WASHINGTON, D.C. (YBH) – At approximately 11 p.m. East Coast time, U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking at a ceremonial iftar dinner meant to break the fast of Ramadan, affirmed White House support for the highly controversial mosque and Islamic Center slated for construction near Ground Zero, the site of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center brought down by Al Qaeda attackers. According to the AP, the President stated, “as a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”
The iftar dinner featured a who’s who of prominent Washington Muslims in the diplomatic corps, administration, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Treasury, Marine Corps and State Department. Citing a long history of Prediential iftar dinners starting with Thomas Jefferson, Obama stated, “time and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues, stay true to our core values, and emerge stronger for it. So it must be — and will be — today,”
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Laura spent years as a Hollywood story analyst, did a big 180, and is now an entrepreneur focused on web marketing and analytics. She's also a mom of one.Laura Glendinning article archive.
