Obama's speech inspires Muslims in Los Angeles & around U.S.

In Los Angeles, Salam Al-Marayati beamed as he watched President Obama enumerate Muslim contributions to civilization and the United States.

In Dearborn, Mich., home to the nation’s largest Arab American community, leaders quietly hoped that Obama’s speech in Cairo would usher in a new era in American attitudes toward them.

And in Washington, the head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised Obama for repeatedly quoting the Koran and acknowledging damaging stereotypes of Muslims.

Even as Obama’s speech today reverberated through the Muslim world, back home it offered inspiration to U.S. Muslims seeking a new image for their community -- one they said had been eclipsed by the rhetoric of religious extremism in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

“I came away feeling confident that this president does take seriously his role in opposing stereotypes of Islam,” said Al-Marayati, head of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council, who rose at 3 a.m. to watch the speech on television in his living room. “He will be a major source for all of us as one who debunks the myths about Islam and Muslims to the American public.”

Read full story here.

-- Duke Helfand in Los Angeles and P.J. Huffstutter in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Comments

[jp las vegas]

unfortunately despite b. hussein obama's pronouncements, islamic extremism is still a major source of world problems including suicide (homicide) bombing against innocent civilians, firing inaccurate rockets against innocent civilians, teaching hate to little children in their schools, and, of course, flying planes into buildings. Many in the world are afraid to say the truth vis. these are not stereotypes, these are realities that are unpleasant but true. until the islamists change, all of us must be on the defense against them and unfortunately our president on his apology tour is not what we need.

[louie]

JP, I'm with you. WE need more of the same closed mindedness . That's what will change the dynamic here. More of the same.

[Mindi]

If we want to be safer within the U.S. and overseas, we must be honest in our dealings with Muslim nations and find common ground. Thank you President Obama for doing your best to improve relations and our security.

[jp las vegas]

louie, the islamic extremists who dominate the moslem world are not entitled to Americans having an open mind. It is the Islamic world that must change here; not America. That is where Obama is so wrong. Obama is just proving to be Jimmy Carter all over again and we're going to be sorry we elected him.

[Sophie]

It's because of bigoted views of internet-hiding cowards like "jp" that moderate Muslims are marginalized.

[Tommy D]

Though Muslims made contributions to science and math hundreds of years ago, the truth is they have contributed nothing to modern civilization. Also, we have to ask ourselves, what do we have in common with cultures that allow eight year-old girls to be married off to middled-aged men to settle their father's debts? Or countries that stone young women to death for adultery? Muslim countries have nothing to offer but superstition and violence. We should avoid them at every opportunity.

[Flaberghasted]

NO, it is because moderate muslims have either been too cowardly to speak out against muslim extremists or they are not moderate, after all, and really agree with the extremists that THEY HAVE MARGINALIZED THEMSELVES. I have yet to see a significant number of them say anything against their radical brethren -- they only speak up about how they are stereotyped or persecuted. If they disagree with the stereotype, speak out against the cause of the stereotype -- the muslim extremists who have attacked civilization and progress. According to Obama, we are a Muslim Nation, so there must be a great hew and cry from them against the extremists. In the absence of such an outcry, OBAMA has just proved that he is sympathetic to the enemies of this country and SHOULD BE IMPEACHED.