After Joining President for Ramadan Celebration, Carson Will Address AIPAC Leaders Tonight
September 2, 2009
September 2, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Twenty-four hours after joining President Barack Obama, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar and a host of distinguished guests at a White House dinner celebrating Ramadan, Congressman André Carson will address a group of young leaders from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Carson's speech will take place tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the AIPAC's annual Young Leaders Event in Chicago (Location: Park West, 322 W. Armitage Avenue).
Though the timing of the two events was happenstance, Carson, who is one of only two Muslims ever to serve in Congress, noted the significance of his appearance before AIPAC.
"As the President said last night, the holy month of Ramadan is a time for people and communities to come together in celebration of the ‘common humanity' that we all share," Carson said.
"It is this common humanity that I will focus on tonight when I address these future leaders of AIPAC.
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is always painted in religious terms—and clearly centuries of history have helped draw these dividing lines around faith. But the fact is, the instability and violence in the Middle East is leading to pain and suffering among all our brothers and sisters—Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.
"If we let these divisions continue to strengthen around religious intolerance, then we will lose sight of the common hopes, the common truths and the common needs that spread across all people of faith."
Carson, in his remarks tonight, is expected to discuss his backing of a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and address several of the barriers standing in the way of a lasting peace in the Middle East.
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