[DAWN] US President Barack Obama visited a mosque in Baltimore on Wednesday and assured Muslims that “inexcusable political rhetoric” against them had no place in America."No matter what you do in the name of your religion."
“Attack on one faith is an attack on all faiths,” he declared. “We cannot be bystanders to bigotry.”
Does that mean that neo-Aztecs are free to sacrifice a few folks to Quetzalcoatl?
Mr Obama told the congregation that the mosque, like many in this country, was “an all American story”.
Right. Hard work. Application. Neighbors helping neighbors... Oh. Wait. Not infidels.
To those Americans who have never visited a mosque, he said: “Think of your own churches and synagogues, where people come to worship, to express their love for God and to each other.”
And bonk their heads toward Mecca.
Mr Obama said that he was not the first US president to be called a Muslim, Thomas Jefferson’s opponents also called him a Muslim. “So, I am in good company.”
Then there was that thing with the Barbary Pirates. He did attempt to negotiate for a while.
It was in these mosques, he said, where an overwhelming majority of Muslims worked to build “bridges of understanding with other faiths, Christians, Jews” and ran health centres and taught their children.
Ummm... Where was that?
He said he was now going to say two words that Muslim “do not hear often enough, thank you. Thank you for serving your community and for helping us keep united as one American family”.