You Will Anyway: Think of the children

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Think of the children

President Donald Trump will host an iftar dinner at the White House next week to recognize the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to a White House official, a departure from last year’s decision not to host the traditional post-sundown meal.

[...]

The White House faced criticism last year for neglecting to host an iftar dinner, breaking with a long-standing tradition embraced by Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Politico

Apparently, he's now completely convinced that he won't lose any supporters, no matter what he does: destroy their livelihood with trade wars, funnel taxpayer money into his family's personal accounts, celebrate heathen Muslim holidays...

The iftar dinner is scheduled for Wednesday. The White House official declined to provide a list of attendees.

Could be hard to find any actual Muslims who'll accept that invitation. He may have to get them from the Saudi embassy.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE 6/8:

So, how'd that go?

Trump certainly didn't tweet about it.

On Wednesday, a White House spokesperson said Trump will host the iftar dinner in the State Dining Room at 8 p.m. ET "for the Washington diplomatic community."

In years past, White House iftars have invited not only diplomats but dozens of American Muslims from civil society, including corporate executives, scholars, activists and athletes.

But many American Muslims say they are reluctant to break bread with Trump, citing the President's rhetoric and actions toward Muslims and other religious and racial minorities.

"We do not need an iftar dinner," said Imam Yahya Hendi, the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University. "Rather, we need to get the respect we highly deserve. Do not feed us and stab us."

Hendi attended a White House iftar in 2009, when President Barack Obama was in office. He said he was not invited this year. Like many prominent Muslims who have attended previous White House iftars, Hendi said he would not attend if invited this year.

[...]

"Has he apologized for saying 'Islam hate us?'" Ahmed answered. "Has he changed his policies? Has he retracted the (travel) ban? He hasn't changed his rhetoric on anything."

[...]

The Council on American-Islamic Relations plans to hold "NOT Trump's Iftar" event outside the White House as the main event is taking place inside.

CNN

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Life, as Explained in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead"

GUILDENSTERN: What a fine persecution---to be kept intrigued without ever quite being enlightened.

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ROSENCRANTZ : The only thing that makes it bearable is the irrational belief that somebody interesting will come on in a minute.

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GUILDENSTERN: But for God's sake what are we supposed to do?!

PLAYER: Relax. Respond. That's what people do. You can't go through life questioning your situation at every turn.

GUILDENSTERN: But we don't know what's going on, or what to do with ourselves. We don't know how to act.

PLAYER: Act natural. You know why you're here at least.

GUILDENSTERN: We only know what we're told, and that's little enough. And for all we know it isn't even true.

PLAYER: For all anyone knows, nothing is. Everything has to be taken on trust; truth is only that which is taken to be true. It's the currency of living. There may be nothing behind it, but it doesn't make any difference so long as it is honoured. One acts on assumptions.

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GUILDENSTERN : We act on scraps of information... sifting half-remembered directions that we can hardly separate from instinct.

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PLAYER: Life is a gamble, at terrible odds-if it was a bet you wouldn't take it.