Thank you Colin Powell!

Finally, someone (with political clout) says what needs to be said!

On yesterday's episode of Meet the Press, Colin Powell came out and endorsed Barrack Obama for president - a big deal, but no big surprise. The really noteworthy part of the show came when this former top diplomat/soldier addressed the 'smear' tactics being used against Obama. Here's what he had to say in response to questions surrounding his faith:

"Well, the correct answer is, he is not a Muslim, he's 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'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?"

It's really a shame that didn't come out of Obama's mouth... it could have and it should have. Not only is it a sensible statement, but it would have been harmless in a political context. If anything, it would have helped comfort those of us who take offense to Obama's defensiveness. I've already posted about his reluctance to take the proper stand on this issue, so I'll spare you any redundancy. But clearly, Powell said what Obama has not had the courage to say (here, political expediency lies under the umbrella of cowardice). He went on to give an excellent example of why these smears are such a disgrace to the spirit of this nation, and I take my hat off to him.

So thank you Colin Powell. Thank you for saying what the American people desperately need to hear. I only wish the man you endorsed was brave enough to do so himself.



BTW, it's also worth noting Powell's comments after the interview.

"Those kinds of images, going out on Al-Jazeera, are killing us around the world, and we have got to say to the world, it doesn't make any difference who you are or what you are. If you're an American, you're an American."

I can only imagine that these are the types of images he was referring to. Sadly, there are still many ignorant bigots littering this country who need to be educated and woken up. If Obama feels the need to pander to them he should be ashamed of himself.

Got this from Kabobfest