WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Thousands of Muslims gathered Friday on Capitol Hill for a day of prayer that organizers said was intended to inspire American Muslims and non-Muslims alike. People traveled from all over the United States to attend the Capitol Hill event, organizer Abdul Malik said. "America is not perfect," Abdul Malik, an organizer of the event called Islam on Capitol Hill, told the crowd. "But I will say something it took me my whole adult life to come to: America is not perfect, but I want to tell the truth: It is one of the best places in the world to live."
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NEW: Speaker calls U.S. "one of the best places in the world to live"
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Prayer event sought to inspire Muslims and all Americans, one organizer says
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Event drew protesters, criticism from Christian leader, "very nasty e-mails"
And one @placeholder leader warned of a strategy to "Islamize" American society.