We're not racist, we just like to pretend you don't exist

The elephant in the room. That's the first phrase that came to mind when I read a Nov. 6 article published on the NY Times entitled "Among Young Muslims, Mixed Emotions on Obama." The article describes the sentiment of various Muslim college students for Obama.

"It was easy for them to love the candidate. With the same passion, and for the same reasons that millions of other young people did, they loved Barack Obama's call to activism, the promise of change, the sheer newness of the guy. What was hard was feeling they could not show it because they were Muslims."

Now, that's kind of aggravating. I know, I know, I know post 9/11, "Muslim" "Islam" "Allah" "Jihad" "Mosque" have all been words that create a tidalwave of shock, fear, and an inevitable nervous smile coupled with a hasty exit. Bringing any kind of empathy toward those 'Muslims' is a big no-no within the political arena. But I have to ask myself, and you, dear reader, what gives? It just seems plain silly that having Muslim supporters is something to be ashamed of. Shouldn't it manifest your peaceful vision for the nation? Shouldn't it prove, even more, your ideal for "not a White, not a Black, not an Asian America but a UNITED States of America?"

The article states: "The campaign had dismissed a Muslim staff member for seemingly flimsy reasons. A campaign worker had shuttled two young Muslim women wearing head scarves out of the line of sight of TV cameras at a rally."

I'm a woman. I'm Muslim and I wear a headscarf. If I was an American citizen, I would be the FIRST person in line to vote for Mr. Obama, fully adorned with my long-sleeved Obama for Change shirt. No problem. But I can't help but think - why am I so outspoken about my support for you, when you use every possible twist and turn NOT to show your support of me? Maybe I'm too hopeful, maybe I've got my head in the clouds. Afterall, it is all politics. It would, as these young college students stated, badly hurt his campaign if he outwardly voiced his love, support, empathy and acceptance of Muslim Americans.

Then the unthinkable happend. Good ol' Colin Powell.
Answering a question about Mr. Obama's faith, Mr. Powell said: "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?”
That made me wanna pat the man on the back. A Republican, formerly a part of the Bush administration, told America that Muslims are not necessiarily the poision that they are painted to be. Okay, maybe not in those particular words. But, it felt nice.
Now, I have to admit. When I first heard Mr. Powell say that, I thought to myself, "Hmm..this seems to be a calculated response, strategically placed for Mr. Powell to say something Obama can't. And since Powell had at this point already endorsed Obama, it could be taken as Obama's viewpoint too. Instead he wouldn't get the *Gasp! A terrorist supporter* response for it. "
But there's my cyncial side once again. It could or could not be the case.

So, although we may not hear "Muslim Americans, America feels your struggles" anytime soon, I'm not going to hate President Elect Barack Obama for it. Don't wanna raise my expactions too high. I'm happy enough that his middle name wasn't made into too much of an obstacle for him. For now, let's just pretend the Elephant in the room doesn't exist; the Donkey JUST made its way in, and people are loving it.