Obama was in Saudi Arabia yesterday (in Riyadh, "the place where Islam began"). Today he is in Egypt.
World leaders usually head to Sinai beach resorts where diplomatic gatherings are often held. Obama gave his speech in downtown Cairo, in the Great Hall of Cairo University before a crowd of 3,000.
He told the audience "Assalamu-alaikum" (which is a phrase used by muslims, Arab christians and jews: "Peace be upon you").
He told the audience: "I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on 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. I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point."
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By the way, I was listening to Fox News this morning. The anchor was talking to conservative "middle-eastern experts" on Obama's Cairo speech and the anchor snickeringly asked: "Can he accomplish world peace with a speech?" -- I got the feeling the Fox anchor had not even bothered to listen to the speech, yet he was criticizing it.
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Obama continued: "But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other 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 Quran tells us, Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."
(Something tells me that conservatives such as Rush, Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan will not appreciate Obama for sprinkiling this speech with goodwill references to the Quran.)
At the very least, I hope some posters here will watch the first section of this speech:
YouTube - Obama Cairo Speech [Full Speech PT1] June 04 2009
"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."
This speech is merely a beginning, "a new beginning". Opening up an honest dialogue with muslims - with Obama's personal connection, the Kenyan father, the boyhood in Indonesia, the appeal for seeking a "common ground", a theme that's run through nearly all of Obama's speeches.
Obama: "They {muslims} have fought in our wars. They have served in our government. They have stood for civil rights. They have started businesses. They have taught at our universities. They've excelled in our sports arenas. They've 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 Quran that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, kept in his personal library."
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This speech is obviously more symbolism than action. And the Egyptian people seemed honestly taken with Obama's call for a more open dialogue, a new beginning. Here's a paragraph I saw in a Washington Post article:
"In Cairo, however, the details of Obama's speech were almost less important than the official build-up and symbolism around it. After years in which the United States was linked here almost exclusively to violence in Muslim countries and support for Israel, suddenly the state broadcasting service was beaming uplifting scenes of the American and Egyptian flags flying side by side, and Obama's smiling face superimposed over graphics of the Pyramids and local landmarks. A small icon -- the Egyptian and American flags woven together in a yin and yang -- was kept on the screen throughout the morning.
"Egyptian people are very quick to forgive," said Mosad Ashour, a producer at a local television studio. "People insult us and even the next day, it is over."
World leaders usually head to Sinai beach resorts where diplomatic gatherings are often held. Obama gave his speech in downtown Cairo, in the Great Hall of Cairo University before a crowd of 3,000.
He told the audience "Assalamu-alaikum" (which is a phrase used by muslims, Arab christians and jews: "Peace be upon you").
He told the audience: "I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on 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. I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point."
--------------------
By the way, I was listening to Fox News this morning. The anchor was talking to conservative "middle-eastern experts" on Obama's Cairo speech and the anchor snickeringly asked: "Can he accomplish world peace with a speech?" -- I got the feeling the Fox anchor had not even bothered to listen to the speech, yet he was criticizing it.
--------------------
Obama continued: "But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other 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 Quran tells us, Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."
(Something tells me that conservatives such as Rush, Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan will not appreciate Obama for sprinkiling this speech with goodwill references to the Quran.)
At the very least, I hope some posters here will watch the first section of this speech:
YouTube - Obama Cairo Speech [Full Speech PT1] June 04 2009
"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."
This speech is merely a beginning, "a new beginning". Opening up an honest dialogue with muslims - with Obama's personal connection, the Kenyan father, the boyhood in Indonesia, the appeal for seeking a "common ground", a theme that's run through nearly all of Obama's speeches.
Obama: "They {muslims} have fought in our wars. They have served in our government. They have stood for civil rights. They have started businesses. They have taught at our universities. They've excelled in our sports arenas. They've 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 Quran that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, kept in his personal library."
--------------------
This speech is obviously more symbolism than action. And the Egyptian people seemed honestly taken with Obama's call for a more open dialogue, a new beginning. Here's a paragraph I saw in a Washington Post article:
"In Cairo, however, the details of Obama's speech were almost less important than the official build-up and symbolism around it. After years in which the United States was linked here almost exclusively to violence in Muslim countries and support for Israel, suddenly the state broadcasting service was beaming uplifting scenes of the American and Egyptian flags flying side by side, and Obama's smiling face superimposed over graphics of the Pyramids and local landmarks. A small icon -- the Egyptian and American flags woven together in a yin and yang -- was kept on the screen throughout the morning.
"Egyptian people are very quick to forgive," said Mosad Ashour, a producer at a local television studio. "People insult us and even the next day, it is over."