stepping back in time...
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/801595/posts
Bush Marks End of Ramadan, Visits Mosque (Islam brings hope and comfort)
ap ^ | 12/5/2002 | SCOTT LINDLAW
Posted on December 5, 2002 3:37:52 PM PST by TLBSHOW
By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - With Muslims worldwide growing more suspicious of the United States, President Bush (news - web sites) marked the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan with a visit Thursday to a mosque.
“The spirit behind this holiday is a reminder that Islam brings hope and comfort to more than 1 billion people worldwide,” Bush said. “Islam affirms God’s justice and insists on man’s moral responsibility.”
Bush left his shoes at the door, in keeping with the practice of the Islamic Center of Washington, a national center for Muslim culture and prayer. He also had visited six days after the terrorist attacks last year.
Back then, with a surge in hate crimes against Muslims in the United States, Bush was trying to defuse Americans’ anger against Islam. Today, he has a different problem — increased hostility by Muslims around the world against America.
In an international survey released Wednesday, the Pew Global Attitudes Project found the image of the United States is slipping worldwide, and particularly in Middle Eastern countries with large Muslim populations. Large percentages of Muslim respondents in several countries said they believe suicide bomb attacks are a justifiable defense of Islam.
On Wednesday, Bush blamed America’s tarnished image among Muslims on “propaganda machines (that) are cranked up in the international community that paints our country in a bad light.”
The growing animosity comes at a time when Bush is trying to rally the world against terrorism and gather allies for possible military action against Iraq.
Inside the ornate mosque, Bush offered an explanation of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and renewed his defense of Islam.
Bush’s speech was directed to a national and international audience. There was virtually no one inside except journalists and his staff. A few mosque officials stood next to Bush as he spoke.
“Over the past month, Muslims have fasted, taking no food or water during daylight hours, in order to refocus their minds on faith and redirect their hearts to charity,” Bush said.
“Muslims worldwide have stretched out a hand of mercy to those in need, charity tables at which the poor can break their fast line the streets of cities and towns, and gifts of food and clothing and money are distributed to ensure that all share in God’s abundance,” he said.
From the Muslim event, Bush officially opened the Christmas season at the White House by lighting a Christmas tree just outside the gates.
I believe Dubya really did think that the Islamic world was capable of taking a hint that “extremists” were neither wanted nor needed by anybody. Unfortunately, whether Dubya was ignorant about the facts or whether he overestimated his ability to persuade, it just so happens that most “moderate” Muslims have no problem nodding and winking at the “extreme” ones. This is not something that can be solved by dropping a few bombs.
Bush’s factual comments about how Muslims celebrate their holiday are a far cry from Obama’s inviting Muslim leaders from around the world to a White House feast at taxpayer’s expense, after turning a cold shoulder to POTUS’ traditional interactions with Christian ceremonial events such as the National Day of Prayer, the White House Prayer Breakfast, etc. Can prayers of any major faith really harm Obama or his plans so much that he must suppress the rights of the majority of Americans in order to pander to his overlords in Muslim and atheist circles?