PoliticsTop News Today

Colin Powell Celebrated And Remembered

Spread The Love

Today, Americans from all walks of life are celebrating and remembering the life of Colin Powell.

Top News Today
Gen. Colin Powell, who was the first Black US Secretary of State, the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the first Black National Security Advisor, and a revered military and political figure, passed away on Monday unexpectedly due to complications from COVID-19.  Gen. Powell had been secretly suffering from a rare blood cancer known as multiple myeloma as well as Parkinson’s disease, which compromised his immune system and contributed to his death.  Although the general was fully vaccinated, he ironically was scheduled to receive a COVID booster shot later this week.

Colin Powell
Colin and Alma (Johnson) Powell

“General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19,” the Powell family said in a post on Facebook. “We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather, and a great American,” the family added.

Colin Luther Powell was born April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York to Jamaican immigrant parents.  He married Alma Johnson in 1962 and the couple gave birth to 3 children.  Colin Powell began his military service with combat duty in Vietnam, then quickly rose through the ranks of military brass.  He was named National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan and the youngest chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush. Of course, he made history by being the first Black man in America to hold each post.

Colin Powell
Gen. Powell receives the Medal of Freedom

As flags at The White House and around the country were lowered to half-staff in his honor, emotional tributes for the man who is widely considered a trailblazer and a giant among men flooded in on Monday.

President Joe Biden described Powell as a “dear friend” and a dedicated public servant who broke barriers.

“Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat.  He was committed to our nation’s strength and security above all.  Having fought in wars, he understood better than anyone that military might alone was not enough to maintain our peace and prosperity.  From his front-seat view of history, advising presidents and shaping our nation’s policies, Colin led with his personal commitment to the democratic values that make our country strong.  Time and again, he put country before self, before party, before all else — in uniform and out — and it earned him the universal respect of the American people,” Mr. Biden said.

Vice President Kamala Harris — the first Black vice-president of the United States — praised Gen. Powell as “an independent thinker and a barrier breaker who inspired leaders in our military and throughout our nation.”

Former President Barack Obama honored his friend via Twitter, saying “Michelle and I will always look to him as an example of what America—and Americans—can and should be.”

Former President George W. Bush called Gen. Powell “a great public servant” who was “such a favorite of Presidents that he earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom — twice. He was highly respected at home and abroad. And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend.”

Colin Powell

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who himself made history earlier this year as the first Black Defense secretary, said in remarks on Monday that in Powell he “lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor.”

“He always made time for me and I could always go to him with tough issues. He always had great counsel. We will certainly miss him,” Gen. Austin said.

Colin Powell was 84.


OK WASSUP! discusses the Top News Today:
Gen. Colin Powell passes away from COVID-19.

0 0 votes
Article Rating

DJ

DJ is the creator and editor of OK WASSUP! He is also a Guest Writer/Blogger, Professional and Motivational Speaker, Producer, Music Consultant, and Media Contributor. New York, New York USA

Related Articles

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
15 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Wil

AP:
Powell’s death doesn’t mean the COVID vaccines don’t work. It means everyone else needs to protect vulnerable individuals from infection.

The military leader had been fully vaccinated, but like millions of Americans, Powell suffered from a medical condition that increased his risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Powell had previously been diagnosed and treated for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that impacts the body’s ability to fight infections.

Powell’s death has reignited an ongoing issue with how we think and talk about COVID-19. Since the start of the  pandemic, the virus has often been painted as a disease that spares the healthy and targets the vulnerable. 

Truthiz1

“Powell’s death doesn’t mean the COVID vaccines don’t work.” – AP

Yeah. Tell that to the millions of anti-vaxxers who predictably are using Powell’s death as “proof that the vaccines don’t work” with renewed vigor. And I’ll say a little more on that in a minute.

But first I want to pay homage to Colin Powell.

Truthiz1

Regular readers may recall, in the past, I never hesitated to criticize Colin Powell for his role in helping to push the LIES of Bush and Cheney and their NeoCon Masters to justify Our totally Unjust invasion of Iraq without actual cause.

However, this ain’t about all that today…..Not for me.

Because aside from THAT horrific decision the Man was Stellar in his accomplishments and in his genuine devotion to his family and Our/his country.

May He Rest in Peace.

Last edited 3 years ago by Truthiz1
Truthiz1

I’m not going to dwell on the anti-vaxxers because DJ’s post is about honoring Colin Powell. I will simply restate what I said quite some time ago.

The Biden administration (w/a lot of help from Fauci, the CDC Director and others) completely botched the messaging on the actual effectiveness of the vaccines.

In short: They failed to present a Clear, Truthful and Unified message. Instead, their message was, AND still is (in my opinion), a mixed, muddled and all-over-the-map message.

Last edited 3 years ago by Truthiz1
Mr.BD

Hey Truth the whole botched job about Covid got started with Trump. He would not let Fauci and Debra Birks say the truth from the get go because he was busy trying to mess everything up because that is who he is. It was already botched by the time Biden came along. Pfizer and Moderna also told everybody their vaccine was 95 percet effective so nobody should have been confused 5 percent of people could still die no matter what. But I do not want to derail this story honoring General Powell over the vaccine. RIP to him.

Truthiz1

“Hey Truth the whole botched job about Covid got started with Trump.”

I know BD. Not disagreeing with you at all.

But I expected messaging to really improve when Biden got into office. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.

Mr.BD

I remember you said this one time before and I do not want to misunderstand you. I never got to ask you before but what message about the vaccine do you believe is not clear? The companies that make it always said the vaccine would keep most people from dying but it would still effect 5 percent of people. They also said it would wear off like other vaccines do which is why the booster shot is happening. I guess I am missing what part of that message is confusing?

Truthiz1

Initially the vaccine was promoted as offering about 96% protection against catching the virus AND the vaccine would provide protection for at least 9-12 months.

They touted those claims so much so that Biden, Fauci and others said that the “Fully vaccinated” could take off their mask and go about life as “normal.”

In short: NONE of that was true.

Last edited 3 years ago by Truthiz1
Mr.BD

Thanks for responding and giving clarity. We are saying the same thing about the effective numbers. They always said 95 percent and that is still true because the vaccine does not work in 5 percent of the people. The only thing we are not saying the same about is the masks. But the thing is this is a new disease and information is changing. The CDC said take off the mask because that was correct at the time. Then all the unvaccinated people cause a spike in the delta and we had to put masks back on. If more people had got the vaccine we could have reached herd immunity by now and all that messaging would have been right. But people messed it up.

Truthiz1

“The CDC said take off the mask because that was correct at the time.”

We’ll just agree to disagree on that my good friend. 🙂

Mr.BD

Lol yes we will. And I apologize to DJ for doing exactly what I said I was not going to do and derail the topic. Again RIP to Mr. Powell.

Truthiz1

And please don’t get me started on when they began promoting the need for a booster!

I’ll save that rant for another day.

Mr.BD

Lol I see we are going to disagree today friend. The booster only happened because other variants started coming up. Nobody knew about a delta or whatever other ones there are at the time recommendations got made. I am glad they found out so quick about the variants and that we should protect ourselves more with a booster. Think about if they did not find that out and people started dying by the millions again. I know my friend you do not like the vaccine and did not want to take it. Thats your choice. But I think the experts did the best they could with the info they had and that info keeps changing. As long as the virus keeps changing the message is going to have to also.

Mr.BD

Wow talk about being a trail blazer this guy was it. Mr. Powell was the first black to be so many things he deserves a celebration. I will pray for his family and may he RIP.

Wil

Trump speaks about Colin Powell:

“He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!”

Social media users were disgusted (but not surprised) by the former president’s “classless” statement and took to Twitter to express their outrage.

One user tweeted: “Whenever Donald Trump knows he can’t live up to some other persons life he tried to bring them down to his level with insults. That’s all this is. The ramblings of a weak insecure man. He couldn’t walk two steps in Colin Powell’s shoes.”

“Keeping it classy as always,” another added. “You got to appreciate how consistent Trump is…always making it about himself. Toxic narcissism.”

Back to top button
15
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x