Keith Ellison Explains The Significance Of Obama's Trip To The Middle East

Essence:

President Obama embarks this week on a long-anticipated visit to Saudi Arabia and Egypt in North Africa and the Middle East. It's a region that, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corps. poll, 46 percent of Americans regard unfavorably. And with the President's decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan and block the release of detainee abuse photos, among other U.S. policies, many in the Middle East harbor a similar mistrust of the United States.

Read the whole story: Essence

Comments

[bobdob]

12:48 AM on 06/06/2009

Am I wrong about this? I thought Ellison was a follower of the Nation of Islam, not the Islamic faith. They're two entirely different things. The Nation of Islam are the nut-jobs who are waiting for the Mothership to come down and rescue all the devoted followers. P-Funk and all that. Maybe Ellison is a Muslim, but that would be news to me.

[amistad]

08:51 AM on 06/06/2009

Please, don't post anything that you know nothing about.

[StacyGA]

11:12 AM on 06/06/2009

Sorry I meant Rep. Ellison - not Senator

[TJCole]

11:55 PM on 06/05/2009

We are not worthy of trust...by most foreigners at all, since we living here cannot trust our government either...any longer...

[rf-hawaii]

03:58 AM on 06/06/2009

As Obama admitted, the US helped overthrow the Iranian government in 1953 (to quench our greed.) The man they deposed was a supporter of democracy!

Perhaps they have very good reason to be upset with us.

[crm2008]

11:55 PM on 06/05/2009

Gee Obama55...you complain way too much without offering any solutions to the worlds problems. The world is already full of too many haters, whiners and complainers who don't put themselves in the forefront or give of themselves to offer their services to humanity as it is.

You speak as if Obama can change the world and the economy within 6 months of his presidency, which no president in the history of the United States has ever done.

No one expects BO to change the world and the US economy overnight, and especially within 6 months of him being elected into office, but far right extremist, who like to divert attention from the actual causes of the real problems that has led us up to being in the position we're in today.

Since you feel and think you're so much better and smarter than Barack Obama, and posses such great political genius and prowess, why don't you run for president or a political office of the state in which you live, and lets see how much better you'll do, and what changes or better solutions you can offer to correct the damage that's been done to this country and to the rest of world.

It's easy to sit behind a computer screen and point out what you feel or think is wrong, but applying yourself, and giving of yourself for the betterment of mankind is a different story.

[Abdi Warsame]

11:13 PM on 06/05/2009

Keith is a good man,I worked in one of his phone centers when he first ran for congress. amy klobuchar rocks too, Go AL, Norm sucks.

[StellaRay]

11:20 PM on 06/05/2009

Yep.

[Michigan-Woman]

12:05 AM on 06/06/2009

I saw him interviewed after he was mentioned in President Obama's speech in Egypt. He seems like a decent guy. He's a moderate though....he may not have a future. Too bad.

[StellaRay]

10:44 PM on 06/05/2009

"What the President appears to be doing is trying to expand and embrace the role of Muslims who believe in moderation, and thereby narrowing and isolating those people who believe in the use of violence to advance extremist ideology under the cloak of Islam."

I'm going to say this again, with no small joy in how much aggravation it causes the trolls, this is a president who plays chess not checkers. There's every chance that while today the doubters post comments hopeful for his failure, in the tomorrows to come this president may save the life of their children by not using war as an answer to differences.

[IssuesInFocus]

01:50 AM on 06/06/2009

Moderates in the Muslim world should rally energeticly to what the president said. He extended a hand -- grab it and show us the time has come to ' move forward.' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbntdmH7aaE

[Knowledgeseeker]

10:02 PM on 06/05/2009

Keith Ellison need to become a senator.

[randman2009]

02:48 AM on 06/06/2009

No thank you.

[PeaceIsMyName]

09:30 PM on 06/05/2009

Bush's "war on terror" and phrases like "Islamofascism" definitely made Muslims despise the man. I agree with Mr.Ellison on that point.

Bush's last visit to the "Muslim world", even in a highly secure area, a shoe was thrown at his face as a show of immense rejection of the man.

Obama's visit to the "Muslim" world, in packed Cairo University auditorium, he was met with roaring applause and respect.

A clear contrast between the two Presidents.

[StellaRay]

10:37 PM on 06/05/2009

Yes. And boy, does that threaten the haters.

[randman2009]

02:49 AM on 06/06/2009

They had to deal with entirely different circumstances. The muslims only like him because of his heritage and ethnicity.

[PeaceIsMyName]

01:06 PM on 06/06/2009

Dude, they are dealing with the same "circumstances" and no, Muslims don't like him just because he's black.

Yes, Obama is black - you Republicans need to get over that hahaha

[wonketteRAWKS]

09:28 PM on 06/05/2009

Oh geesh, wonder what any dem would say.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

09:04 PM on 06/05/2009

Rep. Ellison says it is time for the President to visit a mosque in the US. Well, it is time for the Prez to also visit a Black church and all manners of other religious institutions.

The President's speech was awesome, with him recognizing the contributions of Muslims in the US and the world.

[LooktotheLeft]

09:33 PM on 06/05/2009

It was a great speech wasn't it? Quintessential eloquence, diplomacy, compassion, and sensitivity. He's bringing the world together already

[YoBama55]

10:27 PM on 06/05/2009

What is a black church? Is that like the White House? I know what a synogogue is, what a cathedral is, but I've never seen a "black church".

[StellaRay]

10:54 PM on 06/05/2009

You should get out a bit more.

[StillIRise]

12:18 AM on 06/06/2009

"... but I've never seen a 'black church.'"

Your loss!

[Olby's Unhappy'Girlfriend]

08:59 PM on 06/05/2009

And I can't wait for the Middle East to send their Presidents and dignitaries over to the States and tell us how to run our country.

[LooktotheLeft]

09:31 PM on 06/05/2009

Too bad a piece of s*hit like you has to ruin an otherwise perfect day from an otherwise perfect American President

[TakeSake]

09:52 PM on 06/05/2009

Your pal W sent dignitaries, armies, mercenaries, mafiosos, and bankers all over the world to tell people how to run their countries. In the process he made them all mad at us and bankrupted us. Nice going.