Obama's call for a new beginning

I stayed up late Wednesday night to listen to Obama address the Muslim world live from Cairo University. I was impressed by his optimism and his faith in peace and new beginnings. While he did not fail to acknowledge the tension, fear, and mistrust that exists between Western and Muslim cultures, he focused primarily on his call for us to recognize and acknowledge our common values. He asserted that:

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam 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.

Finally, an American leader seeks mutual respect and understanding between Muslims and the United States. I’ve grown weary of hearing Americans say that the United States is a Judeo-Christian culture. Not because I have a problem with our Judeo or Christian roots, but because ours is a culture that should embrace and respect more than just two religions. We tolerate other faiths, but can we acknowledge and respect other beliefs and cultures? What about Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and yes, Muslims. What about the many of us who are spiritual and believe in God even though we don’t subscribe to a particular faith? And that’s just to name a few. The voices of those who desire mutual respect and understanding between the United States and Muslims around the world are being drowned out by the loud voices that keep insisting that the United States is a Judeo-Christian culture, and therefore, by implication, incongruous with Islamic culture. Even well-educated and so-called spiritual or religious Americans embarrass the rest of us by failing to recognize the difference between Islam and terrorism. They continually point to the horrendous acts and loud voices of terrorists and speak nothing of all the kind, peaceful, and humble spiritual Muslims that exist all over the world and in our own country.  

Maybe it’s time we seek to genuinely understand one another so that we can finally release our deep-seated fears based on our stereotypes and ignorance of one another. Maybe we can finally go beyond “tolerating” one another and begin to truly appreciate and respect one another. Only then can we begin to hope for a United States that is not just diverse, but is also compassionate and peaceful, one that seeks to honor and respect, rather than marginalize, those Americans whose voices often go unheard.

Those were Obama’s intentions when he said:

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 Koran tells us, "O 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 Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace." The Holy Bible tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." 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.