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Powell's Anti-Islamophobia Stance Tops Endorsement

Too many in both parties let stabs at Muslim faith go unparried

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 20, 2008 1:48 PM CDT

(Newser) – Colin Powell's Barack Obama endorsement wasn’t the only, or even most, notable aspect of his Meet the Press appearance: equally crucial was his rejection of Islamophobia, an issue too long skirted in this country, Abed Z. Bhuyan writes in the Washington Post/Newsweek Faithbook blog. In doing so, “Colin Powell lived up to his billing as senior American statesman,” Bhuyan notes.

Discussing whispers that Obama is Muslim, Powell said “the really right answer is ‘What if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country?' The answer is ‘No.’” Despite the power of his statement, Bhuyan writes, it may get lost in the media narrative, “because decrying Islamophobia, even though it seemed to be the most important reason for Powell's decision to endorse Obama, is simply not sexy.”

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Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell's "Meet the Press" appearance yesterday was at least as notable for his denunciation of anti-Islam sentiment as it was for his endorsement, Bhuyan writes. (AP Photo)

It's not just Powell's endorsement of Obama that matters; it's his attack on Islamophobia, writes Abed Z. Bhuyan. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)

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It is important that Secretary Powell's statement not be minimized to a political endorsement. It was so much more. - Abed Z. Bhuyan

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Powell's Anti-Islamophobia Stance Tops Endorsement