So What !?

 

Does it strike anyone else as peculiar, that here in America, a country whose very formation came about as a result of the burning desire to escape the religious intolerance that was prevalent in England, we smear a candidate for the presidency with the allegation that he is Muslim? We intimate that this candidate is somehow not acceptable, somehow evil and as evidence we cite our misguided belief that he is not the same religion as most of us. For those of you that we so euphemistically refer to as ‘low information voters’, this is the textbook definition of religious intolerance.

 

The absolute ironic beauty (and I use the term loosely) of this national shame is that the people who are most fervent and virulent in their religious intolerance are the ones who claim to be the most proud of and devoted to their country. They exist blissfully in their cones of ignorance as walking mockeries of the very country that they claim to put first. They hate Muslims (among others) and will wildly support any war that offers the possibility of killing a large number of Muslims. These ‘patriots’ consider anyone who does not share their rabid form of nationalism as wrong, evil and worthy of obliteration. They don’t see that they are using the exact same myopic lens that members of the radical faction of Islam that they fear, use to see Israel and the entire Western world.

 

Finally, someone found the proper words to indict these fanatical neocons. I was so very pleased and impressed when Sec. Colin Powell found the words to lay shame at the appropriate doorsteps. Sec. Powell corrected the misguided notion that Sen. Obama is Muslim and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, asked the rhetorical question, "So what!?". What if he is Muslim? . Powell concluded his endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama by referring to the death of a Muslim soldier, Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan of Manahawkin, N.J., who was killed in Iraq on Aug. 6, 2007, and whose remains were buried in Arlington.

He and three other soldiers, including a corporal from Washington Heights, were killed in Baquba after a bomb detonated while they were checking abandoned houses for explosives. They served in the Stryker Brigade combat team of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, based in Ft. Lewis, Washington.

 

Powell, in giving his endorsement said:

 

“Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That’s not America. Is there something wrong with a seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion that he is a Muslim and might have an association with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

 

I feel particularly strong about this because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay, was of a mother at 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 20 years old. And then at the very top of the head stone, it didn’t have a Christian cross. It didn’t have a Star of David. It has a crescent and star of the Islamic faith.

 

And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. 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 serve his country and he gave his life.”

 

        I don’t have any illusions that the knuckle-dragging neocons will suddenly find their sense of reason; no hopes that they have any ‘better angels’ to whom we can appeal. They will find some convoluted logic (once again, I use a term most loosely) to justify their Cro-Magnon behavior, but my hope is that somewhere out there, some of you will read this and be reminded of what you learned in the first grade about why our country is truly great.

 

Italicized text copied from:

http://current.com/items/89425505_colin_powell_so_what_if_obama_actually_was_a_muslim

Reviews

[jen]

wonderful write and exactly how i feel about the subject of immigration. our nation was created by immigrants and now we argue about keeping people out that want to share in the american dream... i think laws should be enforced and that they should pay taxes if they want to stay and benefit from living here, but it angers me that there is so much animosity directed towards them.

i really liked this post a lot and appreciate you sharing your views... right on target and well done.

[JC]

Although I agree with the subject matter in this piece, which is above reproach on context and technique, one must also acknowledge that this a country founded upon Protestant beliefs. There has been a constant barrage of attacks on these beliefs from an organization that has gone rouge and has made its mission to wipe away the originating foundations, that the closing of ranks would not seem unreasonable.

Americans once feared a Catholic president would take orders from the Pope, so it is really not that surprising that they would fear a president of a Muslim faith. It is no secret that the radicals of the Muslim world would like nothing more than that to happen, that a Muslim would become president of the very country they are trying to destroy.

The fear is not with out some merit. One must remember, that with such ease, the 9/11 attackers were able to assemble into an American lifestyle. If the children are the future, then we must be vigilant in ensuring a dialog that is of tolerance, for no child is ever born with hate but is taught.

I do miss debating my friend.

Kudos!

JC

[Christel Grady]

Applause, applause!!! :) I only noticed one error, when you used "Muslins" instead of "Muslims". That being said, I completely agree with your statement, and too am disgusted by the ignorance that seems to have taken over our country. Thank you!

[Last Lying Look]

This was amazing! There is so much truth in everything you said.
In America it seems as though everyone is a hypocrite.
My favorite part of this was :"They exist blissfully in their cones of ignorance as walking mockeries of the very country that they claim to put first."
I've only been to America once, so I cannot speak from personal experience but I think you hit the bulls eye on this one. Excellent work & thank you for taking the time to add this on here.

-Elissa :)