Obama is really about Muslims in general. The tone behind the "Obama is a Muslim" rhetoric is a fearful one that purports that Muslims are somehow deceitful and dangerous to others. This is patently false, and Obama pointed that out in Baltimore. He specifically called out the good and faithful citizenry of Muslims in America by feeding the poor, caring for the ill, and supporting the needy. Specifically, Obama cited Muslims in Kenya protecting Christians from terrorists. Like Christians and Jews, Muslims are peaceful and loving towards their neighbors.
Second, Obama, unlike some of the current Republican candidates for president, is serious about the freedom of religion. Obama said, "if we're serious about freedom of religion -- and I'm speaking now to my fellow Christians who remain the majority in this country -- we have to understand an attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths. And when any religious group is targeted, we all have a responsibility to speak up."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-stark/president-obamas-lessons_b_9166886.html
