I'm not going to come down too hard on President Obama for his attempt to reach out to Muslims during his stop in Turkey-as some have. At a press conference, he assured his listeners that the US was not or ever had been at war with Islam.
Fair enough. Of course, what everybody knows there are a fair number of Muslims in the world who are at war against the US and the West in the name of Islam-among other issues, of course.
Choosing Turkey to make his appeal was a wise choice given the unique situation Turkey occupies. First of all, Turkey, since the rule of Kemal Ataturk, Turkey's national hero, has been secular in its approach to religion. Ataturk maintained a separation between church and state. As any visitor to Turkey will attest (I have been there twice), Turks are not only allowed to drink alcohol, but partake quite enthusiastically. Their national drink is raki, similar to the Greek uzo. In addition, they produce one of the world's best beers, Efes Pilson. The Turks are a tough but friendly people, and Turkey is a genuinely nice country.
Unfortunately, the call of Jihad and Islamic fundamentalism has infected some Turks both in Turkey and in Europe. Because of their secular background and the importance of Turkey strategically, it is fervently hoped that militant Islam can be contained in that country. Turkey has been trying for years to gain acceptance into the European Union, and this issue will be an important factor.
The below statement by Obama does give me pause, however:
"One of the great strengths of the United States," the President said, "is ... we have a very large Christian population -- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."
Not exactly. Where does Obama think we get our ideals and values from? With all due respect to people of other religions and atheists-who can be equally good people-the history of our country and the way we developed is linked to our Judeo-Christian heritage and values (no matter how often we have strayed from those values).
He also made this curious statement:
“We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world — including in my own country.”
With all due respect, what exactly has Islam done over the centuries-or over the history of the US-to shape our country? That is a platitude that simply does not hold water.
I think Obama erred if he intends to send out a message to the Muslim world that Christianity and Judaism no longer matter to Americans. Many militant Muslims will take that as a sign of weakness-just as they see in secular Europe, where great churches and cathedrals are little more than historical monuments, generally empty save for tourists and an occasional old priest walking around and lighting candles. Many of the radical Muslims living in European cities are already envisioning the day when those buildings will be turned into great mosques-or torn down with the quiet acquiescence of remaining minority Europeans. When it comes to America, Obama should never give that signal to the Islamic world.
By all means, President Obama should reach out to the moderate and peaceful Muslim world and let them know we mean them no harm. However, he could have pointed to the fact that in recent years, we have liberated millions of Muslims from tyranny in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. Is there something Obama thinks America needs to apologize for? In addition, Obama is not the first president who has extended his hand to the Muslim world. Even after 9-11, President Bush made it a point to let the Muslim world know that America had no quarrel with Islam itself. He called Islam "a religion of peace", a statement he felt he had to make given the world situation.
I hope Obama's conciliatory words will resonate throughout the Muslim world. I have no hope that they will mean anything to the Jihadis and those already engaged in terrorism. It is against that segment that the president must remain vigilant and prepared.
And he must let them know that.
3 comments:
This post is very contradictory. One the one hand, you praise Turkey for being a secular nation, but then go on to criticize Obama for saying the same about our own country. The United States is a secular nation much in the same way that Turkey is. Our values have been influenced by Christianity, theirs by Islam. But we both keep the church and state separate and are not theocracies. The way I read Obama's remarks, that's basically what he was saying, and there's nothing wrong or untrue about that.
"However, he could have pointed to the fact that in recent years, we have liberated millions of Muslims from tyranny in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq."
Except that would be a completely arrogant and condescending thing to say as a guest. The President of the U.S. isn't emperor of the world, and still has to respect other nations when he visits them.
Bryan,
I respect the points you made, and certainly, Obama has to exercise diplomacy while measuring his words. He also has to recognize that his words will be reported back home, so he speaks to two audiences. He could have explained that the US has a separation of Church and State without discounting our Judeo-Christian heritage. He didn't discount Turkey's Islamic heritage.
Ok, perhaps to remind his hosts of what we have done might be arrogant, but if stated in the right way, I don't think so.
I understand that Obama is walking a fine line. Bush tried to walk that line also, but he never got any credit for it.
Obama's statement hearkens back to the statement of James Madison's in the Treaty of Tripoli:
"As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
I never understood this thing about how we are founded on Judeo-Christian values? What does that even mean? I'm familiar enough with both the Constitution and The Bible to know that there isn't a whole lot of crossover between the two.
Certainly Christians and their values have played a big part in shaping this country, but Obama's statement is accurate.
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