Prominent Muslim Group Reacts To President Barack Obama's SOTU Address

January 13, 2016

In his final State of the Union address, President Obama reflected on his legacy and described a vision for the future of America. Speaking with the confidence of a man who has accomplished many of his goals, he reflected on the state of discourse in our nation.

"It doesn't work if we think the people who disagree with us are all motivated by malice, or that our political opponents are unpatriotic,”  he said, admitting with regret that he had been unable to temper the polarized rhetoric between the two parties.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) issued the following statement regarding the Presidents address, "The toxic political environment in Washington is a reflection of the mood in our nation; it does not occur in a vacuum. To blame politicians or to say that politics in DC is the problem is to have a near-sighted view of the situation. The rancor in Washington is merely a symptom of the larger societal trends of fear, extremist political ideology, and lack of empathy that we see throughout our nation and which seem to be gaining in popularity. Our leaders are only echoing what is coming from amongst us."

"The Tea Party, anti-immigrant groups, and Islamophobes are ubiquitous today. Fear is leading us to exclude and harm those we deem as “the other”. An inability to compromise on other issues has led us to expedient and questionable solutions to gaining political clout (like gerrymandering), or to even breaking the law (as is in the cases of Kim Davis and the militants in Oregon)."

In his address, the President pointed out that we must be the change we want to see, stating, “Changes in our political process in not just who gets elected but how they get elected. That will only happen when the American people demand it. It will depend on you. That's what's meant by a government of, by, and for the people.”

President Obama also noted that it goes beyond just voting. “We cannot merely vote out politicians we don’t like. If we want a better politics, it’s not enough just to change a congressman or change a senator or even change a President. We have to change the system to reflect our better selves.”

"We must learn to work together, compromise, and put our egos to the side in order to ensure we do not let the great be the enemy of the good. When it comes to civic engagement, we must be involved in campaigns, be involved in local government, and engage our elected officials," stated MPAC about his remarks.

"The change begins within us. This includes viewing our fellow citizens as genuinely trying to do good for our country, having sympathy for our fellow man, and manifesting the values of mercy and compassion in our daily lives. It is then that we can meet the challenge of what the President has said."