Obama: ‘We Do Not Allow Ourselves To Be Defined By Fear’
In this weekend’s YouTube address, President Obama marked the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. He also called for tolerance, telling Americans to remember that they are one nation, bound by common ideals.
“This is a time of difficulty for our country,” said Obama. “And it is often in such moments that some try to stoke bitterness – to divide us based on our differences, to blind us to what we have in common. But on this day, we are reminded that at our best, we do not give in to this temptation. We stand with one another. We fight alongside one another. We do not allow ourselves to be defined by fear, but by the hopes we have for our families, for our nation, and for a brighter future. So let us grieve for those we’ve lost, honor those who have sacrificed, and do our best to live up to the values we share – on this day, and every day that follows.”
Kyl: ‘Terrorism is But One Of The Tactics Of The Militant Islamists’
In the Republican address, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) marked the 9/11 anniversary by warning against the threat of militant Islam, and said that it must not be allowed to gain political influence in the country.
“Terrorism is but one of the tactics of the militant Islamists. The insidious effort to gain political influence, not just in the Middle East, but in Europe and the U.S. as well, could sap our capacity to respond,” said Kyl. “Even now, some Western countries have tolerated the imposition of aspects of Sharia law in their Muslim communities, thus denying some of their citizens the protection of their liberal laws and constitutional rights. The ninth anniversary of 9/11 should cause us to think hard about the enemy that attacked us and will do so again if we relax our efforts. And we need to remember that direct terrorist attacks are but one of the tactics of this determined enemy.”
Obama: ‘As Americans We Are Not — And Never Will Be — At War With Islam’
Speaking at a memorial service at the Pentagon, President Obama called for a rejection of al-Qaeda’s desire for a war between religions. “They may seek to spark conflict between different faiths, but as Americans we are not — and never will be — at war with Islam,” said Obama. “It was not a religion that attacked us that September day — it was al Qaeda, a sorry band of men which perverts religion. And just as we condemn intolerance and extremism abroad, so will we stay true to our traditions here at home as a diverse and tolerant nation. We champion the rights of every American, including the right to worship as one chooses — as service members and civilians from many faiths do just steps from here, at the very spot where the terrorists struck this building.”
King: Imam Behind Ground Zero-Area Mosque ‘Blackmailing’ U.S. On Project
The Hill reports: “The ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee accused the imam behind the mosque project near Ground Zero of arm-twisting and “blackmailing” to push Park51 through. ‘To me, it’s almost as if he’s blackmailing and threatening the United States that somehow if the mosque is not approved or people speak out against his mosque, you have to worry about being attacked by Islamic terrorists,’ Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf on Fox Business Network on Friday.”
DeMint Backs O’Donnell, Lamontagne
CQ reports: “South Carolina GOP Sen. Jim DeMint, considered a hero in the tea party movement and a thorn in the side of Senate leaders, endorsed Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell and New Hampshire Senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne in posts on his Twitter account on Friday night. Both Lamontagne and O’Donnell are running in competitive GOP primaries on Tuesday and neither is the desired nominee of national party leaders. The endorsements serve as the latest examples of DeMint bucking the GOP establishment and Senate leaders in competitive Senate primaries across the country this cycle.”
Tax Cuts May Prove Better For Politicians Than For Economy
The New York Times reports on the political debate over the expiring Bush tax cuts: “The concept of lower taxes is so appealing to voters that many embrace them as an economic cure-all. But economic research suggests that tax cuts, though difficult for politicians to resist in election season, have limited ability to bolster the flagging economy because they are essentially a supply-side remedy for a problem caused by lack of demand. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office this year analyzed the short-term effects of 11 policy options and found that extending the tax cuts would be the least effective way to spur the economy and reduce unemployment. The report added that tax cuts for high earners would have the smallest ‘bang for the buck,’ because wealthy Americans were more likely to save their money than spend it.”
