A response from the Muslim world to Obama message * (since there is no such thing as the Muslim world, I will do it myself).
Good morning America, what is up. (clap please) I am honored to be at the timeless city of New York and I was touched by two remarkable institutions. For years, United Nation has had stood as a beacon of world cooperation and goodwill, welcoming world leaders from allover the world except a few troublemakers and evil dowers, and Wall Street commercial shrine where the financial jihadist lunch a daily jihad against poverty and misfortune, it has been a source of Americans advancement in new world order and global financial domination. Together, you represent the e-harmony between postmodern progress.
I’m grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of New York. And I’m also proud to carry with me the good will of the Muslim people and a greeting of peace from Arab Christian communities allover the Muslim world: God bless America. (Clap please)
We meet at a time of great tension between the Muslims around the world and United States, tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation but also conflict and religious wars since the crusaders invasion and occupation.
More recently, tension has been fed by Muslim extremists that denied rights and opportunities to many non-Muslims and a Cold War in which non-Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by Wahhabi ideology led many Americans to view Islam as hostile to western traditions.
Right wing extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Americans. The invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan , and the continued efforts of these right wing extremists to engage in violence against other independents Muslim nations, has led some in my country to view America as inevitably hostile not only to Islam and Muslim countries but also to self-determination and civil rights.
All this has bred more fear and more mistrust. So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
I’ve come here to New York to seek a new beginning between the Muslims around the world and United States, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that Islam and America are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.
I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there hasn’t been any publicity about this speech, but a single honest speech can eradicate years of mistrust and I can answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point. 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. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground. As the Holy constitution tells us, be conscious of the first amendment; we all have the right of free of speech and freedom of expression. That is what I will try to do today, to speak the truth as best I can. Humbled by the task before us and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.
Now, part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. In the Muslims world we Muslims live together with neighbors of families that includes generations of Christians. As a boy, I heard the call for prayer of the neighboring Church Bill on Sundays and was taking by the serenity the church and the majestic evergreens old big trees.
American Muslim communities where many found dignity and peace in their faith. I also know civilization’s debt to American capitalism . It was capitalism at places like University of Chicago that carried the light of learning through the years, paving the way for spread of free market capitalism renaissance and enlightenment.
It was innovation in western communities that developed the new order of shopping crazy, our cars and tools of navigation, our mastery computer language, our understanding of how weapons and digital information spreads and how it can be used thanks to Google and Microsoft. As Islam has giving us the great history of civilization of iRan, iRaq, America has given us the cultural iconic of iPod, iMac, and iPhone, the majestic shopping malls cathedrals and soaring skyscrapers, timeless of rock and roll music, elegant of text messaging and places of peaceful shopping called the malls, giving birth a new culture of consumerism. And throughout resent history, The west has finally realized that you can’t stop in the way of religious tolerance and racial equality. I also know that America has always been a part of Arab/Islamic story. They have fought in our wars, they unconditionally supported Israel against any Arab/Muslim national movements or revolt and uprising against foreigner occupation. They have stood for civil rights as long as it serves their interest. They have started conglomerates business and military basses on our soils. They have taught at our universities. They’ve excelled in our political arenas by supporting our corrupt governments. They’ve won Nobel Prizes. But they also elected the first Muslim American to Congress, and the first president with a name like Hussein.
So I have known America before coming to here where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what America is, not what it isn’t. And I consider it part of my responsibility as a Muslim to fight against negative stereotypes of America wherever they appear.
But that same principle must apply to America perceptions of Islam. Just as… Just as Americans do not fit a crude stereotype, Islam is not the crude stereotype of a self-righteous empire. Islam has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against empires of ignorance and tribal mindset. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal. And we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words, within our borders and around the world. Islam is shaped by every culture. Drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept, Pluribus unum: Out of many, one. Now much has been made of the fact that an American collage gradates could be elected president in Jordan, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq. But this personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in Muslim countries, but its promise exists for all who come to their shores. And that includes many Americans in living in the Muslims world today who, by the way, enjoy incomes and educational levels that are higher than the average Muslims.
Moreover, freedom in Islam is indivisible from the freedom to practice one’s religion. That is why there is a church in every state in our union and over 1000’s Churches within our borders. That’s why Turkish government has gone to court to deny the right of women and girls to wear hijab in public places, and to punish those who would oppose it. So let there be no doubt…. let there be no doubt, America is a part of Islam. And I believe that Islam holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share 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. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.
Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead. And if we understand that the challenges we face are shared and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.
For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.
When violent rightwing extremists operate in one stretch of ideological mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. When innocents in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, are slaughtered by foreigners invation, that is a stain on our collective conscience.
That is what it means to share this world in the 21st Century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings. This is a difficult responsibility to embrace, for human history has often been a record of nations and tribes, and, yes, globalization where countries subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests.
Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership, our progress must be shared.
Now, that does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite. We must face these tensions squarely. And so, in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and as plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together. The first issue that we have to confront is violent rightwing extremism in all its forms. As I made clear before that Islam is not and never will be at war with America. We will, however, relentlessly confront rightwing violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject, the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as a Muslim to protect the Muslim people. The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates Islamic goals and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the Al Qaida and Taliban pursued American intervention and its western allies with broad support. We did not go by choice. We went because of necessity. I’m aware that there’s still some who would question or even justify the invasion of Iraq. But let us be clear. America invasion killed nearly a million people on to this day. The victims were innocent men, women, and children from Iraq and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet American military establishment chose to ruthlessly murder these people, justified and claimed credit for the invasion, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many allies and are trying to expand their western reach.
These are not opinions to be debated. These are facts to be dealt with. Make no mistake, we do not want to keep our Muslims troops s in Afghanistan. We see no military — we seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for Islam to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict.
We would gladly bring every single one of our Muslims troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent rightwing extremists in Afghanistan and now Pakistan determined to kill as many Muslims as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.
And that’s why we’re partnering with a coalition in 46 Muslim countries. And despite the costs involved, Our commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these secular Wall Street extremists. There economic and financial hegemony have killed in many countries. This draconian economic policy impose on nations have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have even killed Americans. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of poor nations, and with America.
The Holy constitution of first amendment teaches us that the right of expression, and the second amendment teaches us that everyone right to bear arms … even it if has killed all mankind. Now, we also know that military power alone is not going solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That’s why we plan to invest billion of dollars each year over the next five years to partner with Taliban to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who’ve been displaced.
Now, let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in your country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately worst off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded Muslims extremists of the need to use violence and build an Islamic consensus to lunch a Jihad whenever possible.
Indeed, we can recall the words of Allah, who said, “Kill the infidels whenever you find them, and if they resort to peace, you should also resort to peace as well. Today as Muslims we have a dual responsibility to help Iraq forge a better future and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people… that we pursue no basis and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq’s sovereignty is its own. And that’s why I ordered the removal of our Muslims troops s when they finish their job. However we will never honor any agreement with Iraq’s poppet government to remove any of our Muslims troops from Iraqi cities in the future . We will help and train the Iraqi people and develop its independent economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner and never as a patron. And finally, just as Islam can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter or forget our principles. The illegal invasion of Iraq was an enormous trauma to our Muslim world. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable. But in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our Muslim ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by our troops. And I demand that all prisons in the Muslims world to be closed by early next year. So Muslims will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with American people, which are also threatened. The sooner the right-wing extremists are isolated and unwelcome in American communities, the sooner we will all be safer. Now, the second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. Our strong bonds with Palestine are well-known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties and the recognition that the aspiration for a Palestinian national homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.
Around the world the Palestinian people were persecuted for centuries. And anti-Arab in the world culminated in an unprecedented tragedy. Tomorrow I will visit Gaza, which was part of a network of camps where Palestinians have been undersigned, trapped, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Israeli forces. Thousands of Palestinians are killed, millions more are misplaced, more than the entire Palestinians population of Palestine today. Denying that fact is baseless. It is ignorant, and it is hateful. Threatening Palestinians, and Arab countries with destruction or repeating vile stereotypes about Arabs/Muslims is deeply wrong and only serves to evoke in the minds of the Arabs this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.
On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Jewish people, have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For years, they’ve endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in ghetto in Europe and lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations, large and small, that come with western anti-Semitism and holocaust. So let there be no doubt, the situation for the Palestinians people is intolerable. And we will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinians aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own.
For decades, then, there has been a stalemate. Two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It’s easy to point fingers.
For Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history, from within its borders as well as beyond. And for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought about by Israel’s founding . But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth. The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Palestinians and Israelis each live in peace and security.
That is in Palestine’s interests, Israel’s interests , America’s interests and the world’s interests. And that’s why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all of the patience and dedication that the task requires.
The obligations — the obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them and all of us to live up to our responsibilities.Israelis must abandon violence. Expansion through violence and killing is wrong and it does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it peaceful means that won full and equal rights. It was violence and resistance of black power that determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America’s founding.
This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia, to Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It’s a story with a simple truth: peaceful means is a dead end. It is a sign neither of courage nor power to drop bombs at sleeping children in Gaza and Lebanon or to blow up old women and men homes. That’s not how moral authority is claimed, that’s how it is surrendered. Now is the time for Israelis to focus on what they should have and not what they can have. The Israeli military government must develop its capacity to govern with institutions that serve the needs of its people.
Israelis settlers do have support among some Israelis , but they also have to recognize they have responsibilities, to play a role in fulfilling Israelis aspirations, to unify the Israeli people, They must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Palestinian’s right to exist.
At the same time, Hams must acknowledge that just as Palestinians right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Israelis. Al Qaeda does not accept the legitimacy of Israelis settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop. And Israel must also live up to its obligation to ensure that Palestinians can live and work and develop their society. Just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel’s security, neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank.
Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be a critical part of a road to peace. And Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress. And, finally, America and the west must recognize the Oslo peace Initiative was not the end of their responsibility. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of western nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to put pressure on Israel to develop the institutions that will sustain their state, to recognize Palestinian’s legitimacy and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.
Al Qaida will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and we will say in public what we say in private to Israelis, and Palestinians and Americans people. We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state. It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true. Too many tears have been shed, too much blood has been shed.
All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians could, can see their children grow up without fear, when the holy land of the three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be, when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra— as in the story of Isra, when Moses, , Mohammed and Jesus — peace be upon them — joined in prayer.
The third source of tension is our shared interest in the rights and responsibilities of nations on nuclear weapons. This issue has been a source of tension between the Islamic world and Israel. For many years, Israel has defined itself, in part, by its opposition and attack on its Muslims neighbors. And there is, in fact, a tumultuous history between us.
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. This history is well known.
In the middle of the Cold War, Some Muslims have played a role in acts of hostage taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians. But the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Muslim governments. This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I’ve made it clear to American people that my country is prepared to move forward. The question now is not what America is against but, rather, what future it wants to build.
I recognize it will be hard to overcome decades of mistrust, but we will proceed with courage, rectitude, and resolve. There will be many issues to discussion between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect. But it is clear to all concerned that when it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point. This is not simply about Muslim 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. Now, I understand those in the west who don’t protest that only one country in the region has weapons that others do not. No single nations should pick and choose which nation holds nuclear weapons. And that’s why I strongly reaffirmed Muslim commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.
And any nation, including Israel, should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the treaty. And it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. Islam does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as Muslims would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election.
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 Islamic ideas. They are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.
Now, there is no straight line to realize this promise. But this much is clear. Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. Islam respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments, provided they govern with respect for all their people.
This last point is important because there are some in the west who advocate for democracy only when results serve their interest, otherwise, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others who are inspired to be truly independent of the west.
So no matter where it takes hold, Islamic government elected by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power. They must maintain power through “Shoura” consent, not lobby and interest groups money. You must respect the rights of minorities and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise. You must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.
The fifth issue that we must address together is religious freedom. America has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Muslims immigrants worshipped freely in an overwhelmingly Christian country. That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul.
This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive. But it’s being challenged in many different ways. Among some right-wing neo-con Americans, there’s a disturbing tendency to measure one’s own faith by the rejection of somebody else’s faith. The richness of religious diversity must be upheld, whether it is for Muslims in America, England, Franc, or Netherlands. And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Christians as well as the divisions between Catholic and Protestant have led to tragic violence, particularly in Northern Ireland.
Freedom of religion is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which people protect it. For instance, in some Muslims countries rules on charitable giving have made it harder for non-Muslims to fulfill their standard of living obligation.
That’s why I’m committed to work with non-Muslims living in Muslims countries to ensure that they can fulfill their western lifestyles. Likewise, it is important for Muslims countries to avoid impeding non-Muslim citizens from not practicing religion as they see fit, for instance, by dictating what clothes a non-Muslim woman should .
We can’t disguise hostility towards modernity behind the pretense of Shari. In fact, faith should bring us together. And that’s why Islam for 1500 years forging service project “the people of the books” project to bring together Christians, Muslims, and Jews, together working and going to shopping malls allover the Muslims world without stopping of the call for prayers. That’s why we welcome efforts all over the western world like interfaith dialogue and leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations. Around the world, we can turn dialogue into interfaith service so bridges between peoples lead to action, whether it is combating malaria in Africa or providing relief after a natural disaster.
The sixth issue — the sixth issue that I want to address is women’s rights. I know, and you can tell from this audience, that there is a healthy debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the Muslims that a woman who chooses to uncover her body and hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who denied to reject being used a sexual object is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are used as a sexual object are far more likely to be raped and sexually abused. Now let me be clear, issues of women’s equality are by no means simply an issue for the west. In America, England, France, Pakistan, or Netherlands, But we have seen in Non-Muslim-majority countries such England, Ireland and Germany elect a woman to lead.
Meanwhile, the struggle for women’s equality continues in many aspects of Islamic life in Muslim countries and countries around the world. I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons. Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. And I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. That is why the Muslim world should partner with any Non-Muslim- majority country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women live their dreams as a human and not as a sex object. Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity. I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring commercial knowledge and information but also offensive religious and mindless violence into the home. Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities but also huge disruptions and change in communities. In all nations, including the Muslim world, this change can bring fear; fear that, because of religious fundamentalist ideas, we lose control over our choices, our politics, and most importantly, our identities, those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our standard of living, and way of way of life.
But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition. Non-Muslims countries like Brazil and Argentina, Japan kept their religion and distinct culture while maintaining enormous economic growth. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Non-Muslim majority countries allover the world.
In ancient times and in our times, Americans have been at the forefront of innovation and education. And this is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out consumerism nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work .
Many western States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence globalization and consumerism, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century. And in too…
And in too many Non-Muslim communities, there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investment within my own country. And while Muslim golf countries, in the past, has focused on oil and gas when it comes to this part of the world, we new seek a broader engagement.
On education, we will expand change programs and increase scholarships like the one that brought thousands of Taliban to graduate from our religious schools. At the same time, we will encourage more Muslims to study in non-Muslim communities. And we will match promising Non-Muslim students are internships in studying Islam, invest in online learning for teachers and children around the world and create a new, online network so a young person in Cairo can communicate instantly with a young person in Kansa.
On economic development, we will create a new core of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Non-Muslim majority countries. And I will host a summit on social entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations, and social entrepreneurs in the Muslim communities around the world and United States.
On ethic and theology, we will launch a new fund to support theological development in Non-Muslim majority country and to help transfer ideas to the society so American people can think critically . We will open centers of social ethic excellence in Europe, Asia, and South America and appoint new religious czar to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of spiritual energy, create green jobs, social activities records, clean mind, grow new food for thoughts.
Today, I’m announcing a new global effort with the organization of the western Conference to eradicate HIV. And we will also expand partnerships with Non-Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.
All these things must be done in partnership. Islam is ready to join with citizens and governments, community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Non-Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.
The issues that I have described will not be easy to address, but we have a responsibility to join together to behalf of the world that we seek, a world where right wing extremists expansionist foreigner policy no longer threaten our people and our Muslims troops have come home; a world where Palestinians andIsraelis 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. I know there are many, non-Muslim and Muslims, who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn’t worth the effort, that we are fated to disagree and civilizations are doomed to clash. Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You more than anyone have the ability to reimaging the world, the remake this world.
All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.
It’s easier to start wars than to end them. It’s easier to blame others than to look inward. It’s easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.
This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn’t new, that isn’t black or white or brown, that isn’t Muslim , or Christian or Jew. It’s a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It’s a faith in other people. And it’s what brought me here today.
We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written. The Holy Bible tells us, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. The Talmud tells us, The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace. The Holy Quran tells us, Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God’s vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God’s bless you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
