Obama delivers remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore mosque in Catonsville, Maryland Feb. 3

DEARBORN — President Obama finally visited an American mosque as president. U.S. Muslim activists praised the president for the speech he delivered at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, but many criticized him for taking seven years before speaking at a Muslim house of worship.

Escalating hate crimes against Muslims have compelled local and federal officials to join the conversation to help combat the increasing Islamophobic climate.

“Let me say as clearly as I can as president of the United States: you fit right here,” Obama told worshippers. “You’re right where you belong. You’re part of America too. You’re not Muslim or American. You’re Muslim and American.”

The president paid tribute to Muslim Americans’ history. He said the religion’s presence in the United States dates back to colonial times, when Muslim Africans where brought here against their will as slaves.

He also commended Muslims’ contributions to the nation, saying that they helped build America.

“B+”

Dawud Walid, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Michigan, gave the speech a B+, but did not shy away from criticizing Obama.

“The president’s message over all was good,” Walid said. “He did outwardly denounce the growing Muslim bigotry in America and he also emphasized that American Muslims have long been a part of the society in America.”

But Walid faulted Obama for talking about terrorism in the same context as Muslim Americans.

“No other group of Americans who follow a religion have their religion discussed like this their house of worship,” Walid said.

The CAIR executive director said the president would not go to a church and ask worshippers to denounce the North Carolina church shooter or the Lord’s Resistance Army, a militant Christian group in central Africa.

“What President Obama did is that he passively reinforced a framework that any time Muslims are looked at, there has to be some sort of discussion of terrorism,” he said. “I think that’s highly problematic. After all this time, even though he said all these positive things about Muslims, he still hasn’t gotten the language right.”

Obama encouraged Muslims to see condemning terrorism as an opportunity, not a burden.

“American Muslims have the duty to clarify our faith, but we’re not in the condemnation business,” Walid said. “Obama doesn’t go to American Jewish people and ask them to condemn Israeli war crimes.”

Walid also criticized the president for not addressing U.S. foreign policy issues that have contributed to the rise of violent extremism.

“I will do everything I can to lift up the multiplicity of Muslim voices that promote pluralism and peace,” the president said in Baltimore.

In a response to a tweet containing this quote, Ali Abunimah, the founder of the Electronic Intifada wrote, “Translation: Obama will support ‘good’ Muslims who support U.S. imperialism and are silent about Israel’s crimes.”

“Late visit”

Community activist Suehaila Amen said she appreciates Obama’s visit to the mosque as a gesture of solidarity, but would have liked to have seen him visit one sooner.

President Bush visited a mosque six days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to combat
anti-Muslim bigotry.

“I think what he said (Wednesday) was fantastic,” Amen said. She added that Obama’s speech helped dispel the misconceptions and stereotypes and engaged the public in a discussion about Muslims’ positive impact in the country.

Even so, Amen warned fellow Muslim Americans not to be appeased by Obama’s speech at the mosque and pointed out policies harmful to Muslims and other minorities.

“There is still a culture that needs to be changed within the government that negatively impacts many ethnic and minority communities,” Amen said.

She added that her friends and colleagues heed the uphill battle Muslims may face as the next president takes office and they wish Obama would have visited multiple mosques during his term.

Ali Jawad, founder of the Lebanese American Heritage Club, said the president’s visit to the mosque was welcomed – apprehensively — by many in Dearborn.

“He should’ve defended us a long time ago, but we’ll take it,” Jawad said of Obama’s visit.

Ali Baleed Almaklani, executive director of the Yemen American Benevolent Association, echoed Jawad’s statement and said he appreciated Obama’s outreach to Muslim Americans.

However, many community members, like Dr. Muzammil Ahmed, chairman of the Michigan Muslim Community Council, said Obama’s visit is a significant step toward recognizing American Muslims as part of mainstream society.

“We appreciate his calls for improving understanding and reducing anti-Muslim rhetoric, which harms all Americans and undermines the principles of our country,” Ahmed said. “American Muslims have a very long history in America and we have made many contributions. We appreciate that our president recognizes this and has reminded our whole nation.”

Ibrahim Algahim, a Yemeni American activist in Hamtramck, said Obama’s speech “made us very proud.”

Algahim defended Obama for not visiting a mosque previously, saying that because the president attended an Islamic school for three years, he did not want to hurt his approval ratings during his second term.

However, the activist said Obama can do a lot for Muslims and Arab Americans before his term his over.

“It’s never late,” Algahim said.

Algahim added that when he met Obama in 2008, “I felt the same feelings when I shook hands with the imam of Mecca. He’s very gifted, talented, respectful and he cares about people.”

He said Obama spoke highly of Arab and Muslim Americans a few months ago during a White House criminal justice reform briefing, where Algahim was present.

Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom, said the president’s visit “sends a right message at the right time” as some Republican candidates “who ride on emotions and ignorance” promote Islamophobia.

“He, himself has been hurt by Islamophobia,” Elahi said of the president. “Still, many people say that Obama is a Muslim.”

While Elahi applauded Obama for encouraging Muslim youth to denounce extremism, he called on the president to combat extremism by reconsidering the U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia.

“The message is beautiful,” Elahi said, “but how can you talk against extremism and invite the Muslim nations to be moderate and at the same time fall in love with Saudi Arabia that shares the same theology of ISIS?”