Address to Religious Pluralism and Tolerance Initiative Symposium on Interfaith Cooperation

November 16, 2009

Public Affairs Officer Joann M. Lockard

By Public Affairs Officer Joann M. Lockard

Thank you very much for inviting me to address this distinguished group today.    I’m really happy to be here to show the U.S. Mission’s support for interfaith cooperation in Uganda.  As many of you are aware, it is often very difficult to overcome our differences in order to strengthen what we have in common.  But I hope that through this effort and others like it around the globe, in the future, we will all have a safer and more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren.

Over the course of the last several years, I have been dismayed by the prevalence of a very common misperception about the United States and her people held by many international communities.  On more than one occasion, I have been challenged with the idea that “The United States is at war with Islam” or that “Americans hate Muslims.”  This belief troubles me because it is fundamentally untrue.  I hope you’ll allow me to talk to you this afternoon a little about why.

Most of you probably know that the United States was founded by individuals who were, themselves, fleeing religious persecution in Europe.  This initial group was followed by many more waves of immigrants who sought freedom from religious, economic, and political oppression.  This history is important to understand because it frames the course of political and social development in the United States.  In 1776, our nation’s first leaders declared their independence with the statement, “All men are created equal.”  And religious equality is specifically enshrined in the American Bill of Rights.  As the 1st Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  Freedom from religious persecution is at the core of what the United States is.  Ultimately, freedom of religion is the cornerstone of U.S. government and American culture.

President Obama noted in Cairo earlier this year that rather than oppressing Muslims, this fundamental core value is the basis by which the United States has upheld Muslim rights in the United States, such as the right of Muslim women to wear the hijab.  He also noted that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States today and that most American Muslims enjoy above average standards of living.

America’s tradition of welcoming the oppressed and persecuted has woven a richly diverse society.  This is not just based on language, nationality, or ethnicity.  The United States is one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world.  We enjoy that situation specifically because no law can be passed that infringes upon the rights of an individual to practice his/her religion freely.  In fact, culturally (and legally) it is not acceptable to discriminate against someone based on their religion.  No one can be denied a job, or a place in school, or health care, or government assistance simply because they are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, or Christian.

It is true that there are Americans who do not understand the fundamentals of faiths that are not their own and that misperceptions and misunderstandings exist.  But every American child is taught that the freedom of religion is a fundamental right for every citizen.  That is part of who we are and what we stand for.  And it will never change.

So what does this mean for us today in Uganda?  How is it relevant to this discussion?

I’d like to take this opportunity to focus on our commonalities vs. our differences.  As I mentioned earlier, it’s often difficult to look past our differences, but events like this one today can help us to build the bridges necessary to get across the gap.  Uganda and the United States have a lot in common.  For example, we share a common colonial history.  The U.S. won her independence almost two hundred years before Uganda – but because of our common British rule many aspects of our governmental structure and legal system are similar.  We also both know what it is like to not have a say in our political processes and therefore how important it is to ensure a government that is respectful of and responsive to the needs of its people.

Both the United States and Uganda have a strong Christian influence in our societies and cultures.  Church and religious beliefs are very important for the majority of our peoples.  Despite what one may see in Hollywood movies, the United States is in fact one of the most religious societies in the world.  At one point, the U.S. was listed as having the most churches per capita in the world.

But, like Uganda, the United States is also very religiously diverse.  Just like in Uganda, where it is not uncommon to see a Mosque and a Church sharing the same street; so to in the United States it is not uncommon for Churches, Synagogues, and Mosques to share parking lots or charitable endeavors.

Like Uganda, the United States is incredibly ethnically diverse.  It is not unusual in our major cities to hear hundreds of different languages.   Classrooms and workplaces will house a rainbow of skin tones – Asian, Latino, European, African – you name the nationality or ethnicity and I guarantee that it’s represented in the colorful tapestry that makes up the United States of America.  Most of the United States’ diversity comes from our rich immigrant heritage as compared to the indigenous tribal heritage present in Uganda.  But regardless of its origin, we share the choice to use our diversity to make us stronger or to drive us apart.  Historically, the diversity of the United States has made us stronger.

But most of all, the biggest thing that the United States and Uganda have in common is a multitude of societal challenges, such as inadequate medical care, poverty, inequality in education, and injustice.  It is true that on a global level, there is a vast difference in the levels, which explains why the United States devotes over $500 million a year to aid Uganda and her people with development challenges in these and other areas. 

But it is also true that in the United States today there are children who will go hungry because their parents cannot afford to buy food.  It is also true that today there are families who have lost their homes and everything they own because a parent or a child has fallen ill and the medical care cost more than everything they had.  It is true that in some areas of the country the majority of children will not complete high school.  And it is true that today many Americans are sleeping under bridges or on park benches because they do not have someone to care for them and provide them shelter.  I know that there are similar stories in Uganda.

Why is this important to highlight for our discussion today?  Because we have more in common than what divides us.  We must come together to address these challenges in our societies.  All religions call their followers to care for the poor and the sick and to fight injustice where it exists.  The Bible in Proverbs 31:8-9 orders Christians to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”  The Koran demands that Muslims, “give away wealth to the orphans and the needy.”  The Torah tells Jews that “If there is among you a poor man, you shall open your hand to him and lend him enough for his needs.”  In the United States, there are many charitable organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Interchurch Food banks, and Interfaith Charity scholarships, that work across faiths.  When we focus on what we have in common – such as the need to address poverty and injustice – we can build better communities for everyone.

Nevertheless, it is often easier to focus on what divides us than what unites us.  Why is it easier to hate someone who is different than to love someone’s uniqueness?  Tolerance is the key to building stronger societies and ultimately a more stable and peaceful world.  Without tolerance for one another’s differences, we will never be able to address the challenges that keep our communities from the prosperity and health they deserve.  Interfaith dialogue and cooperation can reach into communities on an entirely different level than governmental or other community-based organizations can.  Christians and Muslims working together to alleviate poverty, build housing, and provide health care are fulfilling not only the urgent needs of their communities – but also the fundamental tenants of their faith.

The U.S. model is far from perfect and we look to learn how we can improve our interfaith cooperation and dialogue from the experiences of other countries around the world.  But, in the U.S., we are working across cultures, ethnicities, and religions to address our common challenges.  The U.S. Mission in Uganda supports you in the development of similar structures to enhance communication across communities and to improve the lives of your fellow Ugandans regardless of their religious identity.

Thank you for the opportunity to talk to you today and to open this important dialogue.  We look forward to working with you and hearing more about this important issue.