But is Rifqa Bary free to practice her religion, Mr. President?

A follow up to the story from herehttp://brianleesblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/rifqa-bary-action-alert.html with a big hat tip to www.jihadwatch.org!!!

September 1, 2009
But is Rifqa Bary free to practice her religion, Mr. President?
Tonight at the Iftar Dinner in the State Dining Room at the White House, Barack Obama said this:
So on this occasion, we celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture -- in ways both large and small. And with us here tonight, we see just a small sample of those contributions. Let me share a few stories with you briefly.

Elsheba Khan's son, Kareem, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he lost his life in Iraq. Kareem joined the military as soon as he finished high school. He would go on to win the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, along with the admiration of his fellow soldiers. In describing her son, Elsheba said, "He always wanted to help any way that he could." Tonight, he's buried alongside thousands of heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. A crescent is carved into his grave, just as others bear the Christian cross or the Jewish star. These brave Americans are joined in death as they were in life -- by a common commitment to their country, and the values that we hold dear.

One of those values is the freedom to practice your religion -- a right that is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution. 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. 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."

It would have been a really memorable Iftar if Barack Obama had brought out Rifqa Bary after Nashala Hearn, and had made a strong appeal to the assembled Muslim dignitaries to respect the freedom of conscience and discard the traditional Islamic death penalty for apostasy.
Indeed, that would have been an Iftar that would have lived forever in the memories of those who value human rights.
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