A Concerned Youth

By Brittany Poullath

Editor's Note:  The author is a 19-year-old first generation American whose parents emigrated from Iraq to escape religious persecution from extremist Muslims.

To my fellow Americans who love this country:

I'm writing this because I am a concerned youth.

It troubles me that the suits up in Washington are playing a game using my life as a pawn.

I'm concerned that people are voting to make history versus voting for the candidate that will make a positive difference in the country.

It scares me knowing that Barack Obama wants to run my home but doesn't want my opinion on how to do it.

I'm concerned on how Mr. Obama will create a path for future generations when he doesn't know exactly when life begins or when a child deserves rights.

It scares me when Mr. Obama says he wants to cut missile funding, bring our troops home and believes that talking with terrorists will bring peace to the world. I'm doubtful of his ability to be a realist. If Mr. Obama believes we can be the best country and still obtain peace among our enemies then he is in a world where no one can reach him. Remember behind every successful person there is a group of haters.

It disgusts me that Mr. Obama celebrated his nomination with a speech that slapped our military heroes in the face.

During his speech he said:

"For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives....."

He argued? Senator Barack Obama the man who voted against the war was the one telling us to take Osama Bin Laden out? The man who wants to talk to terrorists was saying we should do whatever it takes?

It turns my stomach that a man who is so against the war is looking at true heroes like John McCain, Colonel Oliver North and General David Petraeus and saying that he was the one who wanted to take out the enemy. I have two brothers who both served multiple tours in the war but one of my brothers, the Marine, had the pleasure of meeting and taking a picture with Colonel Oliver North, an American hero. Mr. Obama has been to the Middle East twice. You can't count how many times Colonel North has been to the Middle East even if you used your toes. Everyone knows John McCain's military story, the struggles and torture he endured for the country he loves. I guarantee you that Mr. Obama wouldn't last a day as a POW.

How dare Mr. Obama preach that McCain doesn't have the power or the will to get Bin Laden in his cave. I would love to see Obama go out and try to find Osama and then what's he going to do, talk him to death? Mr. Obama has already said for the last eighteen months that open communication is his method of dealing with terrorists. Mr. McCain has already said that the red button will be attached to his finger. I want a President that will not hesitate to press that button if need be.

Mr. Obama continued his speech by saying:

"And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war."

Who are these Iraq leaders? Do they represent their people? Are they just talking and in the privacy of their homes praying that the United States never leaves?

I'm the first generation born here in America. My parents emigrated here from Iraq to escape the persecution and death that were plagued with because of the extremist Muslims. My brother joined the military and fought for America and fought to help and save the Iraqi people. I still have relatives there that refuse to leave, they want to see their country rebuild. They want peace, they need us.

My relatives sent us a video from Iraq. The camera was showing us the small village that was near a mountain. He zoomed in on the mountain and showed us the Marines that were camped out watching over the village. Marines were protecting them because they cannot protect themselves.

For once in a long time the women don't have to worry about being raped. The men don't have to worry about being killed for refusing to conform. And the children don't have the fear of being kidnapped and brainwashed by a radical terrorist group.

Without our military and people like John McCain, Barack Obama would not be able to stand where he is today and demoralize the country that has brought him to where he is.

I will not vote for a man who wants to tear this country apart. I urge people not to vote for a political party or a candidate that is the better of two evils. I urge you to vote against the candidate who wants to break our military, kill our morals, indoctrinate our education system and silence the babies in their mothers' wombs who need us now more than ever.

Don't shame the lives lost on 9/11 by backing out before the job is done in the Middle East. Do you remember what it was like to see three thousand of our brothers and sisters die? Because I can't get their screams out of my head. Do not forget them. Do not forget the emotions you were feeling at that time. Do not think that time heals because time will never heal the loss of my fellow Americans lost.

There is nothing I love more than my country. There is no other place I want to raise my children and no other region where a man starving for freedom can taste it in his mouth like his first meal.

I will do whatever it takes to protect my country. Will you?