Colin Powell - Islamophobia

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/faithbook/2008/10/powell_rejects_islamophobia.html

"I'm also troubled by, not what Senator McCain says, but what members of the party say, and it is permitted to be said. Such things as 'Well you know that Mr. Obama is a Muslim.' 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 is 'No. That's not America.' Is there something wrong with some 7-year old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she can be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion he's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists. This is 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. 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 can 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 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 Khan. And he was an American, he was born in New Jersey, he was 14 at the time of 9/11 and he waited until he can go serve his counrty and he gave his life."

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Exactly. It doesn't help that far-right religious leaders peach religious hate on TV and in the press...but I believe the enlightened youth can see pass this...and practice love for those of other religions - even if you don't agree with their views.

I have Jewish friends, I have Christian friends, I have Muslim friends. I have friends that are Buddhist. I even have friends that are Pagan and Scientologist.

Do I agree with all them on religious views? Very Highly unlikely =)

The Taliban shot a woman in cold blood today as she walked across the street...Why? The militant group said it targeted the woman because she was spreading her religion.

But this isn't Saudi Arabia...this is America - a place were religious freedom and respect is taught and embraced...so lets start acting like it.