The White House - 09.23.2004

The White House

President Bush Affirms the Importance of Religious Freedom

TO: Jewish Leaders [via email]

During these High Holy Days, I wanted to draw your attention to the Bush Administration's efforts to support and promote religious freedom throughout the world. Jews understand all too well that religious minorities throughout the world are often denied basic rights of worship and observance. It is a great credit to our founders that the United States has always been a safe haven to many faiths. President Bush wants to bring that respect for religions to the rest of the world.

Secretary of State Colin Powell and Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford recently released this year’s report on International Religious Freedom. The report outlines the Bush Administration's deep commitment to ensuring religious freedom. As Secretary Powell said, “We reaffirm the universal spirit of our nation’s founding. We reaffirm that government exists to protect human rights, not to restrict them; and we stand in solidarity with people everywhere who wish to worship without coercion.” 

Outlined in the report is praise for countries like Georgia and Turkey that have adopted policies that promote understanding for people of all religious belief. Also of note, Iraq was moved off the list of Countries of Particular Concern as their new government is working to ensure religious freedom. 

The report placed eight new countries on the list of Countries of Particular Concern. These include Burma, China, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. 

I thought the comments of Ambassador Hanford would be of particular interest to you:

“Today, some of the greatest threats to both our national security and to international peace define and even justify their violence in religious terms. This report, in advocating civil societies based on the respect of religious freedom, offers a compelling alternative. Religious extremists cling to the idea that religion demands the death of innocents and the destruction of liberty. We hold confidently to the idea that religious freedom respects the life of all and the cultivation of human dignity… promoting religious freedom is as much in our national interest as it is our national ideal.” 

For a complete transcript of Secretary Powell and Ambassador Hanford’s remarks go to this website: 

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/36197.htm 

For the full report on International Religious Freedom click on this link: 
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/


Noam Neusner 
Office of Public Liaison
[White House Liaison to the Jewish Community]