The Mind Behind Obama's Ramadan Dinner: George W. Bush
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
Is the White House dinner tonight celebrating Ramadan and honoring the contributions of American Muslims the latest exhibit in President Obama's charm offensive toward the global Islamic community?
Sure, but it wasn't Obama's idea. Turns out that the Ramadan dinner was an innovation of George W. Bush, who hosted one every year he was in office and who also used the event to recognize the contributions of American Muslims.
Check out this Voice of America piece on Bush's final iftar, the nightly dinner at which Muslims break their Ramadan fast, in 2008:
This was the president's eighth Iftaar dinner in eight years at the White House. Mr. Bush gave thanks for the many ways that Muslim Americans enrich the lives of all Americans.
"One of the great strengths of our nation is its religious diversity. Americans practice many different faiths. We all share a belief in the right to worship freely. We reject bigotry in all its forms. And over the past eight years, my administration has been proud to work closely with Muslim Americans to promote justice and tolerance of all faiths," he said.
The president singled out some of those attending the Iftaar dinner, including those who have worked on America's space program as well as those who have made advances in health care and technology.
The biggest difference in the Bush- and Obama-era dinners is how the United States' Bush-era war on terrorism figures into them. Obama has framed his Muslim outreach largely as an effort to repair the damage to the U.S. image in the Muslim world by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Bush, by contrast, proudly invoked those wars during his final Ramadan dinner. From Voice of America:
The president said the United States has partnered with Muslims around the world to spread freedom. "We are helping the people of Iraq and Afghanistan build free societies after decades of tyranny. And during the month of reflection, we will remember all the brave Muslim Americans who wear the uniform of the United States armed forces. They represent the best of our nation. I am honored to be their Commander-in-Chief," he said.
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Tags: Barack Obama | George W. Bush | religion
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Reader Comments
Clintons, not Bush, started Ramadan dinners
Knowledgable people, Muslims and non, are aware that White House-hosted Ramadan celebrations have been a tradition since the Clinton administration first began them in 1996.
"An innovation of George W. Bush"?
This is disappointing from a religion reporter for a major publication such as USNews.
To suggest President Bush as "The Mind Behind Obama's Ramadan Dinner," when Secretary of State Clinton said again, as recently as her Eid-Ul-Fitr video message (http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/pres2009hceid.htm), that:
"In 1996, my husband and I were privileged to host the first ever White House Eid celebration, which has now become a tradition,"
...contributes more of the confusion rather than clarity that we too often are subjected to on matters of faith.
A liberal fool, yes and we are tired of your BS
You are a typical liberal atheist who loves to be critical about others but can't take the backlash of your own hypocracy. You and your liberal demogagory is ridiculous. Every phrase from your mouth is hate and you insinuated SSF was a Jew. Your a disgrace and a typical lost cause of Liberal mentality.Your obviously a very weak and simple man who speaks like a woman and if this true I sympathize for you. We are the superior country and people. We hate liberals and are proud to say. You are devious, anti-American, anti-Christ and a true loser. Mr Feingold your right. And if you don't know what a Feminazi is your not so intelligent.
Physician, heal thyself...
It's amazing to see how much hate, division, racism, and downright hypocrisy you right wingers spew. Just go back to the beginning of these series of postings and read your own posts. Who is dishing out the hate, the prejudice, the insults, and the name-calling. Who are the self-righteous ones here who think of themselves as the only 'real Americans'?
Look at the way you claim, repeatedly, that this is a country only for 'true believers'. American's founding fathers NEVER intended it that way. Read Thomas Jefferson's writings. You call liberals 'elitist' and self-centered, and yet you have created a little bubble world where you see everyone else not like you as evil, dangerous and not to be trusted, or against God and America. It's sick...
'Feminazi liberal'???!! Now that's an interesting one, meaningless and absurd, but creative!
I'm a man if you must know, also a PROUD non-religious liberal, and glad to live in a free country which still allows muslims, christians, jews, and non-believers to live in peace AND SPEAK THEIR MINDS. I intend to fight for that freedom.
Reading your posts just confirms my opinion that many religious evangelicals on the right would like to put an end to that very freedom and give us 'Scum of America' 'no voice' as Mr. Fiengold puts it in his kind and gentle note! By the way, does your friend 'True American' think there is something wrong with being a Jew? I mentioned it based on the fact that Feingold is a Jewish name. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, 'True Americans' are people who judge people based on their actions and have open minds, not hate-mongers like the one on this board.
I'm through with this board. The gulf is just too huge and the hatred too raw.
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