(If you look at my avitar or my profile picture, you will see the picture that I am taking about)
I just heard yesterday that Colin Powel is endorsing Barack Obama for president because of the following reasons:
1. Senator McCain often gives conflicting views on how he shall proceed with foreign security, especially in the Middle East.
2. His nomination of Sarah Palin
3. He believes that Senator Obama foreign policy is much better for America.
4. The far right wing attack on Obama characters, such as being a secret Muslim or that he is un-American because of his exotic middle name.
The last part of what Colin Powel said really touches me. He was talking about how there is nothing wrong with being a Muslim. He went on to say that he once saw a picture of a mother hugging her son’s grave, who just recently dies for his country. On that grave, it had a crescent to represent his faith but more than that, it had his birth, death, and his service for his country. He was just 21 years old when he was killed in Iraq.
Here is what Powel said:
“Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?" The answer's "No, that's not America." Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim American kid believing that he or she could be President… I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine…And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery. And she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards - Purple Heart, Bronze Star; showed that he died in Iraq; gave his date of birth, date of death. He was twenty years old. And then at the very top of the headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It had a crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Karim Rashad Sultan Kahn. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey, he was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11 and he waited until he could go serve his country and he gave his life.”
He was only 14 years old when 9/11 happen but he join the military as soon as he turn 18 so that he can defend his country by shipping of to Iraq. He did it, because he loves his country and he had a sense of loyalty to the USA. You can die for your country but you cannot be the president of the United States just because you are a Muslim? It just likes the Japanese joining the military during World War II even though they were living in internment camp. What is wrong with being a Muslim or Japanese in America? You trust them enough to fight in a war but you do not think that they can be an American or run for president?
Beside, the Muslim, Arabs, and middle eastern did help us. The northern alliance, a Muslim brotherhood in the Middle East help us tried to find the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan. Bush gives aids and arms to muslin nations like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The Middle East is the largest importer of oils to the USA. So, Americans people do not mind using Muslim oil for their hummers/SUV, providing aids and arms to Muslim countries that are rule by evil dictators like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan but they had a problem with Muslim Americans living in the USA even if they did fight and die for America in Iraq and Afghanistan?
http://blog.beliefnet.com/stevenwaldman/2008/10/colin-powells-tribute-to...
Picture of mother holding son grave:
http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=6fca8c5ee8&view=att&th=11d17da8cd6d...
Absolutely I agree that Muslim Americans are no different than any other Americans, but I am wary of Powell's use of this reasoning to endorse Obama. There is not a majority of Republicans running around bashing Muslims. Those who do are ignorant and probably are getting Obama's name confused with Osama's, and their group includes Democrats, too. I am a Democrat, but still I have faith in the Republican party, its manners, and its intelligence. I think it's unfair to say that Republicans are ganging up against Muslims in order to defeat Obama. Those who say anything derogatory aren't pro-McCain; they're just uneducated.
I am happy to see that this portion of Sgt Colin Powell's discussion with Tom Brokaw stuck with another person as well.
I was deeply touched by his insight and connection that so many of us have made between the service of people of different faiths, ethnicity, race, and cultural identity and his or her's patriotism and service to this country.
I honor the service of this young soldier, his family and every soldier like him and the many women that serve abroad and in these two wars.
The color of his skin, the origin of heritage, the culture his entire race, the essence of his faith and the embodiment of his service makes him the same patriot as any other person of a different race. Service is displayed by most of us that understand the importance of working towards the improvement and fairness for every human life.
Why does race and faith always cloud the judgment of too many people that can't disconnect the prejudices that linger, even when our soldiers serve together and fight side by side as brothers and sisters in combat?
I thank Sgt Colin Powell for his service and for reminding people of the value of life and how dividing people along cultural and racial lines further segregates the opportunity to be stand...one nation....under God...with liberty and justice for all.
God Bless his soul, that of our many men and women and all of their families.