Islam and the West

For John, BLUF:  Let us be open to dialogue, to learning.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Mr Robert Spencer of Pajamas Media we have a look at some inadvertent Muslim contributions to our nation, "5 Ways Muslims Have Contributed to 'Building the Very Fabric of Our Nation'".

It is sarcasm.

And, the first item, item 5, skipped over the fact that Spain was only able to send a exploration force to the New World because it had defeated the last of the Moors in early 1492.

That said, Muslims, as US Citizens, contribute to the wealth and well being of the United States every day.  I think we should go out of our way to be positive toward our Muslim neighbors.  Their co-religious across Northern Africa, the Middle East and South Asia are struggling with the question of how Islam fits in with the ideas of individual rights as developed in the West during the Enlightenment (earlier in England—thus the term "Rights of Englishmen").♠  This is a hard struggle and one we should support.  It would seem to me that Islam can be compatible with Western Values.  For example, read If the Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran, by Ms Carla Power.  As with Christianity and the Jewish Religion, there is a spectrum of views within Islam.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Just as on 17 March every American is an Irishman, so when it comes to individual rights we are all Englishmen.