I’m proud of Obama for doing the right thing and for doing so in such eloquent form. There’s a lot of political pressure to make concessions to fear and bigotry and hate, but he didn’t flinch.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
Nothing else to say. Really, knowing how Obama works, I wouldn’t expect anything less. He did the same thing with Jeremiah Wright, imo, during the primary.
Unfortunately, this speaks ill of America. Why is it seen as courageous that someone speaks out in favor of religious tolerance? Christ…
Also, maybe it’s the Mount Gay, but those comments make me want to throw up. I can’t believe on the LA Times of all places that the right-wing bigots are populating and spreading.
yeah, you might want to cut that with some ice.
I’m happy to note that Obama never said the word “tolerance” in this speech. He spoke of the right to practice religion in a free society. Respect for the rights of others is the core value. “Tolerance” is weak tea, to my mind. It’s kind of a special case of the
“I disagree with what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it.”
I personally have little tolerance for any of the Mosaic-derived religions, philosophically. That in no way diminishes my absolute support for their right to believe what they want to. I admire Obama for making that distinction. He took the occasion to remind us again what a free society is all about. Lesser presidents would have settled for a timid and reluctant concession that we have to let them build, and some “why can’t we all just get along” sentimentality.
As to courage, I think it took astounding political courage for Obama to speak such hard truths when he knows he’ll reap a hurricane-force reaction around his “secret Muslim” deceit and his hatred for the “real America”. I’m sure he got heavy pressure from advisors to go the mealy-mouth route on this issue. He’s taken a genuine political risk for a principle that probably gains him no political points. It’s one of the times he reminds us of why we had such hopes for him.
Ppl outside ny and unfamiliar with the precise layout of ground zero are upset imo because there is no memorial, they see a site of importance to all being whittled away and nothing set up for observing the event.
The man’s definitely a class act. What a contrast with the clown act preceding.
Seriously. Isn’t it interesting how some of our best Presidents seem to come right after some of the worst ones?
A beautiful speech.
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"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."I continue to be pleased that he mentions non-believers. Have others before him done so?
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"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."this was the only thing he could do, IMO.
{sigh}
The extreme left seems to be as illiterate and disrespectful of and dillusional about the Constitution as the extreme right. The First Amendment of the Constitution, which the President of the United States is sworn to protect, including President Obama, states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Notice the very first clause states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of Religion before it states it shall not prohibit such.
That said, the President nor Congress has any damn business stating support for the building of a mosque, temple or church, only support for the right to build it. He rightly stated that this country has a duty to respect the building of a mosque, NOT endorse it. If you can not accept or respect that important distinction you are just as ignorant and unamerican as Sarah Palin.