The difference between Donald Trump and all the other presidents, is that he’s not a politician, which means he isn’t a hypocrite. With all that’s going on in the Muslim world, with terrorism running rampant in Europe and throughout the globe, is a White House dinner to celebrate an Islamic holiday really appropriate? Isn’t that a slap in the face of all who have lost their lives or have been maimed by Muslim terrorists, not to mention the suffering of the families of those individuals.
When will the media stop sucking up to Muslims? What have the past Ramadan dinners in the White House done for the United States?
When one belongs to a group, he or she represents what that group stands for, whether they like it or not. If one is a member of the Mafia, or a drug gang, or a sports team, or the Catholic Church or Islam, one buys into what that particular group represents. An individual may be decent, honest, have good feelings, etc. but if the group at large is flawed, guess what, guilty by association. It may not be fair, but it is what it is. Unfortunately for kind-hearted Muslims, there is something flawed with their ideology. It isn’t by coincidence that Muslims get “radicalized,” whereas members of other religions don’t. Instead of whining and complaining, why not act to address the issue, which is destroying thousands of innocent lives throughout the world and causing widespread misery. TGO
Refer to story below. Source: Huff Post/Yahoo News
Breaking with tradition, the White House under President Donald Trump did not host an iftar dinner, the meal Muslims eat to break their daily fast during Ramadan.
The dinner, which has been often attended by prominent members of the U.S. Muslim community, began in 1996 during former President Bill Clinton’s White House tenure and continued through the subsequent Bush and Obama administrations.
But Trump and first lady Melania simply issued a brief statement Saturday that offered “warm greetings” to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Fitr, which marks the close of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting.
On behalf of the American people, Melania and I send our warm greetings to Muslims as they celebrate Eidal-Fitr.
Muslims in the United States joined those around the world during the holy month of Ramadan to focus on acts of faith and charity. Now, as they commemorate Eid with family and friends, they carry on the tradition of helping neighbors and breaking bread with people from all walks of life.
During this holiday, we are reminded of the importance of mercy, compassion, and goodwill. With Muslims around the world, the United States renews our commitment to honor these values.
Eid Mubarak.
Trump’s decision to skip hosting the dinner comes after he released a controversial statement meant to mark the beginning of Ramadan. Many members of the Muslim community condemned the message, which largely focused on terrorism.
“This year, the holiday begins as the world mourns the innocent victims of barbaric terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom and Egypt, acts of depravity that are directly contrary to the spirit of Ramadan,” read a White House statement issued in May. “Such acts only steel our resolve to defeat the terrorists and their perverted ideology.”
Trump’s remarks starkly contrast with those by then-President Barack Obama during Ramadan last year. In June 2016, Obama and then-first lady Michelle announced plans to host an Eid celebration in the White House and praised American Muslims for their contributions to the U.S.
“Muslim Americans have been part of our American family since its founding,” the Obamas wrote in a statement roughly five times longer than Trump’s Ramadan message. “We look forward to welcoming Americans from around the country to celebrate the holiday.”
Secretary of states have also traditionally hosted Iftar dinners since 1999 ― but not this year. Trump’s top diplomat, Rex Tillerson, declined an invitation this year from the State Department’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs to host an Eid al-Fitr celebration, according to CNN.
With its break from precedent, the Trump administration shunned an opportunity to reach out to the U.S. Muslim community whose leaders have said has been ostracized by the president’s rhetoric and his policies, including his proposed travel ban.
Imam Talib Shareef, president of the Nation’s Mosque in Washington, D.C., called Trump’s decision “disappointing.”
“To stop it doesn’t send a good message” Shareef told Newsweek.
Referring to one of Trump’s main pastimes, he added: “You get the chance to go golfing and all this other kind of stuff. How come you don’t have time for a population of your society that needs some assistance?”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
