Recently President Obama hosted a dinner celebrating Ramadan and highlighting the contributions of American Muslims. The dinner took place in the State Dining Room. Servers circled the ornate reception rooms of the White House with glasses of juice and bowls of dates at fast-breaking time. Prayers were led by a Muslim chaplain in the U.S. military.
The dinner is known as Iftar.
Iftar refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with Muslims gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib (sunset) time. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during iftar when the fast is broken.
Dinner attendees included Congressmen (Andre Carson, Keith Ellison, John Conyers, Rush Holt, Richard Lugar) and Cabinet Secretaries (Bob Gates, Eric Holder, Kathleen Sebelius), but the loudest applause was reserved for the guest of honor -- an American Muslim girl wearing a headscarf who broke Massachusetts state records in high school basketball. She was seated at the head table, to the President's left.
Describing the event as a "celebration of Ramadan,” the president praised the contributions of the American Muslim community which, he said, was "one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity" and of "countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.”
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Comments
In the Name of Mercy and Compassion;
Thank-you for courageously demonstrating that democracy seeks cooperation amongst diversified creeds, faiths, economics, gender, ancestral heritage(& skin color,) belief systems, cultural heritage,age,language,customs & so forth. The separation of church and state and the rights thatthat approach protects are incubant upon celebrating diversity and demonstrating respect for all points of view and perspectives.This is The United States of America and its patriotic vision at its best!
Whether Native American, Christian, Jew, Muslem, Goddes Worshipper, Pantheist... Materialist... or, whatever, our constitution guarantees the right of freedom of religion and hopefully, will not allow our jurisprudence, legislative,military,or law enforcement branches to be biased or prejudice in any particular way. Yes, We CAN Be the Change. Thank-you for such a dignified example of right conduct!
Peace be upon you.
N.L.Machacek
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