Breaking with recent White House tradition, President Donald Trump has opted not to host an event marking Islam’s holy month of Ramadan.
Past presidents have welcomed Muslim Americans for a traditional iftar, a meal that follows daily fasting from dawn to sunset. Ramadan ends with the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which was celebrated Sunday in most Muslim countries.
Trump issued a statement Saturday, saying that he and wife Melania “send our warm greetings to Muslims as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr.” The White House said there were no plans for an event. Asked Monday why Trump was not hosting an event, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said he did not know.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also declined to hold an iftar, in departure from the practice of previous secretaries, although Tillerson did release a written statement marking the occasion.
The decision was a shift from recent administrations. Last year, President Barack Obama hosted a reception commemorating the holy month after it ended. In his remarks, he said that discriminating against Muslim Americans “feeds the lie” that the West is at war with their religion.
Trump, who has initiated a crackdown on illegal immigration, has called for a temporary ban on people entering the U.S. from six Muslim-majority countries. The Supreme Court is allowing the administration to go forward with a limited version of its ban and will hear full arguments on the case in October.
The president casts the travel ban as critical to deterring possible terrorist attacks in the United States. Opponents say it targets Muslims in violation of federal law and the Constitution.
(AP)
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9 Responses
The taxpayers could save a lot of money if Spicer was replaced with a monkey, the monkey also wouldn’t know anything and would only need a couple of bananas a day.
Typical Liberal response.
Hey Libs, by hosting these stupid meals, you are “violating” your holier than thou, Separation of Church and State!!! You live and croak by that mantra! The mention of God is NEVER allowed. EVER! The Muslims believe in God, and if invited to the White House to enjoy a taxpayers funded meal, they will definitely mention Gods name. A terrible horrific breach in Seperation of Church and State!
The President’s job is to run the country not to hold religious events. He did the correct thing by sending them a happy holiday blessing. More is not needed.
Lets see if the Trumpkopf-in-Chief also cancels the annual White House Christmas parties, Chanukah celebration etc. Lets make the WH a religious-free zone as the posters above seem to want.
Gadolhadorah, you are so infected by Trump Derangement Syndrome that you do not see anything positive in his actions, even stopping spread of Islam in America.
I don’t understand the legalese, but the internet relays certain ides as quoted below. Apparently it means that such things as the “White House Christmas” is paid for by non-government funds (in that case usually by the personal funds of the political party in power) . The executive (in this case the white house) is allowed personal celebration of his/her own religion on the premises but not paid for by taxes. Thus it should be clear why holding celebration for religions other than one’s own on government property is different than doing so for one’s own religion. The latter is freedom of religion. The former is promotion of religion.
> The Hatch Act precludes most public officials from engaging in partisan activity in federal buildings, though certain executive branch officials may engage in it while on the job, so long as they do not use taxpayer funds to do so and do not solicit political contributions. The president and vice president are not covered by the act.
> There was no free lunch or breakfast or dinner for President Barack Obama on Thanksgiving Day. Or any other day.
> He had to dig into his pocket to pay for his holiday feast of turkey, ham, two kinds of stuffing, sweet and regular potatoes and six different kinds of pie. It’s a longstanding practice. A president pays for meals for himself, his family and personal guests.
Further to my previous post, Trump “hosted” a Passover dinner for his Jewish staffers (of which there are many) while he himself did not attend. It is not his religion. I do not know how many Muslim staffers he has. The only mention I could find is a Muslim staffer who quit (and the implication of the articles is that she was the only Muslim). Thus holding a Muslim event for Muslim staffers he does not have, or at least any who would publicly acknowledge going to such a Trump event, clearly makes no sense.
To Moisheingolam:
If you really think showing disrespect for America’s 3.5 million Muslims will “stop the spread” of Islam in the U.S., the derangement is at your end. To them, the end of Ramadan has the same significance and “kedushah” as the yamim noraim to us. Your a mamash fool if you believe that ignoring them or treating them different than yidden, Buddists or any other religious minority will make us safer.
“Break with recent tradition”?? What does that even mean?? If it’s recent it’s not a tradition. As far as I can tell the only president that ever did it was the moslem in chief Hussein Obama. So obviously trump won’t host a dinner to wine and dine the terrorists while he bans them from the country