US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday she was deeply hurt by charges that the United States was biased against Muslims, staunchly defending her country’s record in protecting minorities.
Clinton, visiting the world’s third largest Muslim-majority country Bangladesh, was asked by a student at a public forum about perceptions that the United States was against Islam.
“That hurts me so much,” Clinton said. “It’s a painful perception to hear about and I deeply regret that anyone believes that or propagates it.”
Clinton said that the decade of US-led war was “self-defence” after the September 11, 2001 attacks by Al-Qaeda and said extremists “perverted” the teachings of Islam.
“Is there discrimination or prejudice in the United States like in every society and country in the world? Unfortunately yes. Human nature has not changed dramatically,” she said.
“There is discrimination against people of different religions, of different races, of different ethnic groups all over the world… but I don’t think that it is at all fair to hold up the United States” over discrimination, she said.
“I believe that the United States through our laws and through our constant political dialogue has gone probably farther than anywhere else in the world in trying to guarantee legal protections for people. I would like to see more countries do more to protect the rights of minorities,” she said.
There is religious freedom in U.S. ,its not like SAUDI ARABIA where you can't build a church or Pakistan where if you are a AHMADI,HINDU,CHRISTEN etc your rights will be denied,unfortunately there is more discrimination in Muslim and Arab countries against non muslims.
You are absolutely right. In Saudi Arabia female christen journalists under the age of 40 are not allowed.!
As far as Pakistan is concerned what to talk of non muslims even the muslims discriminate against each other. Yet we are very quick to criticise the west. People
who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
As a current US citizen ,Ex Pakistani citizen and being born in India prior to 1947 , I can very confidently and comfortably say that over the past 25 years of living here in the USA I or my family have never faced any discrimination in USA . Even after 9/11 we were not discriminated . Only people living out side USA have this misconception .
She is right.. US and other non-muslim coutries are only defending themselves against islamic jehad. All non-muslim countries have given equal rights to muslims but most of muslim countries classify non-muslims as second class citizens. Pakistan is the worst. With what face muslims are complaining ?
how the us foriegn minister becomes innocent.all the disturbances in islamic countries are being created by america itselt and now how she cleverly becomes ignorant of her country`s deeds and wants to get sympathies.Why they do not do any thing in jews and other countries.and why in islamic countries only.
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