A New Hero For the New Millennium

Obama is black, American, Christian, and a politician.he was 3 was funded by the US government (his
Why that bothers so many in our country is beyondadopted father's AF salary). There are some who
me. How can we shift our thinking so that the newwould argue that my son has never held a real job.
millennium is populated with voters who demand livingMany find skiing and flying jets too much "fun" for a
heroes who model accountability for nationalreal job. Is he the most qualified to carry nuclear
leadership?weapons in multi-million dollar aircraft? Only his
Obama is no more Muslim then my son the US Navalinstructors and evaluators know for sure.
Aviator. My son also attended a Muslim pre-school andNo one seems to have a problem with my half Arab
had a parent and grandparents who are Muslim andson flying multi-million dollar airplanes in defense of this
Palestinian. He too was raised by his white mothercountry...frankly I am skeptical of his qualifications! I
who at times is at best agnostic and perhapsKNOW the education he got and I KNOW he leaves
Anti-Patriotic. He attended Catholic Schools that teachwet towels on the bathroom floor and I KNOW that
among other things, how to pray to various saints forhe, too, often does not put his hand over his heart
intercession with God (which most mainstreamduring the Pledge of Allegiance and the National
American Protestants don't get either). I can think of noAnthem (and that is fine too as long as he is
greater insult to my own son than to circulate hurtfulrespectful)...however; he is ready to serve his country
anti-Muslim racially divisive material.and die in the name of his God. My son may not be
My son is a direct descendant of Omar the Great,black but he is cut from the same Muslim/American
Mohammed the Prophet's greatest general andparental cloth as Obama. If Obama is Jewish, Christian,
son-in-law. Does that make him a radical Muslim fighteror Muslim he too prays to that same Yahweh, God, or
who wants to destroy all that is not Muslim in ourAllah. It's the same Big Guy in the sky...just a spelling
country? No, it makes him the descendant of a greatvariation. I see no difference between the sacrifices
leader and military visionary. My son is also themy son makes for his country than what Obama is
descendant of men and women who fought to breakcommitted to as well.
up the Union. His southern ancestors fought to continueIf you want to concentrate on the fact that Obama is
the status quo that included States Rights over theperhaps not qualified for the job that is ok. He has only
good of the union and the continued enslavement ofserved one term as a senator and has previously only
blacks. Does that make my son a racist? No, it makesheld positions with faith-based institutes. I grant you that
him a son of the South who learned at the knee of hishe may not meet the experience standards of
grandfather how to respect all people regardless ofprevious administrations; however, there are others
race, gender or national origin.who believe his lack of political experience is what the
While I do not agree with and despise radical elementscountry needs.
that cloak themselves under the auspices of theirStick to the facts that matter. Spreading FUDD - Fear
belief system, the majority of Muslims are peacefulUncertainty Doubt and Disinformation does nothing but
law abiding citizens who work hard to make a living.make the average American appear uninformed and
Then too, I was never fond of the KKK who hideignorant. Look to the future and see how you want
behind the cross and their brand of twistedthat future to appear. Are our heroes to be all white,
Christian-based bigotry to further their cause as well. Imale, and protestant? Then you must leave out
also am not fond of radical Zionist Jews who want toKennedy, Kissinger, and King. Catholic, Jewish, and
wipe out Christians and Muslims who live in the areaBlack...perhaps they were the beginning of the shift in
that they desire to call 'home' through historical claimshero stories for the next millennium of children.
based on the Torah (which is essentially the OldKennedy created the Peace Corp, Kissinger pioneered
Testament in the Christian Bible and about a quarter ofthe policy of detente, and King raised our social
the Koran). Those who continue to spread hate,consciousness to new heights where all people were
bigotry and misrepresented information become partcreated equal. The son of a Catholic bootlegger, a
of the problem and are more dangerous to theJewish immigrant, and an African American minister
American people then the most zealous of Muslimmight just become the pivot point for our shift in
fanatic. What would happen instead if we metthinking or perhaps we will only be able to point back
together as brothers descended from the sameand think, "what might have been..."
Father Abraham? If we acted like loving relatives andVote for who you think is the better candidate. Just
ceased to act like kids squabbling at a family reunionmake sure you base your decision on sound, logical
over who is the favored son perhaps we could moveand PROVABLE standards that can be measured.
to a collective experience where we could coexist inFear is not measurable. Qualifications and experience
peace and understanding. If we embrace ourare measurable. That is the measure thinking
similarities we can begin to build lasting détente.Americans can use to promote the best person for
How did we become so steeped in this new brand ofthe job. When you feed into the fear you perpetuate
isolationist bigotry? Islam, Muslim, Jihad. These oncethe myths. Consider the possibilities of authoring new
unfamiliar words now strike fear into the hearts ofstories and generating new dialogues that deal with the
many in our country. FBI, CIA, Homeland Security,truth and all the opportunities that has to offer. If we
Patriot Act. These are the words that should strikestop feeding the emotions around fear and look for
fear in our hearts. Acting scared and spying on mythe inherent truths that are provable and observable
neighbors doesn't seem to be a productive way to livewithout distortion and manipulation, a shift in our
one's life. This is an inside-out look at the world. What ifcollective political thinking will occur. We will rise to a
we created a dialogue between groups and created anew level of consciousness that rises above the
universal community where each group is aware ofdisinformation and fear. We will begin to develop into a
the concerns and beliefs of the other? How greatcountry that can once again produce real heroes and
would that be?dynamic change. Perhaps then my son won't need to
My son is in service to his country and has never heldlearn how to drop bombs from his American made
a career track position that the government did notplane on his Arab cousins.
pay for, etc. In fact, every meal that child's had since