Obama Hosts Iftar Dinner, Remembers Sept. 11 Attacks

""Islam has always been part of our American family"
I appreciate the President stressing America's inclusiveness. While I take exception with certain things the US has been responsible for over the past 40 years (being grateful for what it has accomplished, and thankful it has had the role and not China or Russia), the ability to have people from all over the world enter and assimilate has been, to me, its greatest strength. But as an history teacher, having him use his position to overstate and exaggerate to make a point diminishes it and does nothing to convince those that need convincing. To say that Islam has "always" been a part of America is so absurd, so at variance with simple facts, that I can only shake my head. Who among the so-called Founding Fathers followed Islam? Since 1776, how many Islamic generals led American troops? In the billboard top 100, in the New York Times bestseller list, in the top 100 American inventors and explorers, how many came from an Islamic background? What family is President Obama referring to? As someone of English background, I get dismayed when your president denigrates what Britain has contributed, but here he ignores the fact that America's laws, values, culture, political system, beliefs were forged far from the influence of Islam just as an handful of Muslims are singled out for individual acts of heroism whilst ignoring the very reason why this small number were called upon to make such sacrifices as seen by the White House continuing to stay quiet regarding massacres seen on a daily basis in Syria.
http://tracesofevil.com