Disturbing Quotes

I just received this from a ninety four year old lady in my Dad's assisted living complex. I have no idea who penned it, but it was too good not to share!

TEN MOST DISTURBING QUOTES FROM OBAMA’S CAIRO SPEECH

(in order of their original appearance)

1- “For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt ' s advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. “
- Really? Doesn’t Al-azhar preach hate and incitement on a regular basis?

2- “The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation”
- When did these centuries take place? Doesn’t mainstream Muslim theology dictate – since day one till today – the expansion of its realm of influence over the West, thus leading for inevitable conflict?

3- “... America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”
- Obama is either completely unaware of how loaded words such as justice are, or his aides chose these words precisely because of this. The irony here is (as any student of Islam knows) Obama’s trying to highlight shared values, while the very values he refers to are understood in two completely different ways in Islam and the West.

4- “Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust … Six million Jews were killed - more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful. Threatening Israel with destruction - or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews - is deeply wrong, and only serves to evoke in the minds of Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.”
- Maybe the biggest blunder of the speech. Hinging Israel ’s right to exist on the Holocaust or European persecution alone (btw, where’s the history of Asian and African persecution?) is historic revision and plays right into the hands of Israel detractors.

5- “On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people - Muslims and Christians - have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than sixty years they have endured the pain of dislocation. Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza , and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations - large and small - that come with occupation. So let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.”
- Palestinian pain is real, but cannot be compared to the historic suffering of the Jewish people. The suffering is also, in large part due to bad political decisions. Do they not have to take responsibility for their failed decisions and actions?

6- “For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers - for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel ' s founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.”
- Many problems here. Just two-

i. Even though it’s mentioned through the prism of Palestinian argument, the narrative of the Nakba is positioned as fact. In fact, displacement was not brought about by Israel ’s founding. It was brought about by failed decisions of the local Palestinian leaders and neighboring Arab leaders (two examples: not accepting UN resolution 181 in November 1947 and beginning phase a. of the war; not accepting the new Jewish State in May 48 and launching phase b. of the war).

ii. Equating Palestinians leaving their homes (due to a war that Arab leaders started) with Israel being under constant attacks throughout its history is highly problematic. In fact, both sides of the argument stem from the same cause (Arab aggression and rejectionism).

7- “Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights...”
- This was an important message conveyed in a very lopsided way. Is it me, or is he indirectly comparing the situation of Palestinians to enslaved blacks in America ? This is very distrusting, especially coming from the first African-American president.

8- “To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, and to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, and recognize Israel's right to exist.”
- Hamas will not do this. Just read its covenant. Expecting Hamas to act this way is unrealistic (it’s like asking the US to stop believing in life and liberty) and can lead to dangerous results (and if Hamas was to announce that accepts Israel ’s existence tomorrow, will it really work towards peace or use that as a vail to continue Jihad? For answers, see the Hamas Covenant of 1988 –www.hamasfacts.com)

9- “At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.”
- Many problems here. Here’s just one - One of the biggest criticisms of Carter’s book was that he justified terrorism. Here too, Obama indirectly equates Palestinian cessation of violence (previous paragraphs) with Israeli cessation of settlements.


10- “I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. … And any nation - including Iran - should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty…”
- Wrong. Irrational belligerent theocracies with stated goals to build the Bomb should not be allowed to obtain Nuclear power under any circumstances. The reference to Israel ’s nuclear power is very disturbing, as well. The rest of the quote (not included) about global non-proliferation is simply naïve.

And one, just for fun-

“The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.”

- How silly for Obama to have quoted the Koran (or “The Holy Koran” as he put it 4 times) here-

i. This concept is derived from the Mishna (Sanhedrin 4:5), written at least 500 years before the Koran (in Israel , of course).

ii. The Koranic phrase is taken from Sura 5 (the table), verse 32. One only needs to continue to the next verse (33) to read some of the hateful rhetoric which is not uncommon at all in the Koran (“The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement”) seehttp://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/005.qmt.html

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