I was quite moved by General Colin Powell's endorsement of Barack Obama over the weekend. Less because he supports Obama and more because of the way he eloquently expressed dismay over the tactic, implicit or explicit, from some Republicans that being a Muslim is automatically associated with being a bad person.
If you did not see it, please take a moment and watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_NMZv6Vfh8
I think that what makes this country truly great is the ability to take in people of all different cultures, religions, and elasticities and instill in them the values of what this country and our constitution was founded on. Liberty.
This country was founded on the principle of religious freedom. Sometimes that means freedom from religion, but this is a nation that has welcomed people of all faiths to practice their religion without the fear of the state oppressing them.
What is wrong with a Muslim American youth growing up believing that he or she can be president? I can't think of anything more American than that dream.
2 comments:
The following is not a defense of efforts to slander Obama as a Moslem. And I am not comfortable with slamming a religion "in general." I'll risk being misunderstood so I can speak my mind, though.
In response to Matt's post, I would only say that religions that have a political component are not going to fit in our system. There is a valid concern that Islam is not tolerant enough of *other* religions to enjoy being tolerated... AT LEAST SOME VERSIONS.
I realize this is a little controversial to say. But it is just a fact that Moslem populations are almost invariably in conflict with their neighbors. This is true in Africa, the Phillipines, Crete, England, etc, etc.
OK, maybe America can be different. I'm willing to try it out. I do say, though, that we absolutely must have the utmost caution in letting people in from countries where they hate us. That has been suicidal.
I guess my response would be fundamentalists of any religion, are usually the ones that don't tolerate any other religion. If you look at the conflicts in the world, some you cited included, most are fueled by fundamentalism; i.e. Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, you name it.
My view is that if you are born in the country, perhaps to immigrant parents, it all comes out in the wash. We all become more American as the generations pass.
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