....but if I knew she was up to this kind of thing back then, I'd have voted for her. Bigtime props...I just hope Obama replaces her with someone as good, if he happens to win.

 Excerpt:

Secretary Clinton delivered a powerful and personal speech about

religion at an Eid ul-Fitr reception, marking the end of the Muslim

holiday of Ramadan. The speech, at times, was a direct response to the

attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in the Middle East, and the deaths

of four diplomats at the hands of militants in Libya.

In her remarks, Clinton repeated much of what she's said in the last two

days. Namely that the Benghazi attack was carried out by a "small and

savage group," and that the United States completely rejects what she

called the "inflammable and despicable" anti-Muslim film circulating the

Internet. However, Clinton pointed out all religions have faced insults

and denigration, but that's no justification for violence. The response

to such insults is what separates people of true faith from those who

would use religion as an excuse to commit violent acts, she said.

"When Christians are subject to insults to their faith, and that

certainly happens, we expect them not to resort to violence. When Hindus

or Buddhists are subjected to insults to their faiths, and that also

certainly happens, we expect them not to resort to violence," said

Clinton. "The same goes for all faiths, including Islam."

She spoke movingly about her own personal beliefs as a way of re-enforcing her point.

"I so strongly believe that the great religions of the world are

stronger than any insults. They have withstood offense for centuries,"

said Clinton."Refraining from violence, then, is not a sign of weakness

in one's faith; it is absolutely the opposite, a sign that one's faith

is unshakable."

She asked the crowd to work towards building a world where if one person

commits a violent religious act, millions of people will stand up and

condemn it

"We can pledge that whenever one person speaks out in ignorance and

bigotry, ten voices will answer," Clinton said forcefully. "They will

answer resoundingly against the offense and the insult; answering

ignorance with enlightenment; answering hatred with understanding;

answering darkness with light."

The secretary urged the audience not to be discouraged by the hatred and

violence that exists, but instead resolve to do something tangible to

promote religious tolerance in their own communities.

"In times like these, it can be easy to despair that some differences

are irreconcilable, some mountains too steep to climb; we will therefore

never reach the level of understanding and peacefulness that we seek,

and which I believe the great religions of the world call us to pursue,"

she reflected. "But that's not what I believe, and I don't think it's

what you believe… Part of what makes our country so special is we keep

trying. We keep working. We keep investing in our future," she said.

This year's annual Eid event honored three young Muslim-Americans who

are part of the State Department's Generation Change program. The

initiative, launched by Clinton two years ago, supports young Muslims to

develop positive organizations and movements around the world.

Clinton acknowledged given deaths of the diplomats killed in Libya this

week, the event had a more somber tone than in years past. But she also

highlighted the outpouring of support the United States has received

from the Muslim world. She thanked the Libyan Ambassador, Ali Suleiman

Aujali, who gave a heartfelt tribute U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens ,whom

he called his dear friend, killed in Benghazi on Tuesday.

"I must tell you, Madam Secretary, and tell the American people, that

Chris is a hero," said Aujali. "He loves Benghazi, he loves the people,

he talks to them, he eats with them, and he [was] committed - and

unfortunately lost his life because of this commitment.