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On Aug 23, 5:34 am, Bruce Majors <[email protected]> wrote: > http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/08/obama-ramadan-gree... > > Ramadan, as everyone knows, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a > time to practice patience and modesty, pray extra and refrain from eating, > drinking, smoking and sex from dawn until sunset. > > Today, President Obama, the son of a Muslim, who's going on vacation, issued > a special Ramadan message to the Muslim world. Before leaving, the Democrat > also issued one of those public relations presidential proclamations marking > a special occasion of some sort, in this case the 50th anniversary of Hawaii > joining the United States ohana, which, the president who grew up there > says, means family. > > Not the best timing from a strategic Western PR standpoint, as the released > Lockerbie bomber arrives back in Libya to a hero's welcome. > > But here in full is Obama's Ramadan message, as provided by the White House: > > -- Andrew Malcolm > > On behalf of the American people �" including Muslim communities in all 50 > states �" I want to extend best wishes to Muslims in America and around > the world. Ramadan Kareem. > > Ramadan is the month in which Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the > Prophet Muhammad, beginning with a simple word �" iqra. It is therefore a > time when Muslims reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with > faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and to > God. > > Like many people of different faiths who have known Ramadan through our > communities and families, I know this to be a festive time �" a time when > families gather, friends host iftars, and meals are shared. But I.... > > ...also know that Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection �" > a time when Muslims fast during the day and perform tarawih prayers at > night, reciting and listening to the entire Koran over the course of the > month. > These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and > Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of > all human beings. > > For instance, fasting is a concept shared by many faiths �" including my > own Christian faith �" as a way to bring people closer to God, and to > those among us who cannot take their next meal for granted. And the support > that Muslims provide to others recalls our responsibility to advance > opportunity and prosperity for people everywhere. For all of us must > remember that the world we want to build �" and the changes that we want > to make �" must begin in our own hearts, and our own communities. > > This summer, people across America have served in their communities �" > educating children, caring for the sick, and extending a hand to those who > have fallen on hard times. Faith-based organizations, including many Islamic > organizations, have been at the forefront in participating in this summer of > service. And in these challenging times, this is a spirit of responsibility > that we must sustain in the months and years to come. > > Beyond America’s borders, we are also committed to keeping our > responsibility to build a world that is more peaceful and secure. That is > why we are responsibly ending the war in Iraq. That is why we are isolating > violent extremists while empowering the people in places like Afghanistan > and Pakistan. > > That is why we are unyielding in our support for a two-state solution that > recognizes the rights of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and > security. And that is why America will always stand for the universal rights > of all people to speak their mind, practice their religion, contribute fully > to society and have confidence in the rule of law. > All of these efforts are a part of America’s commitment to engage Muslims > and Muslim-majority nations on the basis of mutual interest and mutual > respect. And at this time of renewal, I want to reiterate my commitment to a > new beginning between America and Muslims around the world. > > As I said in Cairo, this new beginning must be borne out in a sustained > effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one > another, and to seek common ground. I believe an important part of this is > listening, and in the last two months, American embassies around the world > have reached out not just to governments, but directly to people in > Muslim-majority countries. From around the world, we have received an > outpouring of feedback about how America can be a partner on behalf of > peoples’ aspirations. > > We have listened. We have heard you. And like you, we are focused on > pursuing concrete actions that will make a difference over time �" both in > terms of the political and security issues that I have discussed, and in the > areas that you have told us will make the most difference in peoples’ > lives. > > These consultations are helping us implement the partnerships that I called > for in Cairo �" to expand education exchange programs; to foster > entrepreneurship and create jobs; and to increase collaboration on science > and technology, while supporting literacy and vocational learning. > > We are also moving forward in partnering with the OIC and OIC member states > to eradicate polio, while working closely with the international community > to confront common health challenges like H1N1 �" which I know is of > particular to concern to many Muslims preparing for the upcoming hajj. > > All of these efforts are aimed at advancing our common aspirations �" to > live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to > love our families, our communities, and our God. It will take time and > patient effort. We cannot change things over night, but we can honestly > resolve to do what must be done, while setting off in a new direction �" > toward the destination that we seek for ourselves, and for our children. > That is the journey that we must travel together. > > I look forward to continuing this critically important dialogue and turning > it into action. And today, I want to join with the 1.5 billion Muslims > around the world �" and your families and friends �" in welcoming the > beginning of Ramadan, and wishing you a blessed month. May God’s peace be > upon you. ### > > --- End forwarded message --- > > __._,_.___ > Messages in this topic > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/message/307117;_ylc=X3oDMT...>( > 1) Reply (via web post) > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJzZGhwcGRp...>| > Start > a new topic > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmN3FpbjQ1...> > Messages<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/messages;_ylc=X3oDMTJma2Q0...>| > Files<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/files;_ylc=X3oDMTJnZm02NHV...>| > Photos<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/photos;_ylc=X3oDMTJmc2Y5bT...>| > Links<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/links;_ylc=X3oDMTJnNTByNHY...>| > Calendar<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/calendar;_ylc=X3oDMTJldnJ1...> > IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM! > Please visit:www.operationshoebox.com > MARKETPLACE > Mom Power: Discover the community of moms doing more for their families, > for the world and for each > other<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=14k0jbccj/M=493064.12016295.13271503.1083...> > [image: Yahoo! > Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlYXQyZzdjBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycEl...> > Change settings via the > Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJnb25icGpr...>(Yahoo! > ID required) > Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily > Digest<[email protected]?subject=email+delivery:+Digest>| > Switch > format to > Traditional<[email protected]?subject=change+delivery+format:+Traditional> > Visit Your Group > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America;_ylc=X3oDMTJlb3JkdWo4BF9TA...>| > Yahoo! > Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> | Unsubscribe > <[email protected]?subject=> > Recent Activity > > - 2 > New > Members<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJndjg2d...> > > Visit Your Group > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hope4America;_ylc=X3oDMTJmOW0wMHM3BF9TA...> > Yahoo! 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