President Obama hosted an Iftar dinner at the White House on September 1. Iftar refers to the meal each evening during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when the daily fast is broken.
As part of his welcoming comments, Obama talked about the value of religious freedom. He said that the freedom to practice religion is enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and that one woman in attendance at the Iftar fought for the legal right to wear a hijab at school.
“Nashala Hearn, who joins us from Muskogee, Oklahoma, took a stand for that right at an early age. When her school district told her that she couldn’t wear the hijab, she protested that it was a part of her religion,” Obama said. “The Department of Justice stood behind her, and she won her right to practice her faith. She even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress. Her words spoke to a tolerance that is far greater than mistrust — when she first wore her headscarf to school, she said, ‘I received compliments from the other kids.’”
Have you ever stood up for religious freedom?
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Alexandra Abboud has five years experience reporting on the legal and cultural dynamics that shape American society. At America.gov, she manages coverage of cultural diversity, the arts, education and sports. Abboud has also served as a managing editor of the State Department's eJournal USA series, producing internationally circulated publications on innovation and fighting corruption.
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