Obama’s historic speech to the Muslim world

Obama was the first presidential candidate with unimpeachable standing to address the historic tensions between race and religion that have beset America since its founding 221 years ago. And, no doubt, the fact that he is bi-racial figured prominently in this respect.

[Obama’s speech of racial reconciliation would’ve made Lincoln proud, TIJ, March 19, 2008]

Yesterday, President Barack Obama demonstrated once again why he will go down in history as a truly transformational figure. 

For, as it was with his speech on race, he became the first president with unimpeachable standing to address the historic (and current) tensions between the US and Muslim states, which have given rise to looming fears about a clash of civilizations.  And, no doubt, the fact that he had a Muslim father and lived in Muslim countries figured prominently in this respect.

In fact, all indications are that his speech captured so many hearts and minds in the Muslim world that Osama bin Laden must be rolling over in his cave. No doubt Obama accomplished this by balancing Western concerns about Muslims with recognition of the concerns Muslims have about Westerners.  Not to mention that he did all of this with unprecedented empathy and unqualified sincerity.

Unfortunately, some have decried his historic effort as a naive sojourn down a self-defeating road to moral relativism.  But I applaud it as an enlightened beginning on a pragmatic path towards winning friends and influencing people.

Of course, only those of us who have been on the receiving end of racial, religious and gender oppression and discrimination can possibly appreciate how liberating and validating it is for Muslims to have the leader of the world’s most powerful nation accord them such respect. This is why criticism of Obama’s speech is being vented mostly by white American men; in particular, by the narcissistic and arrogant ones who travel to foreign countries and become indignant when locals don’t speak “American.”

At any rate, in the spirit of the pen being mightier than the sword, I am convinced that Obama’s progressive speech will have a far more transformative effect on the Muslim world than any military coalition could ever hope to have.  Accordingly, here for posterity are some highlights:

Historical premise for Muslim grievances

Tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.

Seeking “a new beginning”

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…  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… As the holy Quran tells us: “Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.”

Establishing empathy and showing respect

I’m a Christian. But my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and at the fall of dusk…

I also know civilization’s debt to Islam. It was Islam at places like al-Azhar that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities… [T]hroughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

America’s bona fides as a tolerant nation

Islam has always been a part of America’s story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco…  American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars. They have served in our government… 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.

America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire… We are shaped by every culture. Drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one… [T]here is a mosque in every state in our union and over 1,200 mosques within our borders.

Fighting violent extremism (as opposed to “war on terror”)

America is not and never will be at war with Islam… We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security…  And it is my first duty as president to protect the American people…

I’m aware that there’s still some who would question or even justify the offense of 9/11. But let us be clear. Al-Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people on that day… These are not opinions to be debated. These are facts to be dealt with… They have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam… The holy Quran teaches that whoever kills an innocent is as – it is as it if has killed all mankind.

Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world… we will honor our agreement with Iraq’s democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012… The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

America’s strong bonds with Israel are well-known. This bond is unbreakable.

Six million Jews were killed, more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless. It is ignorant, and it is hateful.

[I]t is also undeniable that the Palestinian people, Muslims and Christians, have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than 60 years, they’ve endured the pain of dislocation… America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own.

The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security… For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America’s founding.

Hamas does have support among some Palestinians… Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Israel’s right to exist. At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel’s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine’s. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state, to recognize Israel’s legitimacy and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.

Iran’s pursuit of Nuclear weapons

In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government. Since the Islamic revolution, Iran has played a role in acts of hostage taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians…

[W]e are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. And any nation, including Iran, should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

This is not simply about America’s interests. It’s about preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East that could lead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.

Promoting democracy

No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other… But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people, the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.

[W]e will welcome all elected, peaceful governments, provided they govern with respect for all their people.

Religious freedom

Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance… I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia where devout Christians worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country… And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq.

That’s why we welcome efforts like Saudi Arabian King Abdullah’s interfaith dialogue and Turkey’s leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations.

Women’s rights

I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality… Now let me be clear, issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we’ve seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead.

Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of American life and in countries around the world. I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.

Economic development and opportunity

Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities but also huge disruptions and change in communities. In all nations, including America, this change can bring fear… [H]uman progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition…

I will host a summit on entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

Need to address issues together

[W]e have a responsibility to join together on behalf of the world that we seek, a world where extremists no longer threaten our people and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes, a world where governments serve their citizens and the rights of all God’s children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together.