General Colin Powell Endorses Obama for President

General Colin Powell was interviewed this Sunday on NBC’s Meet The Press regarding his support of either Obama or McCain in this Presidential campaign. Powell, a retired Army general who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the first President Bush before becoming secretary of state in the current Bush administration, is one of the most highly decorated military officers of modern times and an admired figure in both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Among other issues that General Powell described as effecting his decision to endorse a particular candidate, was the recent attacks made by members of the Republican party that insinuated or outright said that Obama was a Muslim, and therefore may have “terrorist” ties. Similar attacks and statements have been made here, on the Daily Iberian Forum by those who appear to believe the information sent to them in forwarded chain e-mails. General Powell specifically had the following to say, “I am also troubled by what members of the party say, and what is permitted to be said. Such things as, “Well you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim”. Well, the correct answer is that he is not a Muslim, he is a Christian, he’s always been a Christian. But, the really right answer is, “What if he is?”. 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 7-year old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be President? Yet I’ve heard senior members of my party drop this suggestion, that he is a Muslim and might be associated with terrorism. That’s not the way we should be doing it in America. I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. One picture at the tail end of this essay, was of a mother at Arlington cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son’s grave. As the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. It gave his awards… purple heart, bronze star, showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death, that he was 20 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. His name was Kareem Rahashad Sultan Kahn, and he was an American, he was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he could go serve his country, and he gave his life.”

Please take a look at the article regarding this interview, and view the entire interview here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27265369/

I personally am a registered Independent, and for a long time, supported Sen. McCain’s Presidential campaign, however, like Gen. Powell, part of what has caused me to change my opinion were these unfounded scare tactics trying to link Sen. Obama to Islamic terrorism, particularly the ridiculous chain e-mails insinuating that Sen. Obama was the Anti-Christ, and inaccurate quotes from Revelations in the Bible. Also, so much focus has been placed on who wore flag lapel pins, or who put their hand over their heart. Patriotism is not about a pin or the position of your hand, it’s inside. It’s what you feel in your heart that isn’t shown, and the actions that you take to support this country in the big picture. Support of what this country really means is what is important. While respect for the flag is important, anyone can wear a pin or hold their hand over the left side of their chest, that doesn’t tell you what they truly feel in their heart. Our veterans didn’t fight and die for a lapel pin, they died for an idea. That idea is freedom. Freedom for anyone, of any background, any race, any gender, and any religion, to be everything and anything they desire to be, even President of the United States. That is what they sacrificed their lives for. That is also why I will be voting for Barak Obama in November. I am not telling you how to vote, I just hope you vote for what you truly think is right. Thank you for your kind attention in reading these thoughts.