Shouldn't a Muslim American dream to be President?
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Maswood Alam Khan from Cockeysville, Maryland
FORMER US Secretary of State General Colin Powell touched a huge emotional chord with the Americans on Sunday night as he questioned: "Is it something wrong with a seven year old Muslim American kid believing that he or she can one day be President of the United States of America?"
Colin Powell in a bold move endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president, criticizing his own Republican Party's narrow focus on irrelevant personal attacks. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press", Powell said he was "troubled" by Republicans' personal attacks on Obama and the recent focus on Obama's alleged connections to William Ayers, a co-founder of the radical '60 Weather Underground.
Republican campaigners, as Powell said, are suggesting that Obama was a Muslim. Powell said, "The correct answer is Obama is a lifelong Christian. But the right answer is: 'what if he is? Is there anything wrong to be a Muslim?" praising the contribution of millions of Muslims citizens to American society.
Given his intelligence and present-mindedness, Obama could also come out and say, 'I'm Christian, but if I were Muslim, SO WHAT?' But, he had to suppress many such answers considering sensitivities of pre-election campaign. Obama must be smiling after he heard Powell speaking what he couldn't. Powell's enunciation of the right answer 'what if he is a Muslim?" is an excerpt of a historical statement that has to reverberate for a long time in American classrooms where American democracy will be tutored.
But the part of his interview with NBC that sent millions of Americans---irrespective of their colour, creed, religion, or ethnicity---into raptures was when Colin Powell in his subdued voice narrated a story of a 14-year old Muslim boy who was appalled at the carnage of 3,000 Americans on the morning of September 11, 2001 as Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City was attacked and demolished.
In an emotional undertone Colin Powell said: "It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of the photo essay was 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 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 headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."
Kareem R. Khan, a 2005 graduate of Southern Regional School, was determined to join the Army to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. Immediately after his graduation he enlisted himself and was sent to Iraq in July, 2006 where at Baqubah he along with three other soldiers died on August 6, 2007 in a blast from an impoverished explosive device.
Shouldn't Americans, especially Republicans, have to ask themselves what Kareem's sacrifice means to them? Shouldn't this young man and his family deserve to have a leader governing this country who won't dishonour his sacrifice?
The essence of Powell's message is: "Muslim Americans like Christians, Jews, Buddhists, or anybody of any faith are fully part of American society".
The writer, now on a visit to the USA, is General Manager, Bangladesh Krishi Bank and he can be reached at e-mail: maswood@hotmail.com
FORMER US Secretary of State General Colin Powell touched a huge emotional chord with the Americans on Sunday night as he questioned: "Is it something wrong with a seven year old Muslim American kid believing that he or she can one day be President of the United States of America?"
Colin Powell in a bold move endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president, criticizing his own Republican Party's narrow focus on irrelevant personal attacks. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press", Powell said he was "troubled" by Republicans' personal attacks on Obama and the recent focus on Obama's alleged connections to William Ayers, a co-founder of the radical '60 Weather Underground.
Republican campaigners, as Powell said, are suggesting that Obama was a Muslim. Powell said, "The correct answer is Obama is a lifelong Christian. But the right answer is: 'what if he is? Is there anything wrong to be a Muslim?" praising the contribution of millions of Muslims citizens to American society.
Given his intelligence and present-mindedness, Obama could also come out and say, 'I'm Christian, but if I were Muslim, SO WHAT?' But, he had to suppress many such answers considering sensitivities of pre-election campaign. Obama must be smiling after he heard Powell speaking what he couldn't. Powell's enunciation of the right answer 'what if he is a Muslim?" is an excerpt of a historical statement that has to reverberate for a long time in American classrooms where American democracy will be tutored.
But the part of his interview with NBC that sent millions of Americans---irrespective of their colour, creed, religion, or ethnicity---into raptures was when Colin Powell in his subdued voice narrated a story of a 14-year old Muslim boy who was appalled at the carnage of 3,000 Americans on the morning of September 11, 2001 as Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City was attacked and demolished.
In an emotional undertone Colin Powell said: "It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of the photo essay was 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 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 headstone, it didn't have a Christian cross, it didn't have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life."
Kareem R. Khan, a 2005 graduate of Southern Regional School, was determined to join the Army to show that not all Muslims were fanatics and that many, like him, were willing to lay their lives down for their country, America. Immediately after his graduation he enlisted himself and was sent to Iraq in July, 2006 where at Baqubah he along with three other soldiers died on August 6, 2007 in a blast from an impoverished explosive device.
Shouldn't Americans, especially Republicans, have to ask themselves what Kareem's sacrifice means to them? Shouldn't this young man and his family deserve to have a leader governing this country who won't dishonour his sacrifice?
The essence of Powell's message is: "Muslim Americans like Christians, Jews, Buddhists, or anybody of any faith are fully part of American society".
The writer, now on a visit to the USA, is General Manager, Bangladesh Krishi Bank and he can be reached at e-mail: maswood@hotmail.com