As is my habit, I selected 41 high floating turds from the spew,
linking each one to my commentary which follows the transcript. Click
the superscript or linked text to read my comment and your Backspace
key to return to your place in the transcript. External links will open
in a new window. All emphasis added for clarity.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
(Applause.) Thank you so much. Everybody, please have a
seat.
Well, thank you, Lisa, for the introduction.
Lisa is an example of the countless dedicated public servants across
our government, a number of who are here today, who are working
tirelessly every single day on behalf of the security and safety of the
American people. So we very much appreciate her. And thanks
to all of you for your attendance and participation in this important
summit.
For more than 238 years, the United States of
America has not just endured, but we have thrived and surmounted
challenges that might have broken a lesser nation. After a
terrible civil war, we repaired our union. We weathered a Great
Depression, became the world’s most dynamic economy. We fought
fascism, liberated Europe. We faced down communism -- and
won. American communities have been destroyed by earthquakes and
tornadoes and fires and floods -- and each time we rebuild.
The bombing that killed 168 people could not break
Oklahoma City. On 9/11, terrorists tried to bring us to our
knees; today a new tower soars above New York City, and America
continues to lead throughout the world. After Americans were
killed at Fort Hood and the Boston Marathon, it didn’t divide us; we
came together as one American family.
In the face of horrific acts of violence -- at a
Sikh temple near Milwaukee, or at a Jewish community center outside
Kansas City -- we reaffirmed our commitment to pluralism and to
freedom, repulsed by the notion that anyone should ever be targeted
because of who they are, or what they look like, or how they worship1.
Most recently, with the brutal murders in Chapel
Hill of three young Muslim Americans, many Muslim Americans are worried
and afraid. And I want to be as clear as I can be: As
Americans, all faiths and backgrounds, we stand with you in your grief
and we offer our love and we offer our support.
My point is this: As Americans, we are strong
and we are resilient. And when tragedy strikes2,
when we take a hit, we pull together, and we draw on what’s best in our
character -- our optimism, our commitment to each other, our commitment
to our values, our respect for one another. We stand up, and we
rebuild, and we recover, and we emerge stronger than before.
That’s who we are. (Applause.)
And I say all this because we face genuine
challenges to our security today3, just as we have
throughout our history. Challenges to our security are not
new. They didn’t happen yesterday or a week ago or a year
ago. We've always faced challenges. One of those challenges
is the terrorist threat from groups like al Qaeda and ISIL. But
this isn't our challenge alone. It's a challenge for the
world. ISIL is terrorizing the people of Syria and Iraq, beheads
and burns human beings in unfathomable acts of cruelty. We’ve
seen deadly attacks in Ottawa and Sydney and, Paris, and now Copenhagen.
So, in the face of this challenge, we have
marshalled the full force of the United States government4, and we’re working
with allies and partners to dismantle terrorist organizations5 and protect
the American people. Given the complexities of the challenge and
the nature of the enemy6 -- which is not a
traditional army -- this work takes time, and will require vigilance
and resilience and perspective. But I'm confident that, just as
we have for more than two centuries, we will ultimately prevail. 7
And part of what gives me that confidence is the
overwhelming response of the world community to the savagery of these
terrorists -- not just revulsion, but a concrete commitment to work
together to vanquish these organizations. 8
At the United Nations in September, I called on the
international community to come together and eradicate this scourge of
violent extremism9. And I want to thank all
of you -- from across America and around the world -- for answering
this call. Tomorrow at the State Department, governments and
civil society groups from more than 60 countries will focus on the
steps that we can take as governments. And I’ll also speak about
how our nations have to remain relentless in our fight -- our
counterterrorism efforts -- against groups that are plotting against
our counties.
But we are here today because of a very specific
challenge -- and that’s countering violent extremism, something
that is not just a matter of military affairs. By “violent
extremism,” we don’t just mean the terrorists who are killing innocent
people. We also mean the ideologies10, the infrastructure of
extremists --the propagandists, the recruiters, the funders who
radicalize and recruit or incite people to violence. We all know
there is no one profile11of a violent extremist
or terrorist, so there’s no way to predict who will become 12. Around the world,
and here in the United States, inexcusable acts of violence have been
committed against people of different faiths, by people of different
faiths13 -- which
is, of course, a betrayal of all our faiths14. It's not unique
to one group, or to one geography, or one period of time.
But we are here at this summit because of the urgent
threat from groups like al Qaeda and ISIL. And this week we are
focused on prevention -- preventing15 these groups from
radicalizing, recruiting or inspiring others to violence in the first
place. I’ve called upon governments to come to the United Nations
this fall with concrete steps that we can take together. And
today, what I want to do is suggest several areas where I believe we
can concentrate our efforts.
First, we have to confront squarely and honestly the
twisted ideologies
that these terrorist groups use to incite16
people to violence. Leading up to this summit, there’s been a
fair amount of debate in the press and among pundits about the words we
use to describe and frame this challenge. So I want to be very
clear about how I see it.
Al Qaeda and ISIL and groups like it are desperate
for legitimacy17. They try to
portray themselves as religious leaders -- holy warriors in defense of
Islam18. That’s why ISIL
presumes to declare itself the “Islamic State.” And they
propagate the notion that America -- and the West, generally -- is at
war with Islam. That’s how they recruit. That’s how they
try to radicalize young people. We must never accept the premise
that they put forward, because it is a lie. Nor should we grant
these terrorists the religious legitimacy that they seek. They
are not religious leaders -- they’re terrorists19.
(Applause.) And we are not at war with Islam20.
We are at war21 with people who have
perverted Islam. (Applause.)
Now, just as those of us outside Muslim communities
need to reject the terrorist narrative that the West and Islam are in
conflict22, or modern
life and Islam are in conflict, I also believe that Muslim communities
have a responsibility as well. Al Qaeda and ISIL do draw,
selectively, from the Islamic texts. They do depend upon the
misperception23 around the world that they
speak in some fashion for people of the Muslim faith, that Islam is
somehow24
inherently violent, that there is some sort of clash of
civilizations.
Of course, the terrorists do not speak for over a
billion Muslims who reject25 their hateful ideology.
They no more represent Islam than any madman who kills innocents in the
name of God represents Christianity or Judaism or Buddhism or
Hinduism. No religion is responsible for terrorism26. People are
responsible for violence and terrorism. (Applause.)
And to their credit, there are respected Muslim
clerics and scholars not just here in the United States but around the
world who push back on this twisted
interpretation of their faith. They want to make very clear
what Islam stands for. And we’re joined by some of these leaders
today. These religious leaders and scholars preach that Islam
calls for peace27 and for justice28,
and tolerance29
toward others; that terrorism is
prohibited; that the Koran says whoever kills an innocent, it is as
if he has killed all mankind30. Those are the
voices that represent over a billion people around the world.
But if we are going to effectively isolate
terrorists, if we're going to address the challenge of their efforts to
recruit our young people, if we're going to lift up the voices of
tolerance and pluralism within the Muslim community, then we've got to
acknowledge that their job is made harder by a broader narrative that
does exist in many Muslim communities around the world that suggests
the West is at odds with Islam in some fashion.
The reality -- which, again, many Muslim leaders
have spoken to -- is that there’s a strain of thought that doesn’t
embrace ISIL’s tactics, doesn’t embrace violence, but does buy into the
notion that the Muslim world has suffered historical grievances
-- sometimes that's accurate -- does buy into the belief that so many
of the ills in the Middle East flow from a history of colonialism or
conspiracy; does buy into the idea that Islam is incompatible with
modernity or tolerance, or that it's been polluted by Western
values.
So those beliefs exist. In some communities
around the world they are widespread. And so it makes individuals
-- especially young people who already may be disaffected or alienated
-- more ripe for radicalization. And so we've got to be able to
talk honestly about those issues. We've got to be much more clear
about how we're rejecting certain ideas.
So just as leaders like myself reject the notion
that terrorists like ISIL genuinely represent Islam, Muslim leaders
need to do more to discredit the notion that our nations are determined
to suppress Islam, that there’s an inherent clash in
civilizations. Everybody has to speak up very clearly that no
matter what the grievance, violence against innocents doesn't defend
Islam or Muslims, it damages Islam and Muslims. (Applause.)
And when all of us, together, are doing our part to
reject the narratives of violent extremists, when all of us are doing
our part to be very clear about the fact that there are certain
universal precepts31 and values that need to
be respected in this interconnected world, that’s the beginnings of a
partnership32.
As we go forward, we need to find new ways to
amplify the voices of peace and tolerance and inclusion -- and we
especially need to do it online. We also need to lift up the
voices of those who know the hypocrisy of groups like ISIL firsthand,
including former extremists. Their words speak to us today.
And I know in some of the discussions these voices have been raised: “I
witnessed horrible crimes committed by ISIS.” “It’s not a
revolution or jihad…it’s a slaughter…I was shocked by what I
did.” “This isn’t what we came for, to kill other Muslims.”
“I’m 28 -- is this the only future I’m able to imagine?” That's
the voice of so many who were temporarily radicalized and then saw the
truth. And they’ve warned other young people not to make the same
mistakes as they did. “Do not run after illusions.” “Do not
be deceived.” “Do not give up your life for nothing.” We
need to lift up those voices.
And in all this work, the greatest resource are
communities themselves, especially like those young people who are here
today. We are joined by talented young men and women who are
pioneering new innovations, and new social media tools, and new ways to
reach young people. We’re joined by leaders from the private
sector, including high-tech companies, who want to support your
efforts. And I want to challenge all of us to build new
partnerships that unleash the talents and creativity of young people --
young Muslims -- not just to expose the lies of extremists but to
empower youth to service, and to lift up people’s lives here in America
and around the world. And that can be a calling for your
generation.
So that’s the first challenge -- we've got to
discredit these ideologies33. We have to
tackle them head on. And we can't shy away from these
discussions. And too often, folks are, understandably, sensitive
about addressing some of these root issues, but we have to talk about
them, honestly and clearly. (Applause.) And the reason I
believe we have to do so is because I'm so confident that when the
truth is out we'll be successful. Now, a second
challenge is we do have to address the grievances that terrorists
exploit, including economic grievances. Poverty alone does not
cause a person to become a terrorist, any more than poverty alone
causes somebody to become a criminal. There are millions of
people -- billions of people -- in the world who live in abject
poverty and are focused on what they can do to build up their own
lives, and never embrace violent ideologies.
Conversely, there are terrorists who’ve come from
extraordinarily wealthy backgrounds, like Osama bin Laden. What’s
true, though, is that when millions of people -- especially youth --
are impoverished and have no hope for the future, when corruption
inflicts daily humiliations on people, when there are no outlets by
which people can express their concerns, resentments fester. The
risk of instability and extremism grow. Where young people have
no education, they are more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and
radical ideas, because it's not tested against anything else, they’ve
got nothing to weigh. And we've seen this across the Middle East
and North Africa.
And terrorist groups are all too happy to step into
a void. They offer salaries to their foot soldiers so they can support
their families. Sometimes they offer social services -- schools,
health clinics -- to do what local governments cannot or will not
do. They try to justify their violence in the name of fighting
the injustice of corruption that steals from the people -- even while
those terrorist groups end up committing even worse abuses, like
kidnapping and human trafficking.
So if we’re going to prevent people from being
susceptible to the false promises of extremism, then the international
community has to offer something better34. And the United
States intends to do its part. We will keep promoting development
and growth that is broadly shared, so more people can provide for their
families. We’ll keep leading a global effort against corruption,
because the culture of the bribe has to be replaced by good governance
that doesn’t favor certain groups over others.
Countries have to truly invest in the education and
skills and job training that our extraordinary young people need.
And by the way, that's boys and girls, and men and women, because
countries will not be truly successful if half their populations -- if
their girls and their women are denied opportunity.
(Applause.) And America will continue to forge new partnerships
in entrepreneurship and innovation, and science and technology, so
young people from Morocco to Malaysia can start new businesses and
create more prosperity. 35
Just as we address economic grievances, we need to
face a third challenge -- and that's addressing the political
grievances that are exploited by terrorists. When governments
oppress their people, deny human rights, stifle dissent, or marginalize
ethnic and religious groups, or favor certain religious groups over
others, it sows the seeds of extremism and violence. It makes
those communities more vulnerable to recruitment. Terrorist
groups claim that change can only come through violence. And if
peaceful change is impossible, that plays into extremist propaganda.
So the essential ingredient to real and lasting
stability and progress is not less democracy; it’s more democracy. 36
(Applause.) It’s institutions that uphold the rule of law and
apply justice equally. It’s security forces and police that
respect human rights and treat people with dignity. It’s free
speech and strong civil societies where people can organize and
assemble and advocate for peaceful change. It’s freedom of
religion where all people can practice their faith without fear and
intimidation37. (Applause.) All
of this is part of countering violent extremism.
Fourth, we have to recognize that our best partners
in all these efforts, the best people to help protect individuals from
falling victim to extremist ideologies are their own communities, their
own family members. We have to be honest with ourselves.
Terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIL deliberately target their
propaganda in the hopes of reaching and brainwashing young Muslims,
especially those who may be disillusioned or wrestling with their
identity. That’s the truth. The high-quality videos, the
online magazines, the use of social media, terrorist Twitter accounts
-- it’s all designed to target today’s young people online, in
cyberspace.
And by the way, the older people here, as wise and
respected as you may be, your stuff is often boring -- (laughter) --
compared to what they’re doing. (Applause.) You're not
connected. And as a consequence, you are not connecting.
So these terrorists are a threat, first and
foremost, to the communities that they target, which means communities
have to take the lead in protecting themselves. And that is true
here in America, as it's true anywhere else. When someone starts
getting radicalized, family and friends are often the first to see that
something has changed in their personality. Teachers may notice a
student becoming withdrawn or struggling with his or her identity, and
if they intervene at that moment and offer support, that may make a
difference.
Faith leaders may notice that someone is beginning
to espouse violent interpretations of religion38, and that’s a moment
for possible intervention that allows them to think about their actions
and reflect on the meaning of their faith in a way that’s more
consistent with peace and justice. Families and friends,
coworkers, neighbors, faith leaders -- they want to reach out; they
want to help save their loved ones and friends, and prevent them from
taking a wrong turn.
But communities don’t always know the signs to look
for, or have the tools to intervene, or know what works best. And
that’s where government can play a role -- if government is serving as
a trusted partner. And that’s where we also need to be
honest. I know some Muslim Americans have concerns about working
with government, particularly law enforcement. And their
reluctance is rooted in the objection to certain practices where Muslim
Americans feel they’ve been unfairly targeted.
So, in our work, we have to make sure that abuses
stop, are not repeated, that we do not stigmatize entire
communities. Nobody should be profiled39
or put under a cloud of suspicion simply because of their faith.
(Applause.) Engagement with communities can’t be a cover for
surveillance. We can’t “securitize” our relationship with Muslim
Americans -- (applause) -- dealing with them solely through the prism
of law enforcement. Because when we do, that only reinforces
suspicions, makes it harder for us to build the trust that we need to
work together.
As part of this summit, we’re announcing that we’re
going to increase our outreach to communities, including Muslim
Americans. We’re going to step up our efforts to engage with partners
and raise awareness so more communities understand how to protect their
loved ones from becoming radicalized. We’ve got to devote more
resources to these efforts. (Applause.)
And as government does more, communities are going
to have to step up as well. We need to build on the pilot
programs that have been discussed at this summit already -- in Los
Angeles, in Minneapolis, in Boston. These are partnerships that
bring people together in a spirit of mutual respect and create more
dialogue and more trust and more cooperation. If we’re going to
solve these issues, then the people who are most targeted and
potentially most affected -- Muslim Americans -- have to have a seat at
the table where they can help shape and strengthen these partnerships
so that we’re all working together to help communities stay safe and
strong and resilient. (Applause.)
And finally, we need to do what extremists and
terrorists hope we will not do, and that is stay true to the values
that define us as free and diverse societies. If extremists are
peddling the notion that Western countries are hostile to Muslims, then
we need to show that we welcome people of all faiths40.
Here in America, Islam has been woven into the
fabric of our country since its founding. (Applause.)
Generations of Muslim immigrants came here and went to work as farmers
and merchants and factory workers, helped to lay railroads and build up
America. The first Islamic center in New York City was founded in
the 1890s. America’s first mosque -- this was an interesting fact
-- was in North Dakota. (Laughter.)
Muslim Americans protect our communities as police
officers and firefighters and first responders, and protect our nation
by serving in uniform, and in our intelligence communities, and in
homeland security. And in cemeteries across our country,
including at Arlington, Muslim American heroes rest in peace having
given their lives in defense of all of us. (Applause.)
And of course that’s the story extremists and
terrorists don’t want the world to know -- Muslims succeeding and
thriving in America. Because when that truth is known, it exposes
their propaganda as the lie that it is. It’s also a story that
every American must never forget, because it reminds us all that hatred
and bigotry and prejudice have no place in our country. It’s not
just counterproductive; it doesn’t just aid terrorists; it’s
wrong. It’s contrary to who we are.
I’m thinking of a little girl named Sabrina who last
month sent me a Valentine’s Day card in the shape of a heart. It
was the first Valentine I got. (Laughter.) I got it from
Sabrina before Malia and Sasha and Michelle gave me one.
(Laughter.) So she’s 11 years old. She’s in the 5th
grade. She’s a young Muslim American. And she said in her
Valentine, “I enjoy being an American.” And when she grows up,
she wants to be an engineer -- or a basketball player.
(Laughter.) Which are good choices. (Laughter.) But she
wrote, “I am worried about people hating Muslims…If some Muslims do bad
things, that doesn’t mean all of them do.” And she asked, “Please
tell everyone that we are good people and we’re just like everyone
else.” (Applause.) Now, those are the words -- and the
wisdom -- of a little girl growing up here in America, just like my
daughters are growing up here in America. “We’re just like
everybody else.” And everybody needs to remember that during the
course of this debate. 41
As we move forward with these challenges, we all
have responsibilities, we all have hard work ahead of us on this
issue. We can’t paper over problems, and we’re not going to solve
this if we’re always just trying to be politically correct. But we do
have to remember that 11-year-old girl. That’s our hope.
That’s our future. That’s how we discredit violent ideologies, by
making sure her voice is lifted up; making sure she’s nurtured; making
sure that she’s supported -- and then, recognizing there are little
girls and boys like that all around the world, and us helping to
address economic and political grievances that can be exploited by
extremists, and empowering local communities, and us staying true to
our values as a diverse and tolerant society even when we’re threatened
-- especially when we’re threatened.
There will be a military component to this.
There are savage cruelties going on out there that have to be
stopped. ISIL is killing Muslims at a rate that is many multiples
the rate that they’re killing non-Muslims. Everybody has a stake
in stopping them, and there will be an element of us just stopping them
in their tracks with force. But to eliminate the soil out of
which they grew, to make sure that we are giving a brighter future to
everyone and a lasting sense of security, then we're going to have to
make it clear to all of our children -- including that little girl in
5th grade -- that you have a place. You have a place here in
America. You have a place in those countries where you
live. You have a future.
Ultimately, those are the antidotes to violent
extremism. And that's work that we're going to have to do
together. It will take time. This is a generational
challenge. But after 238 years, it should be obvious -- America
has overcome much bigger challenges, and we’ll overcome the ones that
we face today. We will stay united and committed to the ideals
that have shaped us for more than two centuries, including the
opportunity and justice and dignity of every single human being.
Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)
