Text of Obamas speech at Cairo University1.docx

Text of Obamas speech at Cairo University1.docx

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TextofObamasspeechatCairoUniversity1

TextofObama’sspeechatCairoUniversity

Published:

June4200912:

59|lastupdated:

June4200912:

59

IamhonoredtobeinthetimelesscityofCairo,andtobehostedbytworemarkableinstitutions.Foroverathousandyears,Al-AzharhasstoodasabeaconofIslamiclearning,andforoveracentury,CairoUniversityhasbeenasourceofEgypt’sadvancement.Together,yourepresenttheharmonybetweentraditionandprogress.Iamgratefulforyourhospitality,andthehospitalityofthepeopleofEgypt.IamalsoproudtocarrywithmethegoodwilloftheAmericanpeople,andagreetingofpeacefromMuslimcommunitiesinmycountry:

assalaamualaykum.

WemeetatatimeoftensionbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld–tensionrootedinhistoricalforcesthatgobeyondanycurrentpolicydebate.TherelationshipbetweenIslamandtheWestincludescenturiesofco-existenceandcooperation,butalsoconflictandreligiouswars.Morerecently,tensionhasbeenfedbycolonialismthatdeniedrightsandopportunitiestomanyMuslims,andaColdWarinwhichMuslim-majoritycountriesweretoooftentreatedasproxieswithoutregardtotheirownaspirations.Moreover,thesweepingchangebroughtbymodernityandglobalizationledmanyMuslimstoviewtheWestashostiletothetraditionsofIslam.

ViolentextremistshaveexploitedthesetensionsinasmallbutpotentminorityofMuslims.TheattacksofSeptember11th,2001andthecontinuedeffortsoftheseextremiststoengageinviolenceagainstcivilianshasledsomeinmycountrytoviewIslamasinevitablyhostilenotonlytoAmericaandWesterncountries,butalsotohumanrights.Thishasbredmorefearandmistrust.

Solongasourrelationshipisdefinedbyourdifferences,wewillempowerthosewhosowhatredratherthanpeace,andwhopromoteconflictratherthanthecooperationthatcanhelpallofourpeopleachievejusticeandprosperity.Thiscycleofsuspicionanddiscordmustend.

IhavecomeheretoseekanewbeginningbetweentheUnitedStatesandMuslimsaroundtheworld;onebaseduponmutualinterestandmutualrespect;andonebaseduponthetruththatAmericaandIslamarenotexclusive,andneednotbeincompetition.Instead,theyoverlap,andsharecommonprinciples–principlesofjusticeandprogress;toleranceandthedignityofallhumanbeings.

Idosorecognizingthatchangecannothappenovernight.Nosinglespeechcaneradicateyearsofmistrust,norcanIanswerinthetimethatIhaveallthecomplexquestionsthatbroughtustothispoint.ButIamconvincedthatinordertomoveforward,wemustsayopenlythethingsweholdinourhearts,andthattoooftenaresaidonlybehindcloseddoors.Theremustbeasustainedefforttolistentoeachother;tolearnfromeachother;torespectoneanother;andtoseekcommonground.AstheHolyKorantellsus,“BeconsciousofGodandspeakalwaysthetruth.”ThatiswhatIwilltrytodo–tospeakthetruthasbestIcan,humbledbythetaskbeforeus,andfirminmybeliefthattheinterestsweshareashumanbeingsarefarmorepowerfulthantheforcesthatdriveusapart.

Partofthisconvictionisrootedinmyownexperience.IamaChristian,butmyfathercamefromaKenyanfamilythatincludesgenerationsofMuslims.Asaboy,IspentseveralyearsinIndonesiaandheardthecalloftheazaanatthebreakofdawnandthefallofdusk.Asayoungman,IworkedinChicagocommunitieswheremanyfounddignityandpeaceintheirMuslimfaith.

Asastudentofhistory,Ialsoknowcivilization’sdebttoIslam.ItwasIslam–atplaceslikeAl-AzharUniversity–thatcarriedthelightoflearningthroughsomanycenturies,pavingthewayforEurope’sRenaissanceandEnlightenment.ItwasinnovationinMuslimcommunitiesthatdevelopedtheorderofalgebra;ourmagneticcompassandtoolsofnavigation;ourmasteryofpensandprinting;ourunderstandingofhowdiseasespreadsandhowitcanbehealed.Islamicculturehasgivenusmajesticarchesandsoaringspires;timelesspoetryandcherishedmusic;elegantcalligraphyandplacesofpeacefulcontemplation.Andthroughouthistory,Islamhasdemonstratedthroughwordsanddeedsthepossibilitiesofreligioustoleranceandracialequality.

Iknow,too,thatIslamhasalwaysbeenapartofAmerica’sstory.ThefirstnationtorecognizemycountrywasMorocco.InsigningtheTreatyofTripoliin1796,oursecondPresidentJohnAdamswrote,“TheUnitedStateshasinitselfnocharacterofenmityagainstthelaws,religionortranquilityofMuslims.”Andsinceourfounding,AmericanMuslimshaveenrichedtheUnitedStates.Theyhavefoughtinourwars,servedingovernment,stoodforcivilrights,startedbusinesses,taughtatourUniversities,excelledinoursportsarenas,wonNobelPrizes,builtourtallestbuilding,andlittheOlympicTorch.AndwhenthefirstMuslim-AmericanwasrecentlyelectedtoCongress,hetooktheoathtodefendourConstitutionusingthesameHolyKoranthatoneofourFoundingFathers–ThomasJefferson–keptinhispersonallibrary.

SoIhaveknownIslamonthreecontinentsbeforecomingtotheregionwhereitwasfirstrevealed.ThatexperienceguidesmyconvictionthatpartnershipbetweenAmericaandIslammustbebasedonwhatIslamis,notwhatitisn’t.AndIconsideritpartofmyresponsibilityasPresidentoftheUnitedStatestofightagainstnegativestereotypesofIslamwherevertheyappear.

ButthatsameprinciplemustapplytoMuslimperceptionsofAmerica.JustasMuslimsdonotfitacrudestereotype,Americaisnotthecrudestereotypeofaself-interestedempire.TheUnitedStateshasbeenoneofthegreatestsourcesofprogressthattheworldhaseverknown.Wewerebornoutofrevolutionagainstanempire.Wewerefoundedupontheidealthatallarecreatedequal,andwehaveshedbloodandstruggledforcenturiestogivemeaningtothosewords–withinourborders,andaroundtheworld.Weareshapedbyeveryculture,drawnfromeveryendoftheEarth,anddedicatedtoasimpleconcept:

Epluribusunum:

”Outofmany,one.”

MuchhasbeenmadeofthefactthatanAfrican-AmericanwiththenameBarackHusseinObamacouldbeelectedPresident.Butmypersonalstoryisnotsounique.ThedreamofopportunityforallpeoplehasnotcometrueforeveryoneinAmerica,butitspromiseexistsforallwhocometoourshores–thatincludesnearlysevenmillionAmericanMuslimsinourcountrytodaywhoenjoyincomesandeducationthatarehigherthanaverage.

Moreover,freedominAmericaisindivisiblefromthefreedomtopracticeone’sreligion.Thatiswhythereisamosqueineverystateofourunion,andover1,200mosqueswithinourborders.ThatiswhytheU.S.governmenthasgonetocourttoprotecttherightofwomenandgirlstowearthehijab,andtopunishthosewhowoulddenyit.

Solettherebenodoubt:

IslamisapartofAmerica.AndIbelievethatAmericaholdswithinherthetruththatregardlessofrace,religion,orstationinlife,allofussharecommonaspirations–toliveinpeaceandsecurity;togetaneducationandtoworkwithdignity;toloveourfamilies,ourcommunities,andourGod.Thesethingsweshare.Thisisthehopeofallhumanity.

Ofcourse,recognizingourcommonhumanityisonlythebeginningofourtask.Wordsalonecannotmeettheneedsofourpeople.Theseneedswillbemetonlyifweactboldlyintheyearsahead;andifweunderstandthatthechallengeswefaceareshared,andourfailuretomeetthemwillhurtusall.

Forwehavelearnedfromrecentexperiencethatwhenafinancialsystemweakensinonecountry,prosperityishurteverywhere.Whenanewfluinfectsonehumanbeing,allareatrisk.Whenonenationpursuesanuclearweapon,theriskofnuclearattackrisesforallnations.Whenviolentextremistsoperateinonestretchofmountains,peopleareendangeredacrossanocean.AndwheninnocentsinBosniaandDarfurareslaughtered,thatisastainonourcollectiveconscience.Thatiswhatitmeanstosharethisworldinthe21stcentury.Thatistheresponsibilitywehavetooneanotherashumanbeings.

Thisisadifficultresponsibilitytoembrace.Forhumanhistoryhasoftenbeenarecordofnationsandtribessubjugatingoneanothertoservetheirowninterests.Yetinthisnewage,suchattitudesareself-defeating.Givenourinterdependence,anyworldorderthatelevatesonenationorgroupofpeopleoveranotherwillinevitablyfail.Sowhateverwethinkofthepast,wemustnotbeprisonersofit.Ourproblemsmustbedealtwiththroughpartnership;progressmustbeshared.

Thatdoesnotmeanweshouldignoresourcesoftension.Indeed,itsuggeststheopposite:

wemustfacethesetensionssquarely.Andsointhatspirit,letmespeakasclearlyandplainlyasIcanaboutsomespecificissuesthatIbelievewemustfinallyconfronttogether.

Thefirstissuethatwehavetoconfrontisviolentextremisminallofitsforms.

InAnkara,ImadeclearthatAmericaisnot–andneverwillbe–atwarwithIslam.Wewill,however,relentlesslyconfrontviolentextremistswhoposeagravethreattooursecurity.Becausewerejectthesamethingthatpeopleofallfaithsreject:

thekillingofinnocentmen,women,andchildren.AnditismyfirstdutyasPresidenttoprotecttheAmericanpeople.

ThesituationinAfghanistandemonstratesAmerica’sgoals,andourneedtoworktogether.Oversevenyearsago,theUnitedStatespursuedalQaedaandtheTalibanwithbroadinternationalsupport.Wedidnotgobychoice,wewentbecauseofnecessity.Iamawarethatsomequestionorjustifytheeventsof9/11.Butletusbeclear:

alQaedakillednearly3,000peopleonthatday.Thevictimswereinnocentmen,womenandchildrenfromAmericaan