| President Barack Obama pledged to address Muslims | | | | terrorists and extremists is an urgent task with which |
| from a Muslim country within 100 days of taking | | | | no one disagrees. But it's vital to U.S. interests to |
| office. But delivering the speech in a mosque on U.S. | | | | engage American Muslims as partners in building |
| soil promises a bigger impact. Muslim Americans | | | | relationships with the Muslim world. This is not only a |
| support efforts to improve relations with Muslims | | | | matter of respect, but a matter of our common |
| overseas. But the president also must engage | | | | interests. |
| Muslims at home. We need him to be our president, | | | | American Muslims are a global village made up of |
| too. | | | | diverse communities of African Americans and |
| He could begin by making his address to Muslims | | | | immigrants from many nations. Among Muslims, they |
| worldwide from a mosque on American soil. Why not | | | | are one of the largest groups of highly educated |
| Masjid Al-Fatir, the mosque in the president's Hyde | | | | professionals in the world. |
| Park neighborhood in Chicago? | | | | Tens of thousands are physicians and surgeons. |
| Muhammad Ali, the former heavyweight boxing | | | | Others serve in higher education. Many proudly serve |
| champion, built that mosque. He's an American Muslim | | | | in the U.S. military. I personally know at least six |
| respected throughout the Muslim world. The | | | | Muslims in Chicago who played critical roles in key |
| president never visited an American mosque during | | | | Muslim governments. Many are directly connected |
| his campaign. Because of anti-Muslim bigotry, he felt it | | | | with the ruling elites of the countries of their birth. |
| necessary to keep a public distance from American | | | | Part of the change that American Muslims hope for is |
| Muslims. Terrorists and extremists who "defend" | | | | to be valued as an asset by their country rather than |
| violence against the United States in the name of | | | | viewed as a liability. We long for a president who will |
| Islam fuel fear, bigotry and negative Muslim | | | | welcome our voices and our public service. Nearly |
| stereotypes. Their killings and disregard for human life | | | | 3,000 prayer locations, mosques and Islamic centers |
| is an affront to all, most especially to American | | | | serve an estimated six million Muslims in the United |
| Muslims. | | | | States. We invite our president to stand with us |
| Muslims are grateful for the steps President Obama | | | | publicly and vigorously battle against Islamophobia -- |
| has taken to lessen the hostilities abroad. He banned | | | | the bigotry he tasted during his campaign and we |
| torture, ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay and | | | | experience daily. |
| the CIA's secret interrogation centers. He also | | | | The choice of a U.S. mosque for the president's |
| appointed special envoys to three trouble spots in | | | | address would affirm what he stated at his |
| the Muslim world. He gave his first television interview | | | | inauguration: that Muslims are part of the fabric of |
| after taking office to Middle Eastern station. | | | | our nation. More importantly, it would acknowledge |
| The last presidential administration treated American | | | | that the key to repairing relations between America |
| Muslims as virtual enemies of the state, discouraged | | | | and the Muslim world are those who know both best: |
| our civic involved and suppressed our voices. We | | | | American Muslims. |
| were isolated and rendered invisible. Isolating the | | | | |