I just spent about 20 minutes doing a search on contributions of Muslims to America. There were a few I had heard of who were famous for being Muslim like Malcolm X or Elijah Muhammad. The only one I saw who was famous for something other than being Muslim or being a politician that I recognized was Elias Zerhouni, the director of the National Institutes of Health under GW Bush.

Anybody remember reading about the Barbary Pirates? Mooslims, right?

Do not forget that Jefferson didn't just see a threat with the Muslim nations and went in to clean house and eliminate the threat. He went in and cleaned house because the Muslims initiated violence on US citizens and ships. We can't say the same thing about the current situation because the US govt was the one initiating the violence against the Muslims and interfering in their sovereignty starting right after WWII and continuing to this day. What the Islamic terrorists are doing is inexcusable, but let's remember who started the fight.

Islam is not a religion. Islam is just an excuse for killing people. Islam should be declared a political war machine and banned from the world.

Good grief. Visit Dearborn Mi. sometime. They didn't build it, but they are changing it. Once there, if you are not Muslim, you will feel the need to assimilate, because they aren't. Perhaps in time, but the concentration allows them to maintain their own state within a state. They appreciate the freedom the U.S. offers, but instead of adopting any other part of this nation's culture and assimilating, they stand alone. Their offspring and future generations will do the assimilating in time. Of course I know this a generalization, there are exceptions and I have many acquaintances outside of the Dearborn area from those nations that have assimilated to various degrees, but they are not the devout Burqa wearing type. They are the ones that came here to escape such oppressive doctrine. To the devout they would not be considered Muslim...they would be apostate.

You could say that Muslims changed the very fabric of America. But so did many other groups, such as the British, the Germans, the Japanese and the Russians.

do muslims think, no, they are in my opinion the missing link. so what we have in 0 is a missing link. does he have a p-rug in the white house. I am amazed that their are people out there who support him. the article is terrific and shall be sent to all who I know that do support this idiot.

Obama is exaggerating again, and this time he does not know how absurd he sounds. He has zero insight.

He's just a big ol' panderbear. Gotta raise that money for Democrats in troubled districts.

I am glad to see the president supporting religious pluralism. This was a written statement, probably written by someone else. Speechwriters for Romney or McCain would have probably written the same message; words are free.

I'm still glad to hear him promoting pluralism. We live in a time when everyone is at least a little afraid the Lexus is stealing their Olive Tree. A few of the really scared and troubled will be targeted by extremists. Less scared and troubled people get sucked in to group identity politics. Pluralism is the medicine. President Obama should not just have speech writers write about it but should use is speaking skills to promote it. It's one of the most important issues of our time. I applaud even the small act of releasing the statement.