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Marco Rubio Slams Obama’s Speech On Fighting Islamophobia

Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Obama aims to divide the American population for votes, says Rubio

Senator Marco Rubio, presidential hopeful from the Republican Party, has criticized President Barack Obama on his speech where the head of state denounced rabid anti-Muslim bigotry. Obama delivered a sharp rebuke against the rise of Islamophobia at Islamic Society of Baltimore. This was incidentally his maiden visit to any American mosque during his presidency.

Marco Rubio Slams Obama’s Speech On Fighting Islamophobia[/tweetthis]

Rubio frequently stresses religious liberty during his speeches on the campaign trail and exhibits his own faith, said that Obama’s speech were said with the intention to divide, not unite, American people. He said that Obama is playing a divide game for political benefits. The president, according to Rubio, by giving his speech in a mosque is implying that Muslims are discriminated against in the United States. Rubio then adds that he admits that discrimination exists in the US, and of every nature. However, he noted that, the problem is radical Islam, and that radicalism is a threat to the Muslims themselves. According to him, the president is pitting individuals against one another.

President Obama delivered his speech to a large and diverse group of Muslims which included military members, faith leaders and also two Muslim congressmen Andre Carson and Keith Ellison, both Democrats. The speech was freewheeling and appears to be taken from notes, and not a teleprompter. It constituted rejection of anti-Islamic rhetoric spouted by a number of Republican presidential hopefuls, particularly Donald Trump. It also touched the dangerous rise of anti-Islam incidents done against Muslim Americans all over the United States.

The president appeared to speak to two much different audiences. One audience consisted of Muslim Americans and the other non-Muslims afraid of Islam as a probable threat. Obama stated facts that the average American may not know, like the conciliatory approach of Thomas Jefferson to Islam and the way Muslims were always a part of US fabric for centuries.

Obama quoted Prophet Muhammad to make his point by saying that any person who wants to gain entry into paradise should treat people the manner he would like to be treated. The president then said that his Christian faith also said similar words. He met a number of young Muslim leaders prior to the speech and reminded the audience the vital role of Muslims in the American army and police force. He also mentioned a Muslim fencer who is scheduled to represent US in 2016 Olympics and thanked Muslim Americans for serving their community.

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