Muslim Americans find inspiration in Obama's speech

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In Los Angeles and nationwide, Muslims say they are hopeful Obama's address in Cairo will improve the image of their faith, tarnished by perceptions of extremism since Sept. 11.

By Duke Helfand and P.J. Huffstutter

Reporting from Los Angeles and Fort Wayne, Ind. -- In Los Angeles, Salam Al-Marayati found himself smiling as he watched President Obama enumerate Muslim contributions to civilization and to the United States.

In Dearborn, Mich., home to the nation's largest Arab American community, leaders quietly cheered Obama's speech in Cairo, hoping it would usher in new American attitudes toward them.

And in Washington, the national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised Obama for repeatedly quoting the Koran and for his promise to fight "negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear."

Even as the politics of Obama's speech reverberated Thursday through the Muslim world, back home the address offered inspiration to U.S. Muslims seeking a more positive image for their community, one they said had been tarnished by perceptions of religious extremism in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

"I came away feeling confident that this president does take seriously his role in opposing stereotypes of Islam," Al-Marayati, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council, said after rising at 3 a.m. to watch the speech on television.

Al-Marayati predicted that Obama's address would help debunk "myths about Islam and Muslims [among] the American public."

Muslim leaders interviewed Thursday said the attitudes of many non-Muslims toward members of the faith in the United States have been mixed over the years, and hostile at times, particularly after Sept. 11.

Many Muslims have long complained of being vilified and mocked in popular culture in this country. More recently, they have protested what they call a concerted effort by the FBI to infiltrate mosques in a search for extremists.

Despite surveys showing that most Muslim Americans are mainstream and middle-class, that profile remains largely unknown, they say, eclipsed by news accounts of the activities of a small number of violent extremists.

With his speech at Cairo University, Obama sought not only to extend a hand of peace to Muslims in the Middle East but also to dispel animosity toward those on American soil.

Obama told his audience that the U.S. is home to nearly 7 million Muslims, who enjoy income and education levels that are higher than those of the average American.

"Islam is a part of America," he declared. "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."

The president's sentiments resonated with Hassan Jaber, executive director of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn. After the speech, Jaber joined leaders of various Arab American communities in Dearborn for a telephone briefing with State Department officials, who sought the community's reaction. He described the response as overwhelmingly positive.

"This dark cloud over Arab Americans and Muslim Americans is finally on its way to leave us," Jaber said. "The speech was historical . . . a whole new language and, if the policy follows, a chance for everyone to engage in a new way."

Nihad Awad, who leads the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said he hoped Obama's address would elevate interfaith relations in the United States, leading to greater respect among various groups. "I hope Christians, Jews, Muslims or people of other faiths will take advantage of the spirit of this speech," he said.

Despite such calls for reconciliation, Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders expressed divergent opinions about Obama's remarks on the Middle East, especially as they related to Israel.

The heads of several major Jewish organizations praised Obama for delivering an inspiring address but objected to his call for Israel to stop the expansion of Jewish settlements, particularly without significant concessions from Palestinian groups.

"What is important now is to see the responses from the moderate Arab states," said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "The president deserves our support . . . in his effort to bring peace."

Still, leaders of the West's three major religions found common ground in Obama's call to build interfaith bridges.

"I hope communities all around the United States come together around the text of this speech -- Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs," said Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson of the 4.7-million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

"We need to see Islam in the context of its sacred text," he added, "as we Christians want to be understood in the context of ours, and not only in its ideological extremist manifestations."

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ob...story?track=rss

[_Simpson_ 250]

It will get frustrating if we start to see a lot of Muslims coming out of the woodwork talking about how hopefully this speech will dismiss some of the stereotypes on Muslims. We as a country have gone out of our way to always make the distinction between the extremists and other Muslims. You hear it on the radio, tv and just about everwhere you go that the extremists dont represent all of Islam and that there a small minority.

[MrsAmera 41]

Oh really you think so? Hmm funny I dont' feel that way walking down the street in a hijab or being searched everytime I fly.......and I'm a born and raised USC.....

[AlHayatZween 2]

It will get frustrating if we start to see a lot of Muslims coming out of the woodwork talking about how hopefully this speech will dismiss some of the stereotypes on Muslims. We as a country have gone out of our way to always make the distinction between the extremists and other Muslims. You hear it on the radio, tv and just about everwhere you go that the extremists dont represent all of Islam and that there a small minority.

really?

the only thing i see/hear/read in the media is "Islamic extremists" coupled with the misuse of words like "jihad" and "madrassa" and all sorts of other stuff. have any of these journalists even visited a local mosque here in the US? i thought "investigation" was part of their jobs?

[_Simpson_ 250]

Oh really you think so? Hmm funny I dont' feel that way walking down the street in a hijab or being searched everytime I fly.......and I'm a born and raised USC.....

I do think so, yes. As far as the airport goes I am very familiar with how things work there and its random searches. I have family that works at the security at Sea Tac international airport. They dont profile when it come to searches at the airport and if it happened to you then your the exception not the rule. Its random and the problem is that if it happens to be a Muslim they think there being picked on, theres just no way to win.

[Danno 1,228]

Not to dismiss your observations completely but....

I get searched EVERY TIME too.

And any unconventional wardrobe will draw attention be it Orthodox Jew, Harikrishna (sp) or Traditional Vietnamese.

I bet this is true in any Muslim country too.

[MrsAmera 41]

Maybe you're family adheres - I fly several times a month and it's random that I ALWAYS am pulled aside? I'm not talking occassionally. Before I wore hijab I flew the same amount and even with a changed last name I was never pulled aside and now that I do cover I am always, always there has not been once in the last year that I haven't had to go through additional screening. Tell me how is that random?? Coinsidence that out of the last 25+ trips I've gotten additional screen both leaving and returning? I think not.

[_Simpson_ 250]

It will get frustrating if we start to see a lot of Muslims coming out of the woodwork talking about how hopefully this speech will dismiss some of the stereotypes on Muslims. We as a country have gone out of our way to always make the distinction between the extremists and other Muslims. You hear it on the radio, tv and just about everwhere you go that the extremists dont represent all of Islam and that there a small minority.

really?

the only thing i see/hear/read in the media is "Islamic extremists" coupled with the misuse of words like "jihad" and "madrassa" and all sorts of other stuff. have any of these journalists even visited a local mosque here in the US? i thought "investigation" was part of their jobs?

Well you need to open your eyes more, its out there I have seen heard and read it a million times.

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

Half the time when Im at the airport something either in me or on me makes it go off and they pull me to the side to check me out. Still embarrassing whether Im in jeans and tshirt or if i was fully covered. I dont think they just pick on me to make me feel embarrassed, it is what it is. And in my ATL airport there are alot of muslims. I been here 12yrs and I fly in the US alot. At the times I get searched, I have never seen a covered male OR female muslim get stopped or make the beep go off.

[MrsAmera 41]

Oh really you think so? Hmm funny I dont' feel that way walking down the street in a hijab or being searched everytime I fly.......and I'm a born and raised USC.....

I do think so, yes. As far as the airport goes I am very familiar with how things work there and its random searches. I have family that works at the security at Sea Tac international airport. They dont profile when it come to searches at the airport and if it happened to you then your the exception not the rule. Its random and the problem is that if it happens to be a Muslim they think there being picked on, theres just no way to win.

Not to mention that I've had them specifically tell me that was why they were screening me. Not that I care ok I don't I have nothing to hide and at least they are being honest now. But dont' think that people "go out of their" way to not equate Islam with extremism - I think it's more than fair to say most people are still suspicious and wary of Muslims. Also 98% of news coverage is not positive when it involves Islam. Let's take for example the latest terrorist - the guy that murdered the abortion doctor in his church - atypical white terrorist kills abortion doctor. This was barely touched. Were the guy Muslim or Arab it would have been blown out of proportion. We would have had FBI in every church monitoring etc etc. I'm not whining but I think it's nieve for someone who doesn't deal with backlash daily to say he would be bothered if Muslims came out of the "woodwork" when already supposed concessions have been made...

[_Simpson_ 250]

Not to dismiss your observations completely but....

I get searched EVERY TIME too.

And any unconventional wardrobe will draw attention be it Orthodox Jew, Harikrishna (sp) or Traditional Vietnamese.

I bet this is true in any Muslim country too.

I remember getting searched at security and then at the gate by the airlines. It was fustrasting.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Oh really you think so? Hmm funny I dont' feel that way walking down the street in a hijab or being searched everytime I fly.......and I'm a born and raised USC.....

I do think so, yes. As far as the airport goes I am very familiar with how things work there and its random searches. I have family that works at the security at Sea Tac international airport. They dont profile when it come to searches at the airport and if it happened to you then your the exception not the rule. Its random and the problem is that if it happens to be a Muslim they think there being picked on, theres just no way to win.

Not to mention that I've had them specifically tell me that was why they were screening me. Not that I care ok I don't I have nothing to hide and at least they are being honest now. But dont' think that people "go out of their" way to not equate Islam with extremism - I think it's more than fair to say most people are still suspicious and wary of Muslims. Also 98% of news coverage is not positive when it involves Islam. Let's take for example the latest terrorist - the guy that murdered the abortion doctor in his church - atypical white terrorist kills abortion doctor. This was barely touched. Were the guy Muslim or Arab it would have been blown out of proportion. We would have had FBI in every church monitoring etc etc. I'm not whining but I think it's nieve for someone who doesn't deal with backlash daily to say he would be bothered if Muslims came out of the "woodwork" when already supposed concessions have been made...

That shooting did get alot of attention. Violence gets more attention then anything else, I agree all we ever hear is bad things coming from Islam and maybe in the minds of some they have come to a conclusion that that is what Islam is, I disagree with that frame of mind. I just cant tell you how many times a reporter or pundit has followed up the story with a explanation of how that is just the extremist element.

You may think its naive of me but what you dont get is how fustrating it is to see how there has been a collective movement to make sure that its known that extremists dont represent all of Muslims and in return we get no credit as a nation. I am not saying that as a nation we have been perfect but we have done a dam good job of making a distinction between Extremists and the rest of Islam.

[Ban Hammer 13,705]

Not to dismiss your observations completely but....

I get searched EVERY TIME too.

And any unconventional wardrobe will draw attention be it Orthodox Jew, Harikrishna (sp) or Traditional Vietnamese.

I bet this is true in any Muslim country too.

i might as well be muslim, i get searched too.

[AlHayatZween 2]

That shooting did get alot of attention. Violence gets more attention then anything else, I agree all we ever hear is bad things coming from Islam and maybe in the minds of some they have come to a conclusion that that is what Islam is, I disagree with that frame of mind. I just cant tell you how many times a reporter or pundit has followed up the story with a explanation of how that is just the extremist element.

You may think its naive of me but what you dont get is how fustrating it is to see how there has been a collective movement to make sure that its known that extremists dont represent all of Muslims and in return we get no credit as a nation. I am not saying that as a nation we have been perfect but we have done a dam good job of making a distinction between Extremists and the rest of Islam.

Wait, you just contradicted your post to me above saying i need to open my eyes more....?

My point is not with the "nation" as a whole. i think most people in our country are open-minded & tolerant. My issue is with media portrayal and lack of research by media pundits...

[spookyturtle 9,466]

There was a hot TSA screener the last time I flew and I was hoping she'd search me, but sadly I just passed through.