I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.
"We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world - tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.
Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.
So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do - to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.
Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.
As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam - at places like Al-Azhar University - that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.
I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers - Thomas Jefferson - kept in his personal library.
So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.
But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words - within our borders, and around the world. We are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept: E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."
Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores - that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average.
Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.
So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America. And I 'believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.
Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.
For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.
This is a difficult responsibility to embrace. For human history has often been a record of nations and tribes subjugating one another to serve their own interests. Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners of it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; progress must be shared.
That does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite: we must face these tensions squarely. And so in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.
The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all of its forms.
In Ankara, I made clear that America is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.
The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.
Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.
That's why we're partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths - more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace.
We also know that military power alone is not going to solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who have been displaced. And that is why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend upon.
Let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible. Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
Today, America has a dual responsibility: to help Iraq forge a better future - and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July, and to remove all our troops from Iraq by 2012. We will help Iraq train its Security Forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner, and never as a patron.
And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.
So America will defend itself respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.
The second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world.
America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.
You can say what you want, that man clearly has very good writers.
Thoughts?
I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims.
It doesn't matter what he believes in. It's just unfortunate that he can't be honest about it.
He promised a transparent administration.
Mo
06-04-2009, 08:37 AM
You really believe that he's a Muslim? Like... really?
Debaser
06-04-2009, 01:24 PM
is starla serious
Nimrod's Son
06-04-2009, 02:37 PM
I don't care what religion he is, that speech sucked the dick of Islamic Theocracies and put the blame of all of their problems on the west.
The first few paragraphs could have been lifted from a bin Laden speech for crying out loud.
Women should turn their back on this guy... he makes no mention about how Islam treats their women.
Mablak
06-04-2009, 03:45 PM
Oh fuck off.
You really believe that he's a Muslim? Like... really?
is starla serious
.
Luke's Wall
06-04-2009, 03:47 PM
If we can get the "muslin world" on our side, Russia and China better watch out. We cannot pay china what we owe them and the quick fix would be to erase that debt.
Debaser
06-04-2009, 04:26 PM
I don't care what religion he is, that speech sucked the dick of Islamic Theocracies and put the blame of all of their problems on the west.
The first few paragraphs could have been lifted from a bin Laden speech for crying out loud.
not really
Starla
06-04-2009, 04:58 PM
You really believe that he's a Muslim? Like... really?
I'm only basing my opinions on what the man himself says.
And while addressing the Turkish Parliament two months ago, Obama said the United States has been "enriched" by Muslims.
"Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them," Obama said.
sppunk
06-04-2009, 05:04 PM
He means he has lived in a Muslim-majority country. In no way whatsoever does that even closely elude to the fact he is Muslim.
Corganist
06-04-2009, 05:05 PM
He's not saying "I'm one of the Muslims." He's saying "I'm one of the Americans who have Muslims in their families," or "I'm an American who has lived in a Muslim-majority country."
Starla
06-04-2009, 05:14 PM
He clearly said "My muslim faith". It doesn't matter to me what faith he identifies with. I just find it interesting that there's so many people with a need to defend that he's Christian.
sppunk
06-04-2009, 05:22 PM
He didn't say anything about his Muslim faith in the quote you included in your prior post.
Future Boy
06-04-2009, 05:32 PM
Shes talking about the youtube she posted. Not that its much better.
maybe that'll help you out, starla. it's not about defending that he's a christian it's about attacking the idiocy of people claiming he's a muslim
Eulogy
06-04-2009, 05:37 PM
jesus christ, starla. this is why i said you need to stay out of these threads.
Eulogy
06-04-2009, 05:38 PM
Women should turn their back on this guy... he makes no mention about how Islam treats their women.
dude, come on. isn't the idea to reduce the ire those nations feel toward the US and not to raise it? obviously that's an issue that must be dealt with, but right here and right now? probably not. there's nothing obama could say in a speech like this that would have any effect on the lives of muslim women living in muslim nations. you know that.
Debaser
06-04-2009, 05:58 PM
He clearly said "My muslim faith". It doesn't matter to me what faith he identifies with. I just find it interesting that there's so many people with a need to defend that he's Christian.
You're the one bringing this up in the first place.
Do you find it interesting that you have a need to allege that he's Muslim?
Future Boy
06-04-2009, 06:05 PM
oh, here comes the racist stuff. See you all later.
28if
06-04-2009, 06:45 PM
this board is retarded.
Starla
06-04-2009, 06:59 PM
jesus christ, starla. this is why i said you need to stay out of these threads.
why don't you stop acting like a petulant child and find the ignore button. your posts annoy the fuck out of me but I don't bitch about it every chance I get.
Starla
06-04-2009, 07:04 PM
You're the one bringing this up in the first place.
Do you find it interesting that you have a need to allege that he's Muslim?
I don't know if he's Muslim and I already said I don't care if he is. He still slipped up and said "my Muslim faith" lol and you all wanna pretend that's not what came out of his mouth. I'm looking at this objectively but some of you are adamant that he can't possibly...... even identify with Muslim faith. The thought seems to rattle alot of cages. ::shrug::
Mablak
06-04-2009, 07:23 PM
I think some of us are just adamant about interpreting what he said logically, and putting to rest the kind of stupidity that is on equal footing with the people who believe his middle name somehow connects him to Saddam Hussein.
A lot of us here are atheist or agnostic and probably couldn't care less what backwards ideology he believes in, I think the only cage being rattled is that of rationality.
maybe that'll help you out, starla. it's not about defending that he's a christian it's about attacking the idiocy of people claiming he's a muslim
At 2:52 George stephanopolos has to correct him, which I do find interesting.
Anyway, what has always been downplayed is the fact that Obama was once registered as a Muslim in school. It doesn't matter if he was a Muslim then, what matters is that it's carefully swept under the rug now. In addressing the Muslim world, he chooses to leave portions of his past out. I voted for him, so it has nothing to do with racism or my personal feelings. I do think he has beliefs and connections he refuses to make public because people would go nuts if he did.
Starla
06-04-2009, 07:32 PM
I think some of us are just adamant about interpreting what he said logically, and putting to rest the kind of stupidity that is on equal footing with the people who believe his middle name somehow connects him to Saddam Hussein.
A lot of us here are atheist or agnostic and probably couldn't care less what backwards ideology he believes in, I think the only cage being rattled is that of rationality.
it's open to interpretation and I'm simply looking at it objectively. the people up in arms over this are the ones freaking out about making sure he's not seen as a Muslim.
Eulogy
06-04-2009, 07:39 PM
[=Starla;3495943]why don't you like a petulant and find the ignore . your posts annoy the out of me but I don't bitch about it every chance I get.[/QUOTE]
Because I don't flaunt my blatant stupidity and uncanny ability to misinterpret and sensationalize things while not having a clue what I'm talking about. So. Yeah. Look, normally I don't mind your posts, but you repeatedly make a fool of yourself on this board and someone needs to tell you.
Starla
06-04-2009, 07:43 PM
Do you know what looking at something objectively means? you really are a fucking idiot.
Skradgee
06-04-2009, 08:02 PM
Women should turn their back on this guy... he makes no mention about how Islam treats their women.
i guess you didn't get to hear the actual speech, but he does make mention of this...how denying women an education denies them equality...apparently he added in those lines in himself
TuralyonW3
06-04-2009, 08:11 PM
I'm sure he's atheist/agnostic like most intellectuals and is tired of this whole fuckin' charade
Future Boy
06-04-2009, 08:45 PM
Well at least we got the closet atheist group represented in here to offset Starla.
Debaser
06-04-2009, 09:23 PM
Do you know what looking at something objectively means? you really are a fucking idiot.
The man says he's a christian all day, everyday.
He either misspoke in that interview or he is a secret muslim, hiding his faith in order to not lose the votes of bigots.
I don't think an objective person would be so quick to promote the latter, more implausible, theory.
Debaser
06-04-2009, 09:28 PM
Anyway, what has always been downplayed is the fact that Obama was once registered as a Muslim in school.
Your source of this "fact"?
(News organizations have discredited this claim)
Toast
06-04-2009, 10:10 PM
I'm sure he's atheist/agnostic like most intellectuals and is tired of this whole fuckin' charade
Yeah he didn't even join a church until he started his political career.
Eulogy
06-04-2009, 10:58 PM
Do you know what looking at something objectively means? you really are a fucking idiot.
uh, yeah, i do. and whatever "point" you are trying to make has been looked at objectively, subjectively, forwards, backwards, sideways, and upside down about a billion times in the past two years. you don't add anything to any of these conversations and you're annoying as all hell. that said, i'm not helping matters by dragging this out. and you should probably think twice before calling anyone else a "fucking idiot." this is my last response to you in this thread. sorry everyone else.
Trotskilicious
06-05-2009, 02:47 AM
starla i love you
Starla
06-05-2009, 02:53 AM
Your source of this "fact"?
(News organizations have discredited this claim)
what news organizations have discredited this?
Starla
06-05-2009, 03:00 AM
uh, yeah, i do. and whatever "point" you are trying to make has been looked at objectively, subjectively, forwards, backwards, sideways, and upside down about a billion times in the past two years. you don't add anything to any of these conversations and you're annoying as all hell. that said, i'm not helping matters by dragging this out. and you should probably think twice before calling anyone else a "fucking idiot." this is my last response to you in this thread. sorry everyone else.
oh yeah because your bitchy posts really add something important. in fact you've offered nothing at all here. I can deal with your regular annoying posts, but these whiney ones really are the worst. the majority of your posts consists of whining about how other people post. why the fuck do you bother coming to this forum at all??
Starla
06-05-2009, 03:01 AM
starla i love you
you're probably the only one, which is fine by me
Nimrod's Son
06-05-2009, 04:44 AM
i guess you didn't get to hear the actual speech, but he does make mention of this...how denying women an education denies them equality...apparently he added in those lines in himself
I read what was above and saw selections of it on the news... if he did say it, it wasn't reported I'm glad he did though.
dude, come on. isn't the idea to reduce the ire those nations feel toward the US and not to raise it? obviously that's an issue that must be dealt with, but right here and right now? probably not. there's nothing obama could say in a speech like this that would have any effect on the lives of muslim women living in muslim nations. you know that.
You are so ridiculously in the tank it's hilarious. Obama could rape a child on national television and you'll find a way to say it's OK.
So I guess since Obama did talk about it that he thought he could have some effect on the lives of women in Muslim countries, and he agrees with me and not with you.
Eulogy
06-05-2009, 06:52 AM
I read what was above and saw selections of it on the news... if he did say it, it wasn't reported I'm glad he did though.
You are so ridiculously in the tank it's hilarious. Obama could rape a child on national television and you'll find a way to say it's OK.
So I guess since Obama did talk about it that he thought he could have some effect on the lives of women in Muslim countries, and he agrees with me and not with you.
ohhhh come off it. you need to go through my posts a little more carefully, because i have generally stayed out of every obama conversation on this board. i didn't support him in the primaries. i think he's disingenuous. i think he's wrong about what to do with the torture issue. he's being a pussy-ass bitch about don't ask don't tell. i am not and never have been in the tank and for you to say so is to just take the easy way out so you don't have to actually talk about anything.
ugh.
Luke de Spa
06-05-2009, 07:25 AM
Obama could rape a child on national television and you'll find a way to say it's OK.
uh dude he's a muslim, what's the ish
the prophet married a nine year old. it's totally halal
publius clodius
06-05-2009, 10:09 AM
man starla and nimrod are like the bonnie and clyde of trollism
JokeyLoki
06-05-2009, 11:18 AM
So... what was wrong with the speech, exactly?
Debaser
06-05-2009, 11:36 AM
what news organizations have discredited this?
evasion
Debaser
06-05-2009, 11:40 AM
Nothing Extreme About Indonesian School Attended by Obama (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/print?id=2822061)
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
ohnoitsbonnie
06-05-2009, 04:13 PM
Yo debaser you using my site o/
Debaser
06-05-2009, 04:28 PM
\o abc news is your site?
Gish08
06-06-2009, 09:31 AM
He clearly said "My muslim faith". It doesn't matter to me what faith he identifies with. I just find it interesting that there's so many people with a need to defend that he's Christian.
Learn how to fucking read. He did not once say that he is Muslim, and if you somehow think he did (particularly in what you quoted) consider going back to school, you are pretty dumb.
Anyway, I watched the whole speech yesterday. It was very good. I am glad that he is not exclusively backing Israel, rather being realistic and recognizing that regardless of who you think is most to blame, both sides cross the line.
And, honestly, if Obama is truly anything other than a Christian he's either a closet agnostic or atheist.
Future Boy
06-06-2009, 06:55 PM
Learn how to fucking read.
Shes talking about the youtube she posted. Not that its much better.
.
Starla
06-06-2009, 07:24 PM
snopes.com: Who Is Barack Obama? (http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp)
Did you read this? It repeats the same thing I already said.
Starla
06-06-2009, 07:26 PM
Learn how to fucking read. He did not once say that he is Muslim, and if you somehow think he did (particularly in what you quoted) consider going back to school, you are pretty dumb.
Anyway, I watched the whole speech yesterday. It was very good. I am glad that he is not exclusively backing Israel, rather being realistic and recognizing that regardless of who you think is most to blame, both sides cross the line.
And, honestly, if Obama is truly anything other than a Christian he's either a closet agnostic or atheist.
flip flop #1:
During the campaign:
Obama's grandma slams 'untruths' - USATODAY.com (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-03-05-obama-kin_N.htm)
KOGELO, Kenya — American shock jocks, dirty tricks masterminds and political bloggers: Beware the wrath of an 86-year-old Kenyan villager.
A frown replaces the dimpled beam of Sarah Hussein Obama, grandmother of U.S. senator Barack Obama, when asked on Wednesday about recent attacks on her grandson that ******* the spreading of rumors that he is secretly a Muslim and the repeated use of his middle name — Hussein — by a radio host at rally of the Republican presidential candidate.
"Untruths are told that don't have anything to do with what Barack is about," she said in the local Luo language, her gray hair smoothed neatly under a headwrap. "I am very against it."
Obama and fellow senator Hillary Clinton are close in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination after results from races on Tuesday. Clinton, who was trailing Obama, won the crucial states of Texas and Ohio and won big in Rhode Island. Obama's thin lead narrowed further after he only picked up Vermont.
In recent weeks, two Clinton volunteers in the state of Iowa resigned after forwarding false e-mails falsely saying he was a Muslim and a threat to national security. Matt Drudge, who publishes the political blog the Drudge Report, said that he was e-mailed a widely circulated picture of Obama in a turban and robe by the Clinton campaign.
"Bringing such pictures that are trying to imply that not only is he a foreigner, he is a Muslim is wrong, because that is not what he is," scolded Sarah Obama.
The photo was taken when he was presented with the outfit while on a visit to his late father's native Kenya, where many of the family still live. Clinton campaign officials have said they did not condone any such dirty tricks.
Obama's grandfather had converted to Islam from Roman Catholicism and taken the name Hussein, Sarah Obama said, but his children had inherited only the name, not the religion. Each person should be able to choose how they worshipped, she said.
"In the world of today, children have different religions from their parents," she said. She, too, is a Christian.
Now (essentially ignored by the media):
US President Barack Obama’s grandmother perform Haj (http://www.apakistannews.com/us-president-barack-obamas-grandmother-perform-haj-118543)
US President Barack Obama’s grandmother perform Haj
Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 11:14 pm under World News (http://www.apakistannews.com/category/world-news) <script type="text/javascript"> yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = "US President Barack Obama’s grandmother perform Haj"; yahooBuzzArticleId = window.location.href; </script> <script badgetype="text-votes" src="http://d.yimg.com/ds/badge2.js" type="text/javascript"> ARTICLEURL </script>Buzz up! (2) (http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?targetUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apakistannews.com% 2Fus-president-barack-obamas-grandmother-perform-haj-118543) US President Barack Obama’s grandmother perform Haj
<p><img height="152" width="202" alt="" src="http://www.apakistannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/us-president-barack-obamas-grandmother-perform-haj.gif" title="us-president-barack-obamas-grandmother-perform-haj" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-118544" /><strong>US President Barack Obama’s grandmother </strong>has accepted an invitation from United Arab Emirates (UAE) property tycoon Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim to perform Haj this year, according to a report.</p> <p><strong>“I found out that she had not been to the Haj and that she very much wants to go.”</strong></p> <p>“As my own mother is no longer with us, our family has a spare place. So I invited her and she has accepted,” the Hydra Properties chief executive officer was quoted as saying by Arabian Business.</p> <p>“I’m very much looking forward to it,” said Dr Al Fahim, who the business news provider reported, met Mama Sarah during a trip to Kenya last week.</p> <p>Having been appointed a goodwill ambassador in support of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, he was touring Kenya to launch an anti-malnutrition campaign in the region.</p> <p>“It’s something I’m going to be doing a lot more of,” he said, acknowledging that he was very fortunate with his own career and business.</p> <p>“And I feel it’s time to give something back and try and do something for those less fortunate,” Dr Al Fahim said in the report.</p> <p>He also said plans were afoot to establish a soccer training camp for underprivileged children in Africa.</p> <p>Educated in New York, Dr Al Fahim has been described as the new-age Arab businessman but one who is still firmly rooted to the ethos of his home country.</p> <p>Besides the UAE, Hydra Properties is involved in projects in Mexico, Libya and Pakistan, according to the company’s website.</p></div></iframe>
Nimrod's Son
06-06-2009, 07:53 PM
During the campaign:
"Although my father had been raised a Muslim, by the time he met my mother he was a confirmed atheist." - Barack Obama, Tha Audactity of HopeThe candidate's comment at a Boca Raton, Florida, town
hall meeting on May 22, 2008, was typical: "My father
was basically agnostic, as far as I can tell, and I didn't
know him," he said.
Now that he's elected:Jake Tapper (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/abc-news-jake-tapper-and-sunlen-miller-report-the-other-day-we-heard-a-comment-from-a-white-house-aide-that-neverwould-have.html) reported:
During a conference call in preparation for President Obama's trip to Cairo, Egypt, where he will address the Muslim world, deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Denis McDonough said "the President himself experienced Islam on three continents before he was able to -- or before he's been able to visit, really, the heart of the Islamic world -- you know, growing up in Indonesia, having a Muslim father -- obviously Muslim Americans (are) a key part of Illinois and Chicago."
Starla
06-06-2009, 07:54 PM
Sarah Hussein Obama of Kenya, Barack Obama’s stepgrandmother, is a lifelong Muslim. “I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith,” she says.
A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/us/politics/30obama.html?ei=5090&en=f901477fd875c685&ex=1335585600&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1204834692-KVQkHJL9zBNtpfDPJlbRew)
1.2 million jobs were saved by that remark though, so its all good.
Starla
06-06-2009, 09:23 PM
wtf happened to the font size. it's a conspiracy.
Eulogy
06-07-2009, 02:09 AM
this thread is a fucking embarrassment.
Nimrod's Son
06-07-2009, 02:13 AM
this thread is a fucking embarrassment.
Sorry to criticize Obama, we'll try to act like the media and never do it again
Eulogy
06-07-2009, 02:27 AM
Again, stop it with this shit. I know you have much less convincing arguments to make against me if you can't brush me aside as being in the tank for Obama, but anyone who has paid any attention to anything I've posted over the last two years knows that this is not the case. I know you want to go to Montana and fuck starla, but that doesn't make her performance in this thread any less embarrassing.
Nimrod's Son
06-07-2009, 02:38 AM
I'm not talking about Starla... wtf? I'm talking about how the thread is critical of Obama and you're calling it a "disgrace".
Starla
06-07-2009, 04:59 AM
I know you want to go to Montana and fuck starla, but that doesn't make her performance in this thread any less embarrassing.
lol oh man.
Eulogy
06-07-2009, 11:31 AM
I'm not talking about Starla... wtf? I'm talking about how the thread is critical of Obama and you're calling it a "disgrace".
did you consider that maybe my post wasn't directed at you or your posts?
Trotskilicious
06-07-2009, 12:26 PM
guilty conscience.
ravenguy2000
06-07-2009, 01:58 PM
this board is a fucking embarrassment.
see what i did there
Nimrod's Son
06-07-2009, 02:06 PM
did you consider that maybe my post wasn't directed at you or your posts?
you directed it at the thread. if you meant something else perhaps you should have said it
You: This thread is a disgreace
Me: Just because it's anti-Obama doesn't make it a disgrace
You: Stop defending Starla because you want to fuck her!
Me: :erm: what the hell are you talking about
Eulogy
06-07-2009, 02:43 PM
last i checked starla's posts appear in this thread. it's an asinine leap to assume i said that because there is anti-obama sentiment. idiot.
Nimrod's Son
06-07-2009, 03:01 PM
So because you criticize the thread explicitly, everyone should have assumed you were talking about Starla and not the thread itself which you explicitly mentioned.
Did you read this? It repeats the same thing I already said.
where does it say that Obama was once registered as a muslim in school
Starla
06-08-2009, 05:02 AM
last i checked starla's posts appear in this thread.
congratulations. you ruined this thread. i've been posting here for years. i'm not going to stop until pakula dies or shuts this board down. either you get used to my posting style and learn to accept me as I am or you can figure out how to ignore me. and FFR, just because people happen to share a common opinion about something doesn't necessarily MEAN they want to FUCK each other. hth!
publius clodius
06-08-2009, 05:08 AM
fuck man germany has almost a million muslims more than the states
i can feel my personal rights vanish already
Mo
06-08-2009, 05:10 AM
Sure thing, I bet Bavaria's gonna be the first state to introduce Sharia law
ATS
06-08-2009, 05:28 PM
lol @ everyone going off on starla... you guys are raving liberals
that video mistle posted is pointless... "context" would be the entire discussion where his mistake occurred, not what explanation he came up with to smooth things over afterward
i dont believe obama is a muslim, but i dont believe he is a christian either. and being black and a man he probably identifies with his black, muslim male ancestry at least as much as he does with whatever his mother was, and is probably a lot more sympathetic to the muslim point of view than most american christians.
the speech is fine, but i have no use for "the traditions of islam", and i hope the West is always hostile to them
Nimrod's Son
06-08-2009, 06:43 PM
I don't care what religion the guy is but he's changed his story about his family and while the media made such a big deal out of it during the election, they're ignoring it now.
dudehitscar
06-08-2009, 06:50 PM
I don't care what religion the guy is but he's changed his story about his family and while the media made such a big deal out of it during the election, they're ignoring it now.
:rolleyes:.. go ahead. I know you are dying to say it. 'he's not an American citizen!'
Nimrod's Son
06-08-2009, 07:02 PM
:rolleyes:.. go ahead. I know you are dying to say it. 'he's not an American citizen!'
No, I am talking about the changing stories from the Obama camp on his grandmother and his father.
Trotskilicious
06-08-2009, 07:22 PM
i want to smear feces on this thread
TuralyonW3
06-08-2009, 07:28 PM
^ that's funny I was JUST about to say this thread is a shit-stain on my underpants
Trotskilicious
06-08-2009, 07:39 PM
really all that can go through a rational mind is how much this thread has in common with human feces
Nimrod's Son
06-08-2009, 07:57 PM
really all that can go through a rational mind is how much this thread has in common with human feces
racist
Trotskilicious
06-08-2009, 08:10 PM
gosh you're so funny
Trotskilicious
06-08-2009, 08:10 PM
you're a regular voltaire
JokeyLoki
06-08-2009, 08:23 PM
MonteLDS says (4:40 PM): So u think your all that b/c u know how many ppl are in the usa
mistle
06-09-2009, 02:24 AM
lol @ everyone going off on starla... you guys are raving liberals
that video mistle posted is pointless... "context" would be the entire discussion where his mistake occurred, not what explanation he came up with to smooth things over afterward
i dont believe obama is a muslim, but i dont believe he is a christian either. and being black and a man he probably identifies with his black, muslim male ancestry at least as much as he does with whatever his mother was, and is probably a lot more sympathetic to the muslim point of view than most american christians.
the speech is fine, but i have no use for "the traditions of islam", and i hope the West is always hostile to them
i could never really figure you out, but you really just are a colossal douchebag aren't you? figures the dumb shit i read ****** say about islam would come from you
if it was a mistake this dicussion would still be stupid and completely irrelevant, but it was not even that. he meant what he said and what he said was not that he was a muslim. the interviewer mistakenly corrects him and obama repeats "my christian faith" without thinking, realizes it and explains what he was saying. what exactly is the problem?
Trotskilicious
06-09-2009, 03:13 AM
don't even respond to ATS please
JokeyLoki
06-09-2009, 11:22 AM
So... did anyone ever say exactly what was wrong with the speech, other than bringing up crap from the campaign that's completely irrelevant?
Nimrod's Son
06-09-2009, 01:17 PM
you mean besides the repeated mentioning that muslim nations are great and the USA sucks
JokeyLoki
06-09-2009, 01:21 PM
[citation needed]
Trotskilicious
06-09-2009, 01:31 PM
the usa does suck right now why do people get so bent out of shape when someone looks at fucking reality and goes "hey this country is falling apart" instead of waving the flag and singin
'MERICA! <b>FUCK YEAH!!!!</b>
Debaser
06-09-2009, 03:00 PM
The only quibbles with the speech is that it probably over-promises on things we can't realistically deliver.
Otherwise, in terms of trying to find common ground with the audience, trying to win over moderates and isolate extremists and those who tolerate them, it was an admirable job.
ATS
06-09-2009, 11:43 PM
the usa does suck right now
the muslim countries suck right now
ATS
06-09-2009, 11:49 PM
they're all much worse than the USA
ATS
06-09-2009, 11:49 PM
that includes mistle's country
dudehitscar
06-10-2009, 09:38 PM
they're all much worse than the USA
dubai was awesome.:D
Eulogy
06-10-2009, 10:47 PM
um, what
dubai is the worst thing that exists in the world.
dudehitscar
06-10-2009, 11:02 PM
um, what
dubai is the worst thing that exists in the world.
I loved it there. I would work there in a heartbeat for the right price.
Nimrod's Son
06-11-2009, 01:30 AM
Have you heard the stories of the western workers who went there and had their companies close and not honor their contracts? They can't pay to get out of the country.
dudehitscar
06-11-2009, 06:39 PM
Have you heard the stories of the western workers who went there and had their companies close and not honor their contracts? They can't pay to get out of the country.
well that sucks. On the other hand I know a scottish guy who has lived in dubai for 15 years and is practically a millionaire with a middle management job. I repeat, if my company made the offer I would move there in a heartbeat. 6 figures almost tax free and dubai nightlife by the gulf! Dubai was a blast.
Debaser
06-11-2009, 06:45 PM
dubai has a hidden dark side behind the glamour. its called slaves.
Debaser
06-11-2009, 06:46 PM
an amazing read:
Dubai's Lesson to America: How the Middle East's Shangrai La Became a Hell on Earth | World | AlterNet (http://www.alternet.org/world/136877/dubai%27s_lesson_to_america:_how_the_middle_east%2 7s_shangrai_la_became_a_hell_on_earth/?page=entire)
dudehitscar
06-11-2009, 08:15 PM
dubai has a hidden dark side behind the glamour. its called slaves.
duh.
dudehitscar
06-11-2009, 08:17 PM
my company is not in the slave business as far as I could tell. The construction sites were pretty decent... for the developing world.
dudehitscar
06-11-2009, 08:23 PM
to me dubai was a nicer version of Las Vegas in a lot of ways. Including the slave labor.
Trotskilicious
06-11-2009, 10:53 PM
they're all much worse than the USA
so is paraguay. so what
Trotskilicious
06-11-2009, 10:55 PM
dudehitscar is apparently a shithead. things you learn.
dudehitscar
06-11-2009, 11:08 PM
dudehitscar is apparently a shithead. things you learn.
geez. What did I do? Lighten up.
Gish08
06-11-2009, 11:17 PM
Gish08 = agnostic/athiest. Gish08 loves Obama.
Thus, Gush08 believes Obama = agnostic/athiest
I personally think he's a Christian; not a particularly devout one, but a Christian nonetheless.