Posted on 12/05/2002 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.
If you have evidence that any of these "fellow American citizens who happen to be Muslim" are entertaining similar notions, perhaps you should inform Tom Ridge.
Otherwise, you're just stereotyping.
Such stereotyping might lead a lurker to think you're a hotheaded redneck, and we wouldn't want them to get that notion now, would we?
I should have known this was a "TLBSHOW" thread.
So, Am I late? Did I miss the first of the racial slurs?
I suppose you would consider it appropriate for all Christians to be judged by the actions of those who are the most extreme and violent.
Why? Only so I can barf it back out? :-D
"So much coddling of the jihadis while true conservative muslims like kabbani and fadl are ignored while the WH and Bush cavort with murdering saudi sponsored jihadi scum."
Some politicians will say anything OR coddle anyone for votes. If Bill Clinton was doing the exact same thing as Dubya, as in this case, the RINOs on this board would be the first ones screaming bloody murder.
The Islamic fundamentalists are violent, and should be eliminated.
They have. Over and over and over and over.
You act like American Muslims have some kind of pipeline to al-Qaeda, where, if they just say "stop it" enough, that al-Qaeda will just say, "Oh, OK."
Most American Muslims hate those crazies, and would just like to forget all about them. Why do they have to take some kind of special responsibility because they share a religion that has been bastardized by the Wahabis?
Do you take special responsibility for the Klan because you happen to be white?
Naw, what I expect after some lunatic kills an abortion doctor and claims to be doing it for God, is every Christian proclaiming that the killer does not represent mainstream Christianity. Guess what? That's what happens.
Too bad "moderate" Muslims don't do the same after the "radicals" fly some planes into some buildings.
I now fully expect to be told to go drink the koolaid, BushBot etc...Oh well....
GRRRRRollin' for a Merry Christmas.
It seems that the media has an agenda in pushing Bush-supporters into bashing Muslims and attacking the President.
You do know that bin Laden wants all of Islam at war with the west, don't you? Do you think that possibly there is an effort being made by the left to split the right? Can you remain CALM and think through thing with logic, or are you as emotional as the DU group?
You don't seem to understand that the Wahabis are the ones correctly interpreting the Koran.
If the Muslims take over and say "Worship Allah or die", which side do you think the American Muslims will come down on? Don't fool yourself.
Televise the Christian church and everything.
Otherwise he is just further blowing smoke and convincing me that we just have a Republican Jimmy Carter on our hands...
Why? You're right..
We have no valid moral, tactical or political reason to wage war on Islam at large.
Dubya's not just sucking up here. He's telling the truth.
We have no bone to pick with Islam as a religion. Period.
You weren't listening. They did. In fact, there were quite a few "moderate" Muslims who were killed in the WTC and the Pentagon.
Once they've condemned al-Qaeda, then what?
Their kids are already scared to death because people in pickups drive by school yards and call them "ragheads," and worse.
Talk to a few random Muslims you meet. You might be surprised how frightened some of these people are.
Of people like you.
What is the flavor today, by the way?
A more erudite FReeper can surely provide the exact info - but it was the first time I had ever seen September 11th directly linked to some perceived outrage received by the Muslim world. The article was in the Conservative Book Club newsletter from a few months ago.
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