Kerry statement on Ramadan

[karynnj]

Washington, D.C.—Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) released the following statement to Muslim communities in America and around the world marking the start of Ramadan today:

“With the onset of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim calendar year where observing Muslims fast for 30 days from sunrise to sunset as a way to increase spirituality and thank God for his blessings, I want to extend my best wishes to Muslim communities in Massachusetts and around the world. Ramadan Kareem.

“As I said during the hearing I chaired in February on engaging Muslim communities, American Muslims play an important role in the fabric of this country. Their patriotism is a source of security for all of us and their freedom of worship is a powerful counterargument against those whose say American values are incompatible with Islam. As Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, I look forward to broadening relations with Muslim nations beyond the few lightning-rod topics that have defined them since 9/11 to include climate change, combating poverty, investing in human development, and creating knowledge societies.”

http://kerry.senate.gov/cfm/record.cfm?id=317219

Here is a ink to the SFRC hearing Kerry speaks of here:
http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090226p.html

(Interestingly, on the very day Kerry held this hearing, Senator Kyl hosted a screening of Geert Wilders' film, an anti-Muslim Dutch MP, banned from entering the UK because of his hate speech in the US Capital.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1153925/Now-Dutch-MP-banned-Britain-anti-Islam-film-welcomed-U-S.html

[Luftmensch067]

1. I always love when he says this kind of thing

I look forward to broadening relations with Muslim nations beyond the few lightning-rod topics that have defined them since 9/11 to include climate change, combating poverty, investing in human development, and creating knowledge societies.

He has such a brilliant ability to look at the big picture, and to look at it always with a combination of compassion and pragmatism. It's truly the best way to solve problems in this world of ours.