The Colin Factor

Former United States Secretary of State, General Colin Powell (Ret.) endorsed Senator Obama's campaign to become President of the United States on Meet the Press yesterday. The significance/irrelevance of the endorsement will be debated (and it has already begun) over the next two-three days - both in terms of the substance and the reasons that Powell provided and what it will mean vis-a-vis influencing voters, particularly individuals in the military and/or fellow Republicans.

There was one component of General Powell's endorsement that has however stayed in my mind, as it certainly has for many others. Powell drew attention to the persistent allegations that have been levelled against Obama, specifically, that he is a Muslim. While Powell repeated (as others have) that the correct response was obviously that Obama was a Christian, the larger point was - so what if Obama were a Muslim?

Powell was identifying the inherent bigotry that identifying Obama as a Muslim was intended to engender. In support of his argument about the loyalty of Muslim Americans, Powell has noted a photo essay which depicted a mother resting her face atop her son's grave stone at Arlington National Cemetery with a crescent moon inscribed on the stone indicating the soldier's faith. He emphasized that the soldier was an American citizen and born in New Jersey. Powell's point was that Muslims are part of the nation's military and were in it to defend their country just as others have. And perhaps more fundamentally, that they too were good American citizens - loyal and patriotic.

This is something that neither campaign has seemed to be willing to express, or if they have, they fail to do so in any prolific or sustained manner. Obama's campaign seems unable or hesistant to engage in this, perhaps for fear that he will be branded a Muslim/Arab sympathizer (as though again reaching out to and/or defending Arab and/or Muslim Americans was a bad thing). Senator McCain defended Obama against those who would accuse him of being an Arab by addressing the fact that Obama is a "decent family man", and "a citizen".

Powell, through his statements on this issue will hopefully encourage others, preferably in both parties to be more empathetic in defence of a visible minority than what we have witnessed so far.