Muslims Dismiss Obama’s Mosque Visit as #TooLateObama

[Glac09]

President Obama mounted a defense Wednesday of American Muslims who have found themselves under scrutiny amid the rise of ISIS, using his first visit to a mosque while in office to proclaim that “we are are one America family.”

But many Muslims weren’t impressed, accusing Obama of hypocrisy and “anti-Muslim policies,” using the Twitter hashtag #TooLateObama.

Obama’s speech in Maryland condemned anti-Muslim rhetoric, following proposals by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to ban Muslims from entering the country. “We have to reject a politics that seeks to manipulate prejudice or bias and targets people because of religion,” Obama said. “None of us can be silent. We can’t be bystanders to bigotry.”

For many Muslims on social media, it was too little, too late. People using the #TooLateObama hashtag criticized Obama’s foreign policy, especially the escalation of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. The New York Times and other news outlets have reported on the civilian casualties of such drone strikes, describing the act of identifying drone targets as an “imperfect best guess.” Twitter users also faulted Obama for failing to keep his campaign promise to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Obama thanked Muslims for their contributions to American society during his speech.

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[Khalid Saifullah]

It's a publicity stunt on his way out to state how Muslim - friendly he is, whereas he has the blood of millions of Muslims on his hands.

[Asiyah3]

I still think his speech still help the Muslim community and especially the youth of the US by reaching more non-Muslims and giving a more positive image than how the media portrays us to be. His speech was still beautiful and will hopefully make it harder for Trump and decrease his advocacy. The atmosphere has been very hostile lately so the timing is right imho.

[Pygoscelis]

Do keep in mind, this is the president of the United States, a country where islamophobia is widespread and muslims are derided as much as atheists and communists. And this is a president who has been constantly accused of being a muslim (as of that is a horrible thing). He has every political pressure NOT to be seen defending muslims. It is like the leader of Iran speaking out for Christians or Americans or atheists.

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[Pygoscelis]

I still think his speech still help the Muslim community and especially the youth of the US by reaching more non-Muslims and giving a more positive image than how the media portrays us to be. His speech was still beautiful and will hopefully make it harder for Trump and decrease his advocacy. The atmosphere has been very hostile lately so the timing is right imho.

Something did have to be said. Obama is no supporter of Islam (nor am I) but the anti-muslim rhetoric of trump amd company is approaching that of facism. It is approaching how Hitler spoke of Jews.

The president has a moral responsibility to speak loudly and firmly against that, no matter what he may personally think of Islam. If we dont stand up to fascists, we will all go down.

I hope that you would do what you could to protect a jew or Christian or atheist from such hate, just as I would for a muslim. It doesnt matter who the victim is or what their ideology is, this kind of hatred trump or Hitler or isis spews needs to be opposed, loudly, by people they may otherwise think are on their "side".

[Asiyah3]

Something did have to be said. Obama is no supporter of Islam (nor am I) but the anti-muslim rhetoric of trump amd company is approaching that of facism. It is approaching how Hitler spoke of Jews.

Which makes me wonder how can such a large number of people support him.

I hope that you would do what you could to protect a jew or Christian or atheist from such hate, just as I would for a muslim. It doesnt matter who the victim is or what their ideology is, this kind of hatred trump or Hitler or isis spews needs to be opposed, loudly, by people they may otherwise think are on their "side".

Obviously, I assure you, every single Muslim who follows their religion would. Our prophet SAAS did. He told us to help our brother, whether oppressed or oppressor -- If oppressed help him by removing the harm threatening him, if oppressor, help him by preventing him from oppressing others.

I support all righteous things, for example charity organizations that help the needy whether Christian, Atheist or whatever operated...
I stand against all evil and hate and would stop their doers, Muslim or not.

[Pygoscelis]

Which makes me wonder how can such a large number of people support him.

It is a sad side of human nature, the way we split into tribes and think in terms of us versus them and demonize the other. You can see it in human history again and again in everything from facism (ie, Hitler, or how Trump is talking) to things like racism, nationalism, and some forms of extreme religion (ie Isis, Fred Phelps, Caste systems in India)